Antinomianism

Antinomianism[1] is the belief that Christians are free to sin with impunity because Christ has paid the price for all of our sins.

Antinomianism was recognized as a problem even in the early days of Christianity. Jesus implies as much when he says, “Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”[2]

Paul is more explicit in chapter six of his letter to the Romans, where he asks the rhetorical question, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?”[3] His answer is an emphatic “no”: “Far from it! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”[4]

Paul pointed out that Christ’s death freed Christians from our enslavement to sin, and we must use that freedom in the cause of righteousness:

Therefore sin is not to reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace.[5]

As if to emphasize the point, Paul asks another rhetorical question: “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under the Law but under grace?”[6] and again, his response is an emphatic “no”:

Far from it! Do you not know that the one to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?[7]

“Sin” encompasses many things, as I pointed out last week in those six lists of sins in the New Testament. But Jesus simplified it for us. He said the Old Testament Law and the Prophets all boil down to two commandments: love God and  love our neighbors.[8] The world would be a much nicer place if all Christians would simply obey those two commandments.

As I have explained before, “love” in this context is not a feeling, but a choice—a choice to be kind and considerate in our language and in our actions; a choice to do what is best for others, especially those who are in need, without regard to how we may personally feel about them; a choice to try to do what Paul told the Romans to do:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.[9]

I don’t know if practicing antinomianism will risk a Christian’s salvation. I try to leave such questions to God. But antinomianism may well indicate that a person’s faith in Christ is less than sincere. After all, “you will know them by their fruits.”[10] So all sincere Christians should try to “produce fruits that are consistent with repentance.”[11] That is what I am trying to do, although I admit it’s not always easy.[12]

[1]. Pronounced Anti-NOME-e-an-ism

[2]. Luke 6:46

[3]. Romans 6:1

[4]. Romans 6:2

[5]. Romans 6:12-14

[6]. Romans 6:15

[7]. Romans 6:15-17

[8]. Matthew 22:35-40 and Mark 12:28-31

[9]. Romans 12:14-18

[10]. Matthew 7:16, 7:20

[11]. Luke 3:8

[12]. To be clear, the prohibition against antinomianism is for Christians, not unbelievers. As I said last week, Christians are called to judge our own behavior, and rarely the behavior of other Christians, but not the behavior of unbelievers. While I believe everyone would be happier if they followed Jesus, that is a choice every individual must make for themselves. We cannot make that decision for them, and trying to force them to choose Jesus doesn’t work.