What is Antinomianism? What Role Does the Law Have in the Life of a Believer? Romans 7:1-13

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If you want to really impress your friends at the next cocktail party try to start a conversation about what it means to be an "antinomian". I am sure it will be a barrel of laughs. But it was actually a issue in Martin Luther's day and other times during church history. 

If you are really interested you can read more about antinomianism and its history here

Basically the term means "against the Law". The Law, also called the Law of Moses, which is summarized by the Ten Commandments, was given by Moses to the Jewish people in the wilderness.  

As we have talked about, the role of the Law was a big focus in Paul's letter to the Romans, because he was writing to the Jewish Christians in Rome. They did not know what role the Law should play after they were saved. Many of the Jewish Christians had a hard time being freed from the restrictions of the Law, which could not be kept in our human power. And then there was the argument in the Galatian church whether or not new adult Gentile converts should be circumcised per the Old Testament. Fortunately the Council of the church met and decided against it!

The Law convicts us of our sin and leads us to Christ, the only one who kept the Law in its entirety. Therefore, Jesus was the only one who was righteous and was qualified die on the cross for our sins, because he didn't have any. 

But the question becomes, "What is the use of the Law after one is justified by grace through faith?" On hand there was a new legalism which turned the freedom of a Christian back in bondage to the Law. A classic example of this is when churches strictly forbid church members to drink alcohol. Granted drinking can cause a lot of problems in our world and theirs, but to make "abstinence" a requirement to be a "true Christian" was legalism. It didn't work anyways, as those who wanted to drink found ways to drink, often doing it secret. 

But the other side of the equation was "antinomianism", which we called the other day, "cheap grace". Its basic premise is since we are forgiven and set free from sin, the Law no longer applies. It's only use was to show us how bad we were and lead us to Christ. The bottom line was that the antimonian movement led people to disregard moral laws under the premise that Christians were no longer subject to the law. 

Martin Luther in the 16th century and John Wesley in the 18th century both attacked antimonisnism and called it a "heresy". 

So how does what Paul say in Romans today relate to this. 

 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ. Romans 7:4a

Paul is saying we have died to the law in terms of thinking we can be justified with God by observing the Law. 

"That you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." Romans 7:4b

Though we are dead to the Law, we are now alive in Christ. We now belong to Christ. Notice the relationship with the Law is not in any way living relationship. But we belong to Christ and His Law is written on our hearts. 

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code Romans 7:6

Though we are released from the Law, we serve in a new way through the Spirit. The Spirit is better than the Law, because the Spirit lives in us and gives us the power to obey the Law. But note we are not freed to disobey the Law but to obey it through a new power, the Spirit of Christ working and living in and through us. 

What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Roman 7:7 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Romans 7:12

Paul is answering the ridiculous question that in some way the Law might be sinful. Of course not, because it was given and inspired by God and given to Moses. The Law is holy and just and reflects the perfect will of God. Therefore, it makes no sense that a Christian would be set free from the penalty of sin and death, and then return to breaking the law shamelessly.  But that is what some Christians were doing.  

Remember too that Jesus did not take away the Law, but he reinterpreted it to show the true Spirit of the Law, as opposed to the Letter of the Law. For instance, he said to look at a woman lustfully was like committing adultery in their heart. Or, to condemn someone with words or actions was like murder.  

What does this mean for us today? 

Antimonianism is still infecting the church today. There are many carnal Christians who think it is okay to have for example sex outside marriage, curse, tell lurid stories, and generally carry on like anybody else in the world. Now none of us are perfect and we all fall prey to our sinful nature from time to time, but the difference is those who are antinomian think this is all okay, and they encourage others to do it in their "newfound freedom in Christ". 

So today we need to be aware of the two pitfalls when describing the spiritual life and the the way of a Christ follower. We need to avoid "legalism", which is tying a new law on people's back and causes guilt, shame, and eventually reverting back to one's old ways. Or, the other side of the coin "antinomian", which says, "I'm forgiven let's PARTY!"  

In the middle, we find the Way of Christ and Life in the Spirit. We obey the Law not just in letter, but also in Spirit. Our hearts have been transformed by the love of Jesus so that sinning just won't be that attractive anymore. And when we do get caught back up in our sinful nature, we don't feel good about it. We feel a godly sorrow that leads us to repentance and the joy of the Jesus life returns. 

This is the abundant life Jesus promised us friends! Let's not miss it! It is the life you've always wanted and the life God wants for you in Christ.