God never intended that the Christian life be complicated. Orthodox Jews, under the influence of a Rabbi from the third century CE (the "Common Era" replacing "AD") understood that there are approximately 613 laws that are incumbent on them, based on their study of the Law of Moses. For many Christians today, there is a long list of do's and don'ts that influence them to believe that their standing with God is based on scrupulous adherence to performance and not the actual imparted and imbued righteousness which God promises in the Gospel.
Legalists persecuted Jesus and aimed to undermine His credibility, eventually seeing to it that He was crucified. That's where legalism ultimately leads us, because in it there is no place for mercy, grace or the Gospel that imparts them. Likewise, legalists infiltrated the early church and did their best to get new believers to add to the Gospel. The book of Acts shows us how the apostles and the people who attended the Jerusalem Council addressed that problem. The apostles of Jesus affirmed that the Gospel and salvation = Jesus + nothing. Paul faced more frustration with the influence of legalism on the people of the churches of Galatia and you can read not only what he had to say about that, but how he felt. To say he was agitated would be a great understatement. Paul warned that rank legalism will eventually "sever" a person from Christ and cause them to fall from grace (Galatians 5:4).
Legalism is persistent and those who are under its influence have their view of God obscured and even eclipsed by doing, doing, doing. Should the light of the Gospel dawn on them, they will be unfettered by doing and will experience "DONE." They will rest in His unearned acceptance.
This is the one thing that God longs for- He longs for us to receive, simply receive! The Christian life begins when a person receives the grace of God and it only continues when that person keeps on receiving the light and life of the Gospel. We must not attempt to sustain the Christian life by obedience. Real Christ-honoring obedience invariably flows out of experiencing the Gospel!
Receive and keep receiving! That is the one thing God longs for.