But holiness which is only action, strenuous effort is legalism. Nothing is as obnoxious to one delivered by free grace as legalism. Legalism is that against which the apostle Paul, the apostle of Justification by faith through grace, fought so hard. Legalism is the bringing in of anything which is our work, whether that be in our repentance, by our tears and certain experiences or in our conversion, by efforts and promises or in our thankfulness . Legalism is holiness without the life of Christ.
Legalism is the devil's parody of holiness.
When we try to distinguish holiness from legalism, we are in an area in which we must tread carefully. Basically, no Christian life is possible without holiness. It is essential for a Christian to be holy, for Christianity means holiness, in the sense of being separated for the service of God. It is a great lie to think we can be saved and not be sanctified. This truth has recently been newly stressed in Reformed and Evangelical circles, and we can be thankful for it.