The accent then is on conduct and appearance. I think so. An imbalanced quest after outward purity leads to legalism - the notion that man can somehow impress God with his own righteousness. Such a pursuit is deadly. The law kills.
Legalism is a prison.
Remember, no amount of human effort can affect in any measure the finished work of Christ on our behalf. He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. Any attempt to add to this finished work will produce death. The confusion then has to do with an inversion of sanctification and justification. We are justified by grace through faith - that is a work done totally on our behalf.