Date: 5/21/2017
Title: Avoiding a Legalistic Heart
Speaker: Pastor Darryl J. Stalter
Scripture: Matthew 12:1-14

In our relativistic world, we are often afraid that we will be viewed a legalistic. However, how God defines legalism is different than the way the world does. The world defines legalism as anyone who upholds a universal standard of truth and behavior, to include God’s Word. In Matthew 12 Jesus defines legalism more narrowly as bowing down to the letter of God’s Law to bolster one’s own self-righteousness often in violation of the very intent of that law and often at the expense of others. Although he calls us to be holy, we can counter a legalistic heart by remembering mercy.