There’s a strange irony at the heart of legalism: in trying to honor God with utmost precision, we may actually miss His heart most entirely.

Legalism is not law-keeping—it’s law-trusting. It’s not loving God’s commands; it’s believing that our adherence to them is what earns God’s favor. Scripture is clear: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). The gospel is not an employee contract—it’s a rescue mission.

Grace, on the other hand, is not laziness or moral indifference. And it’s not a transaction. Grace says from the start, “You belong here.” Legalism reverses that. It says, “You’ve got to prove your worth.” Christ proved our worth on the cross. The resurrection is God’s final word that grace wins.

One of the most telling parables to this point is that of the elder brother in Luke 15. The father
throws a party for his youngest, prodigal son, but the older brother refuses to come inside. He’s angry that grace has been extended so freely. After all, he never left. He kept the rules. He’s been stalwart. And yet—it’s the rule-keeper, not the rebel, who ends the story on the outside of the father’s party.

Drop the scorecard. Come to the feast. Let grace be the beginning and end of your walk with
God. Holiness still matters, yes—but it grows from grace, not from guilt. No one earns their way to the Father’s house. Anyone, though, can come home by grace.

Maranatha,

Jordy