Was Jesus a Legalist?

No matter your position in the legalism/standards debate, I think all parties would agree that Jesus was not a legalist.  He certainly did not teach salvation by keeping the law, nor did he teach that a Christian must maintain the highest standards to keep favor with God. But Jesus did teach something that every Christian should learn. It is okay to have a higher standard than the law. Before you call me something that I am not, look at Matthew 5.

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the more popular parts of the New Testament. All persuasions of “Christianity” quote it freely, especially the first half of Matthew 5. Don’t let this emphasis cause you to miss what Jesus taught in the latter half of the chapter. Beginning in verse 27, he quoted at least five points of the law and made applications more restrictive than the law itself. Notice a comparison . . .

(vss. 27-28) “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery . . . but I say unto you, That whosever looketh on a woman to lust hath already committed adultery . . .”

Jesus drew similar comparisons about oaths, the recompense of evil, and hating your enemies in the following verses. In each scenario, He made applications that went above and beyond the prescription of the law. Does this mean that He was a legalist? The answer is NO, and the same is true for Christians that seek to live a life of excellence and holiness by staying away from the edge.

Jesus taught a way of living to His followers that emphasized holiness rather than borderline living like the world. This second-mile Christianity is sadly missing today. We need believers who will be more sensitive to God than the world. God’s moral law should cause the Christian to exercise carefulness instead of indifference and recklessness.

My friend, if you are reading this today and you believe that all people with high Christian standards are legalists and holy rollers, you just may be wrong. They may be trying to be like Jesus. Let us all follow His example and be a second-mile Christian. Stay away from the edges and be clearly on the side of right. 

Let me repeat. Jesus was not a legalist.

A special thanks to a visiting chapel speaker who pointed this out to me. - AB