• Legalism: (Grace through faith in Jesus) + our obedience (works) = Salvation
It’s the right behavior with the wrong belief.
It’s the belief that obedience earns us favor before God. It places too much emphasis on our obedience.
The Judaizers were legalistic, adding works to the gospel in order to earn God’s favor.
• Hypocrisy: (Grace through Faith in Jesus) = Salvation
It's the right belief with the wrong behavior.
It’s believing the gospel in our hearts but not living it out with our lives. It places zero emphasis on our obedience.
Peter was acting hypocritically, his actions didn’t reflect the gospel he believed. He was “pursuing unity at the expense of gospel truth.”
• What prevents us from keeping each other accountable?
• When do you find yourself drifting toward legalism? Toward hypocrisy?
• Gospel: (Grace through Faith in Jesus) = Salvation + Obedience
It’s the right belief with the right behavior.
Our obedience is no longer legalistic because we’re not obeying to earn God’s favor, we’re obeying because of Christ’s work in and through us.
• There’s an order to the gospel, and that order is . . . God saves us, and THEN we follow him. He doesn’t accept us BECAUSE we follow him. (Tim Keller)
• “By faith you are so cemented to Christ that He and you are as one person, which cannot be separated but remains attached to Him forever.” (Martin Luther)