If you’ve ever felt like following Christ was more about rules than a relationship, you’re not alone. I can relate because I’ve been there.
In college, I became a legalistic Christian, although I didn’t see myself as legalistic at the time. This started out of a genuine desire to better understand the Bible and how God wanted me to live. But over time, I fell into unhelpful mindsets, like “grading” how good a Christian I was based on how well I followed the rules. This mindset also led me to be judgmental, arrogant, and rude toward anyone who didn’t share my exact views.
Legalism can lead us away from God’s grace and toward self-reliance. It can also get in the way of God’s work in the world. So, let’s explore how to recognize and avoid this harmful form of Christianity.
Key Takeaways
- Legalistic Christianity tells us that God cares more about our following the rules than our growing relationship with Jesus.
- Jesus teaches that salvation comes through grace and faith, not through strict obedience to rules or our outward appearance.
- Avoiding legalism involves embracing Jesus’ unconditional love, seeking to become more like Him, and extending grace to others.
What Is Legalism?
When I talk about “legalism,” I’m referring to a hyper-focus on obeying rules and human traditions rather than pursuing the inward change that comes from faith in Jesus.
A legalistic Christian often focuses more on outward behavior like good deeds, law-keeping, or enforcing man-made rules than God’s love, grace, and mercy.
This approach to Christianity isn’t new. Some of the religious leaders in the New Testament were classic examples of legalists. They held to strict human rules and traditions, often at the expense of God’s law and the heart of God.
What Does Jesus Say About Legalism?
Jesus challenged these religious leaders, saying,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices … But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. …” Matthew 23:23 NIV
What was Jesus saying? That the religious leaders spent more energy thinking through the precise amount of spices they were supposed to give to God than caring for people in need. Jesus brought a special kind of intensity to conversations with legalistic Christians. Why? Because they spent their lives studying Scripture—they should have known better than to act without compassion.
Jesus tells us that the greatest commandments are to love God and love others. While God’s law is important, obeying God isn’t about rigidly following rules to earn spiritual “points.”
In one memorable story, a Pharisee proudly lists his good deeds, while a humble tax collector simply asks for God’s mercy. In Jesus’ day, a Pharisee was the ultimate example of a rule-follower, while a tax collector was seen as the worst kind of rule-breaker.
But Jesus said it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified. Why? Because salvation is a gift of grace, not something we can earn through our own rules or good deeds.
Signs You Might Be Slipping Into Legalism
So how do we identify legalism in ourselves? Remember, God has grace for everyone, including legalistic Christians. Let’s look at these three signs.
1. Prioritizing Rules Over Relationships
If your relationship with Jesus feels like a checklist of do’s and don’ts rather than a relationship based on faith and love, you may be slipping into legalism.
If your relationship with Jesus feels like a checklist of dos and don’ts rather than a relationship based on faith and love, you may be slipping into legalism. When I struggled with legalism, I didn’t have much of a relationship with God. I thought He simply wanted me to do tasks for Him rather than experience a life-giving relationship with Him.
2. Being Hypercritical of Other Christians
Are you quick to measure someone’s faith by their ability to follow spiritual rules or non-essential beliefs? Then you might be struggling with legalism. Legalistic Christians keep a spiritual scorecard and often struggle with spiritual pride, leading them to be quick to condemn people who don’t live up to their standards.
3. Using Rules to Gain Salvation
Do you feel afraid of letting God down? Like He’ll abandon you if you mess up too often? This, too, can be a sign of legalism. Constantly wondering if you’re doing enough for God is a sign you might be trying to earn God’s love or salvation. But God’s grace is a gift.
God Does Give Us Rules
God provides us with truth, including rules to live by that lead to flourishing. Many of those rules are almost universally accepted. For example, no one will call you a legalist for following God’s command to not murder or steal.
But what about His call to rest, give, serve, and regularly meet with other Christians? These directives may cause us to change our habits and create discomfort, but they exist for our good—and the good of the world around us. So let’s pause before labeling a law or practice as legalistic.
Following Rules Doesn’t Save Us
The rules, laws, and practices in Scripture are for our good, but following them doesn’t save us. And this isn’t just a New Testament idea. In the book of Hosea, the author records these words from God:
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 NIV
With a heart of grace, humility, and desire to know God, the laws and practices help us grow. Without those qualities, they’re empty actions.
The Root of Legalism
It’s easy to paint the religious leaders of Jesus’ day as out-of-touch, selfish bad guys. But let’s be cautious not to condemn them too harshly. Instead, let’s ask ourselves, “Why did first-century religious leaders in Jesus’ community struggle with legalism?”
Well, in the past, Jesus’ ancestors had been invaded, exiled, and enslaved by foreign empires. (Check out this Daniel Bible Plan for more on the exile.) Over time, God led His people home, but not long afterward, another invasion followed: This time, the Roman Empire occupied their land.
Leaders concluded that the exile and invasions were a result of their disobedience, failing to follow God’s laws. And so they tried to make up for it by changing their ways to strict obedience. But some swung too far in the other direction.
Does this context justify their legalism? Of course not. Did some legalists in Jesus’ day care more about their social status than actually pleasing God? Almost certainly.
But I mention this to help us give grace to people struggling with legalism. Often, there’s a reason behind their perspective. And when we take time to understand why, we can provide helpful support.
3 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Legalistic Christian
1. Focus on Grace, Not Rules
Remember that we’re saved by grace through faith, not by works. God gave us good rules and life-giving truths that we’re wise to cling to. But we should never let following the rules cause us to feel pride or to think of “rule-breakers” as less loved by God. Instead, as we focus on the gospel, the good news of God’s love will shape our lives.
2. Seek Jesus
Jesus was perfect, but He was never prideful.
Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to be human. We’re wise to let His words, actions, and practices be our guide as we seek to honor God. Jesus was perfect, but He was never prideful. He always did what was right and pleased God, yet He never looked down on the imperfect people around Him. And Jesus held on to truth while still showing grace to everyone He met.
3. Replace Judgment With Curiosity
The next time you’re tempted to think, “Wow, they call themselves Christians while doing that?” pause and reflect. If it’s someone you don’t know, like a celebrity or influencer, don’t fall into the temptation of judging them. It’s not your job to be their spiritual guide. Instead, if you feel concerned, pray.
And if it is someone you know, ask God to show you how you might be a positive voice and influence in their lives. Instead of jumping to judgment, ask questions. Get to know the story behind the choice they made.
Keep Pursuing Jesus
Legalism often begins with good motives, like a desire to honor God or live a holy life. But when we lose sight of grace, our faith becomes about law-keeping and human traditions rather than grace through Jesus Christ.
I know this because I lived it. I used to measure my faith by how well I followed the rules and judged others who didn’t meet those same standards.
But over time, I realized that Christianity isn’t about obeying rules. It’s about living and loving like Jesus. Only that kind of relationship can lead to genuine spiritual growth, inward change, and eternal hope grounded in grace.
If you’re struggling with legalism, take heart. Jesus offers freedom, not judgment. Take time to reflect on your life and motivations and seek ways to let God’s love, mercy, and truth show you how to grow closer to Him each day.