⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 3 min read
How to Pursue Holiness Without Legalism
Contending for the Word Q&A with Dave Jenkins
How can Christians pursue holiness faithfully while avoiding the trap of legalism? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins addresses a struggle many sincere believers carry: how to take obedience seriously without becoming performance-driven, and how to emphasize grace without drifting into apathy or complacency.
Drawing from Galatians 3:1–3, Colossians 2:20–23, and Titus 2:11–14, this episode shows that true holiness is not produced by self-made religion, external pressure, or rule-keeping. Real holiness flows from the grace of God working through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Show Summary
This episode explains why legalism confuses the source of Christian growth, why external rules cannot change the heart, and how grace actively trains believers in godliness. Dave offers a gospel-centered vision of holiness that is relational rather than mechanical, rooted in Christ rather than self-effort.
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Key Scriptures
- Galatians 3:1–3
- Colossians 2:20–23
- Titus 2:11–14
Holiness Without Legalism: Main Points
- Legalism confuses the source of growth. Legalism begins when we believe holiness comes from our performance rather than God’s grace. The Christian life does not begin with grace and continue by effort. It begins and continues through dependence on the Spirit of God.
- External rules cannot change the heart. Man-made regulations may appear wise, but they lack the power to transform desires. True holiness is not outward conformity alone but inward renewal by the Spirit.
- Grace is a teacher of holiness. Titus shows that grace does not excuse sin. Grace trains believers to renounce ungodliness and live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.
- Gospel-centered holiness is relational, not mechanical. Holiness is not a checklist. It is a life shaped by communion with Christ, dependence on the Spirit, and obedience flowing from gratitude rather than fear.
Big Idea
True holiness is the fruit of grace working through faith, not the result of legalistic effort or external pressure.
What You’ll Learn
- Why legalism cannot produce lasting spiritual growth
- Why behavior management is not the same as heart transformation
- How grace fuels obedience rather than undermining it
- How to pursue holiness with joy, humility, and assurance
- Why Spirit-dependent obedience is the biblical path to sanctification
Final Encouragement
If obedience feels heavy today, return to the gospel. God has not called His people to holiness through pressure, comparison, or performance, but through grace and transformation. As you pursue holiness, do so with confidence, dependence on the Spirit of God, and joy rooted in the finished work of Christ.
Call to Action
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
