Legalism, Libertinism, and Grace

"Legalism," properly defined (that is, in the biblical sense of the word), is that relic of Old Covenant Judaism whereby one seeks to attain righteousness in the sight of God through perfect adherence to the Mosaic Law. This, of course, is an impossible task despite the fact that the Pharisees in Jesus' time and the Judaizers in the early days of the Church claimed to have accomplished it.

Paul repudiates Jewish legalism as a "work of the flesh" in much the same way that he repudiates the lascivious living so characteristic of Gentile libertinism. Drunken orgies and sexual license were as integral to the myriad of Gentile religions as were holiness and righteous living under the Law to the Jewish religion. As these two religious cultures came together in the early Church, certain parties within both of them wanted to import characteristics of their respective old religions.

Paul and other New Testament writers make it clear, however, that neither Jewish legalism nor Gentile libertinism will define life under the New Covenant. Rather, life under the New Covenant will be defined by grace, meaning neither strict (and superficial) adherence to the Law nor unrestrained indulgence of carnal passions. Grace is the unmerited favor of God whereby all are accounted righteous who place their faith in Jesus Christ and his perfect sacrifice on the cross, whereby he fulfilled the Law and put an end to sin, not only with regard to its consequences but also with regard to its power over a fallen humanity.

Present-day revisionists who attempt to recast faithfulness to orthodox Christian teaching in a negative light as some “new” form of legalism make a mockery of the grace they claim to live under. The same Tradition which teaches that a person must live a holy and righteous life in obedience to God also teaches that such a life is not attainable through any human effort to follow an arbitrary set of rules and regulations. It is only possible because of the cross, and only attainable through the faith which is itself a gift of that unmerited favor of God which the Church calls grace.