We Are Not Saved By Law, But Do Christians Need It For Daily Living?
CORRECT / INCORRECT: Some say the law is not for salvation, but it is for living righteousness.
While it’s true, the law plays no role in our salvation, it’s not true to turn around and say it has a role in our daily lives. It does not. There’s not a single verse that teaches otherwise.
Free or Not Free? Partially?
Be it ‘the big 10’, or whatever, there’s no shortage of people telling us we’re still held accountable for keeping the law.
Some say it’s just the ‘moral’ law, and God disciplines us when we fall short. And if you ask them enough questions you’ll find by ‘discipline’, they actually mean ‘punish’.
Apparently, these heroes think they are doing a pretty good job at keeping the law. They must think God is pretty impressed with their human effort. After all, they rarely mess up. They are near perfect. I’m sure God will have their picture framed on a wall in heaven.
The reality is there is not a single verse that tells us we are free from the law for salvation but must observe it for daily living. The reality is there is not a single verse describing some kind of watered-down version of punishment (aka discipline) for breaking Gods law.
Not a Single Verse of Needing The Law For Daily Living
You are either fully under the law, or totally free from it. You will either experience the full wages of sin (DEATH), or won’t see so much as a smack on the hand (LIFE).
God does not judge on a curve. There’s no such thing as an A-, or a 99.9%. The wages of sin is death. One sin is all it takes. The law is an all-or-nothing deal. You pass or fail. One screw-up and you’re toast. This, my friends, is why you need to be TOTALLY apart from the law. ALL OF IT. You must be under grace, and not submit to this idea that you need a small piece of the law (old covenant) to guide you. Let Jesus do that.
It’s time we stop building a doctrine of being free from the law for salvation, but need it for dialing living. That’s 100% man-made garbage religion, and it leaves no room for trusting Jesus to lead us.
But, Doesn’t God Discipline us?
Regarding discipline. Yes, God does discipline us. But somewhere along the line we started turning discipline into a bad word. We wanted that word to scare people and fear that God was going to ‘get us’. Yet, we don’t see this anywhere in the new covenant.
- You discipline yourself to work out.
- You discipline yourself to eat healthy.
- You discipline yourself to get to work on time.
- You discipline yourself to read the bible, go to church, pray.
Discipline simply means disciple or to train. In other words, God’s discipline is not punishment for past sins, but rather training for future living. So, when you sin, and we all do, instead of God knocking you upside your head, He guides you and shows you the truth. He lives in you to train you. God’s discipline is always gentle, loving, and never something to be feared. Contrary to religious reaching, God’s discipline is NOT like that of a human father disciplining his child.
For those that chose to run to the law as their guide for daily living, well, James has this to say:
‘For whoever keeps the WHOLE LAW but fails in ONE POINT has become guilty of ALL of it’ – James 2:10
James is saying ‘your best effort isn’t enough’. If you fall short even once you will be charged is if you broke every law.
Take away? You need Jesus.
Your forgiveness is not being held hostage until you get into heaven. No. It’s here and now. Your sins have been nailed to the cross. Taken away. Gone.
The cross worked. Do you trust Jesus enough to believe it?
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
