The NIV 365 Day Devotional
What’s So Bad About Legalism?
Legalists, people who follow strict rules of conduct, at first glance seem righteous. But Jesus warns against the subtle dangers of legalism. Oddly, legalism tends to lower a person’s view of God. If I manage to meet all the requirements of a strict rule book, I may begin to feel secure about my goodness. In fact, I may even think I have earned God’s approval through my own efforts.
Both Jesus’ enemies (the Pharisees) and his friends (the disciples) seek a precise list of rules so they can feel they have fulfilled their obligations to God, which then gives them a sense of satisfaction. To such people, Jesus shouts a loud “No!” We never outgrow our need for God; we never arrive in the Christian life. We survive spiritually only by constantly depending on God for mercy and for strength.
Taken from the NIV Student Bible.