At its heart all legalistic teaching fails to accept the reality of the sufficiency of Scripture. Legalism then is an attack on the Word of God.
I. God’s good creation and man’s failure. (Genesis 1-3)
A. God gave man the priority position among the creatures of His earthly creation. (Gen. 2:7, 15; 1:28)
1. Man was given the ability to commune with God. (Gen. 2:7)
2. Man was given the ability to handle responsibility. (Gen. 2:15)
3. Man was given the ability to rule. (Gen. 1:28)
B. God gave man the privilege of paradise in which to live. (Gen. 2:8-16)
C. God granted man the pleasure of partnership. (Gen. 2:18-25)
D. God assigned man a probation. (Gen. 2:16-17)
E. Man practiced rebellion against God's probation. (Gen. 3:1-6)
1. Man's rebellion was plotted by Satan. (Gen. 3:1-5)
2. Man's rebellion was played with by Eve. (Gen. 3:2-6)
3. Man's rebellion was praised by Adam. (Gen. 3:6)
F. God pricked man with conviction of sin. (Gen. 3:7)
II. God’s clear word and man’s own word. (Genesis 3)
Eve should have never paid any attention to a creature who was questioning the Word of God.
Eve should have, at the very least, consulted with Adam before answering such an accusation, even if an answer should have been given.
Eve should not have left out part of the commandment of God to Adam.
Eve should have allowed God to speak without adding her own restrictions to what God had said.
III. Man’s clear failure and God’s gracious provision. (Gen. 3:15, 20-21)
Man sees a temptation and rather than responding biblically, he goes beyond the Scriptures. By so doing he gives indication that God did not say enough.
IV. Man’s continuing attack on God’s Word through legalistic teaching. (Matt. 5:21-48; John 5:9b-17)