24. Legality’s Impotence

Second, you must abhor his zeal in attempting to depict the Cross to you as offensive; for you are to prefer it to the treasures of Egypt; (1) besides, the King of glory has told you that he who will save his life shall lose it; (2) and he who follows Him, but does not hate his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes even his own life as well, cannot be His disciple. (3) Therefore I say, for a man to work hard to persuade you that the King’s advice will lead to your death, yet without any support from the truth, is to be detoured from the way that points you to eternal life. So, you must completely loathe this doctrine.

Third, you must hate his directing of your feet along the way that leads to the ministration of death. And in this respect you must carefully consider the person to whom he sent you, and especially how unable that person is to deliver you from your burden. He to whom you were sent for ease, that is Legality by name, is the son of the Bondwoman who is in bondage along with her children; she represents Mount Sinai a mystery, which you have feared would fall on your head. (4) Now if she, with her children, are in bondage, then how can you expect to be made free by them? Therefore, this Legality is not able to set you free from your burden. No man has ever got rid of his burden by him, no, and is not likely to be so delivered in the future.

You cannot be justified by the works of the law; for no man living can be rid of his burden by means of the works of the law. Therefore Mr. Worldly-Wiseman is an alien guide, and Mr. Legality a cheat; as for his son Civility, in spite of his simpering [smiling] manner, he is yet a hypocrite and cannot help you. Believe me, there is no substance in such blustering talk that you have heard from this sottish [works intoxicated] man. His only design has been to deprive you of your salvation by means of turning you from the way along which I sent you.” (5)

1. Heb. 11:25-26
2. Matt. 10:39; Mark 8:34; John 13:25
3. Luke 14.26
4. 1 Cor. 3:7,9; Gal. 4:21-27
5. 2 Cor. 11:3.

The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan

1. Why is the Cross so offensive to the world?
2. Do you think the Law of Moses was meant to free us? Why or why not?
3. Do you trust more in the legality of the law or the grace of the cross?
4. Does this help you to understand the subtlety of the believer’s enemy?

The danger of becoming a legalist is real, guard your hearts.