Legalism is depending on our works to find approval with God instead of trusting in His grace. If we resort to legalism, we will fall from grace and not benefit from God’s free blessings.

We see in this passage four marks of a Christian growing in grace. Grace means that we do not turn to legalism, nor we do we turn to license. We have freedom, but it is a freedom that our love for others should control. This love and other fruit of the Spirit come by walking in the Spirit. We should not live like unbelievers who do not know God’s grace but live under the control of the Spirit.