The Narrow Path Between Legalism and License

Sometimes, preachers who emphasize free will, human choice, and the possibility of losing salvation—read Arminians—can end up promoting a performance-based mindset. But I've also seen how preachers who focus heavily on doctrines like God's sovereignty and assurance—Calvinists—without an equal emphasis on sanctification, can drift into a kind of hyper-grace passivity that is just as dangerous as legalism.

We must be careful not to preach a grace that says, "Jesus has done it all"—which is gloriously true—while neglecting the call to repentance and transformation. The grace of God is not only forgiving but also transforming. As we see throughout the Gospels, the proper response to the good news is repentance and faith.

Repentance is not merely feeling bad for your sins at the start of your Christian life; it's a daily turning—being corrected by God's Word, having our minds renewed, and living with a growing desire to obey. Faith is not simply mental assent to a set of truths, but a trust in Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sins and as our Lord, to be followed and obeyed.

To make a disciple is to call people to die to themselves (as signified in baptism) and to walk in obedience to Christ. A disciple of Jesus isn't someone who merely agrees with certain doctrines or feels warmly toward Jesus. A disciple is someone who, by the mercy of God, has received a new heart that loves His precepts, and who, by the indwelling Spirit, is empowered to pursue holiness. And when he fails, he humbly repents and seeks transformation in God.

For this reason, I believe every preacher—and really, every Christian—would do well to follow the example of Charles Simeon (1759–1836), who summarized his preaching philosophy this way:

"My endeavour is to bring out of Scripture what is there, and not to thrust in what I think might be there. I have a great jealousy on this head—never to speak more or less than I believe to be the mind of the Spirit in the passage I am expounding. I would not wish to read a single verse without finding something that humbles the sinner, exalts the Saviour, and promotes holiness."

Humble the sinner. Exalt the Saviour. Promote holiness. This tri-fold aim should guide our sermons, Bible studies, and even our private devotions. It acts as both a theological and pastoral safeguard against the extremes of legalism and hyper-grace:

• Humbling the sinner confronts pride and self-righteousness, dismantling the idea that we can earn or keep salvation by our works, guarding against legalism.

• Exalting the Saviour keeps Christ at the center, reminding us that salvation is by grace through faith in Him, not by effort or merit, countering both legalism and moralism.

• Promoting holiness affirms that true grace transforms. It leads to obedience and a life pleasing to God, guarding against antinomianism.

With this Gospel framework, sinners are neither crushed by the law nor comforted in their sin, but led to Christ for both justification and sanctification.

May God grant us grace to walk this narrow path with joy and zeal, as the Spirit leads us through His Word.

Nino Marques