"Legalism with a Smiling Face"

I found a blog yesterday called "In the Clearing" by Bob from Oregon. I think that the post linked below entitled "Legalism with a Smiling face" (referencing Jared Wilson's The New Legalism) is an important word of warning for all evangelical believers and preachers. I commend it to your consideration.

In the Clearing: Legalism with a Smiling Face

We Christians have gotten so used to routinely defining ourselves as anything but legalistic, that we have failed miserably to recognize the pervasive "soft legalism" (legalism with a smiling face) that we preach and hear preached from week to week. These are sermons that paint a picture of the kind of life/attitude/heart/marriage we should have, give numerous Biblical examples (one of which can even be Jesus, who was an exemplary fellow, don't you know), and then tell us that God is willing to help us achieve this model life/attitude/heart/marriage if we only ask.

There's more:

And why doesn't this kinder/gentler legalism (which, by the way, I hear in my church each and every week) actually fulfill its promises? "Because it doesn't address sin."

It does not take seriously the problem of sin and therefore it does not take seriously God's all-sufficient provision for that problem. Instead it suggests, inevitably, 3 steps, or 5 steps, or 7 steps, to achieving that for which you've always dreamed.

And he closes:

As I said before, we really need to examine ourselves carefully about this. I find that people are so used to the self-improvement style and values, and so prone to accord it respect, that they don't recognize that it is categorically at odds with the gospel of Jesus Christ.