From Legalism to Living faith

Introduction

Good morning, church. Today we open God’s Word to Matthew 15:10–20. In this passage, Jesus confronts one of the most dangerous traps for God’s people—legalism.

What is legalism? Legalism is a preoccupation with form at the expense of substance, in other words one is more worried with the letter of the law vice the spirit and intent of the law.

The Pharisees were masters of outward religion. They knew all the rules, they kept all the traditions, they looked spotless on the outside. But Jesus shows us that true defilement is not about what we eat, or how we wash, or what ritual we keep—it’s about the condition of the heart.

This is a timely message for us today. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of “looking religious” instead of “being righteous.” Jesus reminds us that God desires transformed hearts, not empty rituals. He calls us to live out His commands with the spirit of love and truth, so we can be His hands and feet, His salt and light to the world.

Let’s walk through this passage together. But first some context of what’s happened already: The Pharisee had come to Jesus and asked Him why His disciples ignore the tradition of the elders and did not wash their hands when they ate bread (Matt. 15:1-2)? This sparked Jesus to rebuke them and their tradition of altering God’s commands to fit their own desires (Matt. 15:3-7). He echo’s Isaiah 29:13, when He says in Matthew 15:8–9 “‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” So Jesus calls the multitudes to Himself and teaches this truth which the church still tries to corrupt with doctrine even today. Lest read together Jesus’s response to the Pharisee’s legalistic challenge to Christ’s disciples.

Text: Matthew 15:10–20 “When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”” , NKJV

1. The Danger of Legalism (vv. 10–14)

Jesus called the crowd and said plainly: “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

And this offended the Pharisees. Why? Because their whole system was built on doctrine traditions of men—ritual handwashing's, dietary laws, outward shows of purity, self-righteousness. But Jesus says, “It’s not what you eat, it’s what you speak and do that reveals your heart.”

He even calls the Pharisees “blind leaders of the blind.” That’s strong language. But here’s the truth: Legalism blinds us. It makes us think we’re holy when we’re just pretending.

Isaiah 29:13 says, “This people draw near to Me with their mouths… but their hearts are far from Me.” I don’t know about you, but I want my heart to be as close to God as I can possibly get it, and that’s only possible if I follow Jesus, the way Jesus shows me, in spirit and heart.

Illustration: Imagine a wooden fence painted bright white. From a distance it looks sturdy, solid and formidable, but inside it’s rotten. The first storm that comes will knock it down, the first cow or horse that leans on the fence will crash right through it. That’s what legalism does—it paints us nice on the outside, but leaves us weak and hollow inside. Are you a pretty painted fence, or are you solid, sturdy, and filled with the Holy Spirit? Do you look like the church on the outside but are a ravenous wolf on the inside? Are you prepared to stand on Christ’s teaching and the Holy Spirit’s leading, or are you going to say, I follow the rules so Im good enough, I prayed a prayer, so Im all set, or are you going to forget the Legalism and letter of the Word and start living the Word, being the very definition of the Word, being Christlike and not Pharisaical or legalistic?

Application: Church, beware of legalism. Don’t settle for looking religious.

-Don’t measure your walk by outward rules.

-Don’t think wearing the right clothes, sitting in the right spot in church, bragging about your contributions, or how often you attend Sunday School makes you more righteous. It doesn’t.

-God looks on the heart.

2. The True Source of Defilement (vv. 15–18)

Peter, like us, wanted clarity. He asked Jesus, “Explain this parable to us.” And Jesus says, “Do you not yet understand?”

Food goes into the stomach, is processed, and is expelled. It cannot touch the soul. But words, attitudes, and actions flow out of the heart. And that is where the real problem lies.

This reminds me of the saying we hear so often, even in Christian circles; “Just follow your heart.” That’s such bad advice for us as Christians.

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Friends, our greatest problem is not outside of us—it’s inside of us.

The heart wants usually what the flesh desires and vice =versa, if Jesus isn’t your Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit isn’t indwelling in your heart, your heart can’t be trusted. That’s why we have the Word of God, the command to gather together, and the command to seek the kingdom of God first in all things— because our hearts can’t be trusted.

But if you’re following Jesus, seeking God first, making Christ preeminet in your life, studying the Word, and living for Jesus, then what comes from your heart will be pure, rightoeus, and good. But it should always be tempered with the Holy Spirit and tested against the Word. So before you act, speak or otherwise engage others, let your thoughts, intent and desires be proofed by the Holy Spirit.

Illustration: Think of a polluted spring. No matter how many times you wash the outside of the bucket, if the water source is poisoned, the water will always be poisoned. Cleaning the outside of the cup doesn’t make the inside clean.

Application: Only Christ can change the heart. That’s why we need salvation, not self-improvement. That’s why we need the Holy Spirit daily, cleansing us and renewing us.

3. The Call to Spirit-Led Living (vv. 19–20)

Jesus lists the sins that truly defile us: “evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Notice—all of them come from the heart.

The Pharisees’ rituals never touched these issues. Outward washing can’t wash away inward sin. But Christ came to change us from the inside out.

And that’s what it means to live Spirit-led. We don’t just keep Christ’s commands—we live in the spirit of His commands. Remember Matthew 5:14–16: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.”

Illustration: Salt left in the shaker does nothing. Light hidden under a basket is useless. In the same way, if our faith never moves from ritual into action, it’s no faith at all. James says it best, James 2:17–18 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” We have to live a life led by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit isn’t just going to live in an idle house that doesn’t advance the Gospel, that doesn’t act as the hands and feet, the salt and the light of Christ

Application: We must be Christ’s hands and feet. We must love, serve, and speak truth. True discipleship is not a checklist—it’s a lifestyle of Spirit-filled obedience and service.

Applications

Guard your heart against legalism. Don’t confuse tradition with truth. Religion without Christ is powerless.

Seek inner transformation. Every day, ask the Spirit to cleanse your heart, guide your words, and shape your thoughts.

Live out the spirit of Christ’s commands. Be salt and light—love God and love people in tangible, visible ways.

Conclusion

The Pharisees were bound by legalism, but Jesus shows us freedom in truth. Outward rituals can never make us clean. Only Christ can cleanse the heart.

Church, let’s not be satisfied with looking holy. Let’s be holy. Let’s not just keep rules—let’s live transformed. And as we live, let’s shine as salt and light in a world desperate for the love of Jesus.