Antinomianism

Defined: one who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation.

Why does this word keep popping into my head? Well, because sometimes it is so hard to find a balance between this and the message of grace that we find in the gospel. On a "good" day (probably one where you don't have to interact with other people :o) it may be easy to think "I really feel like I did everything right. I did my devotion. I prayed for other people. I cleaned my house without complaining... God MUST be happy with me." On a "bad" day it is much easier to think "Well, I sinned all day long, but that's okay, God doesn't expect me to obey. That's what grace is for. I sure am glad I can sin and know it's covered."

Here's the thing... Our sins ARE covered and grace has indeed set us free from the law (the condemnation of the law, Romans 8:1). We don't have a list of do's and dont's that we need to be haunted by, BUT... this grace that has been offered to us through Jesus has set us free to obey the law and know that when we fail we are forgiven. It has not been offered to us so that we will have an excuse as to why we don't have to obey. God has given us His law to serve as a light to guide our actions, and we can delight in His law when we understand that we are not condemned by it. In verses 1-8 of Psalm 119 learning and keeping the law of the Lord is mentioned in every verse. This theme continues all through this and all of the Psalms.

I sin because I am a sinner. God has offered me forgiveness through His son, Jesus Christ. Because of this salvation I want to obey and do what is right before God and man, but I will fail. That's where grace comes in. When I fail I trust that He is there beside me ready to forgive me and change me if I will repent and ask him to work in me. Only He can grant me the strength and even the desire to change, but I can only do what is right if I know what is right, and that is found in God's law.

"Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!" Psalm 119:1