Christian Ethics and the Old Testament - Lesson 21

Christian Ethics and the Old Testament - Lesson 21

From Kootenai Church Sunday School by Kootenai Community Church

March 22, 2026 · 47 min

About this episode

In this lesson, Dave Rich discusses the ethical errors of rigorism and how they relate to law and grace in the Christian faith.

What does it look like when law overrides grace? In Lesson 21 of the Christian Ethics series, Dave Rich identifies a class of ethical errors he calls "rigorism" — a broad category of views that elevate obedience to law above its proper biblical place, sometimes to the point of outright heresy. Rich walks through four distinct expressions of this error. Pelagianism, the most extreme, denies grace entirely, insisting that human beings are inherently capable of meeting God's standard on their own — a direct assault on the gospel. Legalism, defined narrowly here, adds works as a condition for justification, making it equally damning. Moralism stops short of heresy but displaces the gospel from its rightful center, making ethical obedience the heart of the Christian faith rather than union with Christ. And fundamentalism, rightly understood in its historical roots, can drift into boundary-making for its own sake — creating rules where Scripture gives none. Throughout, Rich keeps the gospel firmly in view. Obedience is real, required, and pleasing to God — but only in those who are already justified by grace through faith in Christ alone. The righteous deeds of a believer are not…

People in this episode

Host: Dave Rich

Topics covered

  • Christian Ethics
  • Old Testament
  • law
  • grace
  • rigorism
  • Pelagianism
  • Legalism
  • Moralism
  • fundamentalism

Keywords

  • obedience
  • justification
  • gospel
  • union with Christ

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Scripture

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