When we forsake our sins and receive Christ as our savior, the law is EXALTED. Rom 3:31 (MB 50.1).

If the moral law were to have been nailed to the cross like some claim, then there wouldn’t be one single born-again Christian at this very second, time and date. Past, present and future salvation would have to be null and void! It’s only by God’s mercy that we have salvation. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (KJV ex).

Psalm 123:3 “Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with CONTEMPT.” When you remove the law, thinking it to be nailed to the cross, you have theologically removed the possibility for your own salvation! The law is necessary to reveal disobedience and contempt.

To deny the law, would be to deny there’s a disease called sin, because God defines sin as the “transgression of the law” (1Jo 3:4). And logically, if there’s no law – then there’s no violation of it, and NO SIN – and “sin-city is in need of visitors, have a good time in Vegas” NOT! I think you get the point.

The Bible teaches that God’s principles are His moral standard, and are the very makeup of His character. Salvation from God requires repentance for breaking His moral law, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Rom 3:23.

If it WERE true – that God’s LAW was nailed to the cross, and therefore there’s no violation of it, why would anyone acknowledge that they’re a sinner, followed by their confession of sin? It wouldn’t make any logical sense, but then again for some – in their own mind, having dismissed the law completely by using Bible terminology like the word “fulfilled” – it may seem to make perfect sense (Pro 14:12). However, the Bible says otherwise, for in Romans 10:3 it says “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to ESTABLISH their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness in behalf of all sinners, through His complete obedience to the law, and this is called fulfilling the law, not destroy it. The attempt to establish one’s own righteousness through any means including antinomianism has done more harm than good! And what’s that?

Christ Came To Destroy Sin By Establishing The Law (not the other way around).

Antinomianism? From The American Heritage® Dictionary: “The doctrine or belief that the Gospel frees Christians from required obedience to any law, whether scriptural, civil, or moral, and that salvation is attained solely through faith and the gift of divine grace.” This definition contains some healthy true-elements, and I think you see the truth mixed with doctrine, but is this wholesome Bible doctrine?

To establish antinomianism, you must embrace the denial of Christ’s righteousness, and declare “what Christ did at the cross was worthless.” And that’s what the Bible refers to as establishing your own righteousness (Rom 10:3). Jesus fulfilled what weak-flesh couldn’t (Rom 8:3), and that doesn’t make the law the enemy; it make sin the enemy. The sting of sin is death, but there’s no such thing as the sting of the law (1Co 15:56; Rom 6:23).

During an alter-call, pastors often give anyone in the congregation an opportunity to come forward for prayer, and relinquish their sin by confessing it secretly to Jesus, but if the law is not established then neither is sin. Jesus Himself said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the PROPHETS [Luk 16:31]: I am not come to destroy, but to FULFIL” (Mat 5:17).

So, without even realizing it, many people will unknowingly confess their sin under doctrines of men that teach antinomianism. And with no thanks to those false-teaching pastors, it’s quite clear that people know within themselves that they’re sinners, even if they’d never known Gods law or other foundational-Bible doctrine. God is good, and the Holy Spirit is still embedding knowledge into each person, that comes into the world (John 1:9; 2Co 4:6; Rom 2:15; Jam 4:17). Nonetheless, God says all have sinned because all have broken His- aw (Gal 3:22).

No one can place the law conveniently “back on the table” for each and every new sinner that comes to Christ, only to then snatch the law back from them, after they’re a “Christian,” and tell them it’s nailed to the cross – “Surprise you’re now an antinomian-Christian!”

Trust your soul to no man and be like the Bereans, who were known for searching and studying the Bible for themselves and not merely accepting what they were taught. It’s said that the Bereans “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures DAILY, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

The salvation-plan must go according to God’s ideal and can’t be based on man’s unbiblical concepts – that utilize their own doctrines ABOVE the word of God (Mat 15:7-9; Mark7:9; Col 2:8). Theoretically, Christ died once for all (Heb 10:10), and NOT once every-time another new person comes to Christ. How convenient that must be, when someone comes along to massacre God’s grace like that! Which, would theoretically be the case, if all come to Christ as the result of breaking His law, repented, and receive “salvation” – only to then return to a life of sin when it’s convenient and their temptation gets the best of them. That would only be a “man-made grace” along with an excuse to practice sin continually.

Christianity isn’t about being “once saved always saved,” and isn’t built on conveniences of the reprobate-mind. God is merciful, and provides a way of escape from sin (1 Cor 10:13), but occasionally – just like a child may fall and be rescued by their parent – the carnal nature can succumb to sin. But God provides an advocate (John 17:19; 1 John 2:1-2), Jesus Christ, the Sanctified and Righteous One (1 John 1:9). And the fact that God makes this provision again and again – when necessary, goes to prove that the LAW must stay in place for further occurrences when His grace is needed again (1Sam 12:22).

So, everyone must answer this question for themselves: Is it okay to massacre God’s grace by adopting antinomianism? Or coming to Jesus, through a true confession to only later be ungrateful – turn around and say, “Thanks but no thanks, Lord – I don’t need you!” So, ask yourself – is the law no longer in effect? Or, you can answer the question – Paul, the apostle asked; “Do we then make VOID THE LAW through [a profession of] faith [man-made philosophy and doctrines of men]? God forbid: yea, we ESTABLISH the law” (Rom 3:31 – my emphasis added).

Have a desire for the truth, dear Christian, and enjoy God’s grace while He makes it available. It would be the ignorance that becomes the unpardonable-sin, for ignoring the Holy Spirit (Hos 4:6; 2Th 2:10; 2Ti 2:15; Jam 4:17). Ignorance isn’t bliss! It would be a shame and travesty to ignore such a loving God who’s pleading for you.

“Because the law of the Lord is perfect [Psalm 19:7,97], and therefore changeless, it is impossible for sinful men, in themselves, to meet the standard of its requirement. This was WHY Jesus came as our Redeemer. It was His mission, by making men partakers of the divine nature, to bring them into harmony with the principles [God’s character] of the law of heaven.” MB 51.1.

Scripture Readings:
2Ti 4:3-4;

CONCLUSION

Why did Jesus come as our Redeemer? Was it to destroy the law or to destroy sin? I know this for sure, that God won’t grant His divine nature to anyone belonging to the counterfeit Christianity. Don’t be fooled by the spurious gospel that presents a false plan of salvation.

Therefore, every sinner who comes to Christ has EXALTED God’s law, and that’s not only good news but great news!

For further encouragement read Psalm 119 (all).

R Scott Holder is a Bible student and occasional contributor to OUTLOOK.  

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