Legalism and grace are in a conflict that has raged throughout Bible history. You may be assured that legalism leads to the law and sure condemnation. Grace leads from the bondage of law to spiritual liberty, eternal life, growth, development, and maturity. All that may be accomplished in service for the Savior occurs because of His gracious accomplishments for you and not because of your human efforts for Him. The contrast between law and grace is seen in the first eleven verses of the eighth chapter of John. There is also an illustration of this contrast in Romans.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes” (Romans 10:4).
To test Jesus, the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman taken in the act of adultery and said, “Moses in the law, commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what do you say?” (John 8: 5). This statement from the legalistic Scribes and Pharisees demonstrates the true purpose of the law in declaring guilt and demanding the penalty of death. These legalistic teachers were persuaded there was no possible way of escape for this woman. She had committed adultery which was forbidden. She was guilty and therefore could not escape the death penalty as prescribed by the law. She was doomed under the law, and there was no escape! This kind of stern condemnation is always true under the law. This woman had no defense; she was guilty and faced the penalty of death. Not only was this woman guilty; the entire world became guilty before God.
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).
The law was the ministration of condemnation and death for this woman. Her guilt was not questioned by anyone. She had committed an act which was not only specifically condemned by the Mosaic law but was also immoral by the standards of her religious accusers. These religious accusers were also guilty before God as their self-righteous deeds gave them absolutely no righteous standing and placed them deeper in debt. The depravity of these self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees did not enter into the minds of these pompous religious leaders. Many devoted legalists define certain questionable acts as being sinful and are perfectly willing to condemn those that trespass their self-imposed standards. However, they utterly fail to recognize that God’s definition of sin is “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).
The Pharisaical legalists of yester-year and today fail to realize that by their own legalism they are believing in self-efforts instead of in Him whom God sent to be the propitiation for all sins. In whatever measure God’s message of grace is rejected or compromised to that same measure is the guilty one rejecting the one by whom came grace, truth, and eternal life. The Scribes and Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus, tempting Him that they might accuse Him. They clearly knew He would not condemn her, and the moment He showed leniency they were poised to make Him a violator of the law and a party to her sin. This is a true characteristic of legalism! The legalist proudly accuses the one who upholds grace as condoning sin and insists that to teach and emphasize grace is to encourage careless living in the lives of believers. This is a malicious misconception of those who are living under grace as grace is all that God is free to do for His saved ones on the basis of the accomplishments of Christ on the cross and not on the basis of frail non-meritorious human works.
Jesus simply ignored their accusations as they continued pressing Him for an answer. He turned to them and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (v. 7). If any of you think you are perfect under the demands of the law, if there is anyone who is, let him be the one to enforce the demands of the law. These penetrating words by Him who is full of grace and truth are the death blow to legalism as a means of attaining righteousness. Legalism includes all that may be defined as confidence in the flesh! In the hearing of these words from Him who is the impeccable righteous one, they realized their own guilt and hypocrisy. “And they being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one” (v.9). They had nothing left on which to stand. They had rejected grace and truth and now were convicted and guilty under the law they knew they had not kept. Under grace the acceptance of Christ as Savior is an intensely individual matter; likewise, the condemnation of the law is individual. They went out accordingly, not as a group but one by one, as each was imminently convicted. The last hypocrite having exited, with their mouths stopped, left the woman alone with Jesus. The Pharisees who accused the woman are a perfect picture of the law. The woman alone with Jesus is a true picture of grace. Grace is always a personal and individual encounter with the Savior.
Notice: Then Jesus asked her, “Woman where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” (v. 10). She answered, “No man, Lord.” She is a beautiful picture of one who has been delivered from the law. “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6). No one was left to condemn. She stands alone with Jesus. What will she hear? “Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (v. 11). These are words of grace and truth. Notice the order: “Neither do I condemn thee;” then, “Sin no more.” This is always the order under grace. The believing sinner is first unconditionally declared free from condemnation. After that comes the command to sin no more. The order under law is exactly reversed. The law says, “Do not sin and thereby be free from condemnation.” Contrary to human reasoning only those who have been redeemed from the condemnation of law and have been brought under grace are able to “Go and sin no more.”
“For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).
This process is basic to grace as apart from this great truth, grace cannot be comprehended. Apart from grace there can be no true growth and development in the Christian way of life. Please notice the Scribes and Pharisees had been unsuccessful in their dark plotting against Jesus. Their judgmental mouths had been stopped, and they had been made to admit their own sin. The woman caught in adultery had been delivered from the penalty of the law and declared by Jesus to be free from condemnation. Thereafter, she was told to sin no more and to live in conformity to her new position in Christ. Now the opportunity goes from the woman to the crowd which included the self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (v. 12).
The Scribes and Pharisees, including many in the crowd had walked in darkness and were blind and naked before the unique Son of God who would soon die for their sins. They had seen the obvious sin of the woman, but in self-righteous complacency they were unaware of their own guilt until they were stunned by the penetrating fire of His words of absolute truth. Many realize that to live in sin is to walk in darkness. However, to live in sin and to live under the law, as a rule of life, are essentially the same thing! For all that are under the law are under the dominion of sin and therefore are in darkness.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).
An essential element of living under the law is to have confidence in the flesh. This legalistic position takes the place of confidence or dependence upon God, and that is the very essence of sin. “All that is not of faith is sin.” To function under the law is to walk in self-righteous darkness and is to reject the gracious Savior by whom came grace and truth. To reject Jesus Christ is a greater sin than to break the law. To live under law then can be nothing less than to be lost, blind, and naked before God. By default, Jesus had declared that the Pharisees were walking in darkness, and they knew it. It is obvious this was realized because they answered, “Thou bearest record of thy self; thy record is not true” (v.13). Having been rejected by them Jesus declared that because they believed not, they would die in their sins. “I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins” (v. 24).
Ahh, the good news! “As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (vs. 30-32). Carefully notice, these words were spoken to those who believed on Him and only because they believed in Him by faith, they had become the children of God, “For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Carefully notice as children of God, they are offered something more–a knowledge of the truth which will make them free. It is only to those that believe and are under grace that truth is promised. This excludes all who are under law. They do not have the liberty that is in Christ and therefore are in bondage. Paul in no uncertain terms declared that the covenant from Mount Sinai brings forth legalistic bondage, “which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants: the one from the mount Sinai which genders to bondage which is Hagar” (Law) (Galatians 4:24).
But not all who are under grace know the truth nor are all set free. Only those believers who grow in grace, remain in fellowship, and consistently follow Him through His word will reach the high ground of grace and spiritual maturity. To continue in His word is first to know His word of grace, truth, and liberty as recorded herein by John, and then to live according to these important imperatives. It may be surprising to learn, that not all words He spoke while here on Earth were words of grace. In the gospel of Matthew, He declares that He came to fulfill the unfulfilled Law. What He says there is based upon the law and is in support of it. However, to confuse or intermix the law into grace cannot bring liberty.
Please be assured, liberty in Christ does not grant a license to do as anyone pleases. Why do I pause here to reflect on this controversial subject? Because it is a misconceived charge of legalists that to teach grace without the constraining influence of the law means a license to sin. This is a false and misguided charge and is most emphatically untrue. To teach grace with the demanding constraints of the law IS TO BE IN BONDAGE by the very requirements of a law that has been done away. In order to accurately teach grace, it is essential to convey the need of a full and complete dependence upon our Sovereign God. The believer must always be fully aware that it is our glorious God who provides all that is needed for them to know and claim His divine operating assets. The way of a productive life for a believer is to walk by means of the controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit and to grow in grace and in the knowledge and application of Bible information that has been deposited in the soul. Surely no one will dare claim otherwise. A Bible centered and Holy Spirit directed life is not one of careless disregard of the Scriptures and a permissive license to do as the flesh pleases. In a trusting and maturing believer there is no indifference nor disregard of the purpose and will of God in the life. The individual who imposes the law upon any believer, whether by himself or another by that very act that individual denies the need of dependence and trust in God and thereby is guilty of sin by condemning and judging another believer who lives not under law but by grace.
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (v. 36).
It is the Son by whom came grace and truth.
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John1:17).
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” ( 2 Corinthians 3:17).
Liberty my Christians friends is what we have in our blessed Savior and not bondage by a law that has passed away and engenders repugnant legalistic bondage.
“For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE ON HIS NAME” (John 1:12).
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38-39).
Legalism does not, in fact cannot, understand grace for the two have nothing in common. Those who ascribe to legalism say teaching grace leads to carelessness (that is sin), but the law is God’s word for guidance and obedience and has never been kept by anyone, then or now! (the exception is Jesus Christ). Strict legalists incessantly fail to keep the very law they insist others must keep. The law is good, but it is a savor of death (the soul that sins, it shall die) grace is a savor unto life. (For it is by grace you are saved). The law was a school bus that unbelievers entered to be transported to the person of Christ that He might be received as the only Savior of their condemned souls. He is the one who paid a debt He did not owe. We are the ones who owed a debt we could not pay. May you be fully aware of the gracious accomplishments that were wrought on the cross by the perfect and only Savior of humanity, the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, making intercession for you. Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12: 2,3).
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
