Seeing The Legalist You Already Are

In reference to the post below concerning how to not become a legalist, Dane Ortland had a great comment that I figured was worth reposting.  Thanks Dane!

Thanks for reproducing this Zach. It's very helpful, and illuminating. I continue to learn from Mark and bless God for him.

I do wonder, though--is a more basic question, How to recover from being the legalist we all already are? Mark's point is of course good and helpful. But it reinforces the artificial assumption that all we Christians in here need to beware of becoming one of those legalists out there. But the legalist is already inside us; the question is how to heal it. I guess I'll only speak for myself--for me, moving forward in my walk with Christ is learning to undress the Pharisee I already am, not scrupulously avoiding becoming one. Indeed, it would be easy, in a mindset of avoiding legalism, to become the very Pharisee we think we're avoiding! I don't think this is contradictory to Mark's excellent sermon, but another angle.