Spiritual Antinomianism.

Spiritual Antinomianism.

What is this? Why would it be important for us to consider? Consider the following discussion.

"...Perfect love does cast out fear (1 John 4:18 ), but this is no open door for lawlessness or the abandonment of the law of God found in scripture as the standard of righteousness. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 110:11; Prov. 1:7). We are not given a license to sin that "grace may increase: (Rom. 6:1). Jesus tells us how we can know if we are loving Him: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments: (John 14:15). Remember, the law is not the way we are justified by God. The law is, however, an objective standard to which we conform our thoughts, words and deeds. Paul described love in Romans 13:8-10 in terms of obedience to the law. One way you know if you are loving your neighbor is by looking at the law. Paul writes in another place that through faith "we establish the law" (Rom. 3:31).

But Lindsey is not officially lawless. He tells us that "the answer to a righteous and obedient life is to walk in the Spirit and walk by faith in His ability to produce God's righteousness and obedience to His laws within you." What are these "laws within you"? Where did these laws come from? Lindsey is correct in telling us that it cannot be the conscience, for conscience is not a "reliable standard of conduct" because "it can be easily seared." Rather, it is immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit. Lindsey even goes beyond traditional dispensational theology by never telling the Christian that at least he is obligated to keep New Testament commands over against Old Testament commands. Greg Bahnsen describes this as "Spiritual antinomianism," a view that teaches

'that the Christian needs guidance for holy living expected by God, but it would deny that such guidance comes from a written (or verbally defined) code. Ethical direction is rather found in the internal promptings of the Holy Spirit...Quite expectedly, such thinking leads quickly to subjectivism in Christian ethics, with each man doing whatever he claims "the Spirit" has prompted him to do-despite the fact that it conflicts with what the Spirit has prompted others to do and (worse) with what the Spirit has revealed once-for-all in the Scriptures. The Bible teaches us that the Spirit works through the word, not speaking or directing from Himself (John 16:13-15). The Spirit works to fulfill the law in us (Rom. 8:4-9). The abiding of the Spirit in believers brings obedience to Gods commandments 91 John 3:24).'

Denying an Objective Standard

Some positive confession preachers unwittingly have opened themselves to the subjectivism of the human potential movement, just as Dave Hunt and others have opened themselves to the pessimism that abounds among the humanists. Why? Because neither group has had an objective standard to measure righteousness. Rushdoony makes this observation: "To deny the permanence of God's law is to fall...ultimately into Manichaeanism." Dispensationalists have been telling Christians for over a century and a half that the law of God as found in the Old Testament and the gospels no longer applies to the church today. So, where does the church get its law? What objective law-word does the church have for the State, meaning civil government?

For some, law is based on feelings. The individual has internal promptings that guide him. He looks to himself for direction, to the movement of hte Holy Spirit on his or her spirit. Law becomes subjective. What's right for one person might not be right for someone else. The end of such philosophy is the old slogan "If it feels good, do it." Or "do you own thing." It should not surprise us that some have turned to the subjectivism of the "positive thinking" movement: think and grow rich, the power of positive thinking, etc. Furthermore, with this internal-only view of the law the church can not address the world on social issues." (The Reduction of Christianity, pp.87,88 )

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A longish quote I know. I hope I didn't tire some of you and you muddled your way through it.

So what do you all think. Is there an objective standard of right and wrong in the scriptures or are we left to subjectivism to guide us? I see this as a major issue in the present church society. One that needs to be discussed and not ignored with a few scripture quotes.

We are saved by faith and believing in Christ. We are justified by the atonement of Christ. Then we are called to walk in obedience. I think we all agree with these basic statements.

But obedience to what? God's revealed will recorded in the scripture? Or our own subjective feelings of what the Spirit is leading us to do? Or possible a synthesis of both the objectivity of the scriptures coupled with the leading of the Spirit to "walk ye in it"?

The Law destroyed?

Many today seem to think that the whole Law has been destroyed, that it has no impact at all to the believer in Christ. That no Christian has any obligation to God to keep it in any way. Many today teach that if one tries to reference the Law in any way involving our lives in Christ, that they are returning to Judaism or becoming legalistic. I think that in Gary and Peter's book, The Reduction of Christianity, they bring up some very valid points that we need to consider as we think about the Law and its function in the Church today.

I would like to take the quote I gave and look at it a little bit closer. Here is the first part of that quote.

"...Perfect love does cast out fear (1 John 4:18 ), but this is no open door for lawlessness or the abandonment of the law of God found in scripture as the standard of righteousness. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 110:11; Prov. 1:7). We are not given a license to sin that "grace may increase: (Rom. 6:1). Jesus tells us how we can know if we are loving Him: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments: (John 14:15). Remember, the law is not the way we are justified by God. The law is, however, an objective standard to which we conform our thoughts, words and deeds. Paul described love in Romans 13:8-10 in terms of obedience to the law. One way you know if you are loving your neighbor is by looking at the law. Paul writes in another place that through faith "we establish the law" (Rom. 3:31).

"...law of God found in scripture as the standard of righteousness."

Here I think is a starting point for our discussion. Is the Law of God His standard of righteousness? Which brings us to a more basic question, what is the Law?

Foundationally the Law is the Ten Commandments which God directly gave to Moses to form the basis of his covenant with the nation of Israel. It is recorded that God did not just communicate these ten commandments to Moses to repeat, but instead in a supernatural way, inscribed these ten commandments on two tablets of stone, "with his finger".

Exodus 24:12 And Jehovah said to Moses, Come up to Me to the mountain, and be there. And I will give to you the tablets of stone, and the Law, and the commandments which I have written, to teach them.

Exodus 31:18 And when He finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave to Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.

The Law encompasses alot more than just these ten commandments. But these ten are the basis for all the rest of the Law. The Jews commonly refer to the rest of the Law as "the teachings." Showing the idea that God gave to Moses more detail in how to apply the ten commandments to their whole lives.

The ten commandments and the "teachings" are considered to be the standard of righteousness that God demands of his covenant people.

Most of the rest of Exodus contains the teachings of righteousness based on the ten commandments. This is the most basic part of the Law. The other parts of the law form the rules, regulations and practices of the tabernacle and temple, regarding the sacrifices, festivals, and feasts as well as the special rules for the Levites and priests.

The ten commandments and the accompanying teachings are the standard of righteousness revealed by God for his covenant people.


"...Perfect love does cast out fear (1 John 4:18 ), but this is no open door for lawlessness or the abandonment of the law of God found in scripture as the standard of righteousness. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 110:11; Prov. 1:7). We are not given a license to sin that "grace may increase: (Rom. 6:1). Jesus tells us how we can know if we are loving Him: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments: (John 14:15). Remember, the law is not the way we are justified by God. The law is, however, an objective standard to which we conform our thoughts, words and deeds. Paul described love in Romans 13:8-10 in terms of obedience to the law. One way you know if you are loving your neighbor is by looking at the law. Paul writes in another place that through faith "we establish the law" (Rom. 3:31).

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The phrase I would like to consider today is: "the law is not the way we are justified by God."

By the works of the law is no man justified. I will deal in greater detail what these "works of the law" are later. I would like to address the total sentence first, taking aim at the word justification.

What did Paul mean by his phrases? Lets look at a passage from Romans where Paul gives us this statement. I think we will stay here for a few posts exploring what Paul taught about the Law.

Rom 3:20-31

20 Because by works of Law not one of all flesh will be justified before Him, for through Law is full knowledge of sin. (Psa. 143:2)

21 But now a righteousness of God has been revealed apart from Law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ toward all and upon all those believing; for there is no difference, 23 for all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood, as a demonstration of His righteousness through the passing over of the sins that had taken place before, in the forbearance of God, 26 for a demonstration of His righteousness in the present time, for His being just and justifying the one that is of the faith of Jesus.

27 Then where is the boasting? It was excluded. Through what law? Of works? No, but through a Law of faith. 28 Then we conclude a man to be justified by faith without works of Law.

29 Or is He the God of Jews only, and not also of the nations? Yes, of the nations also, 30 since it is one God who will justify circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Then is the Law annulled through faith? Let it not be! But we establish Law.

Paul is very clear, that not one work of the law is any man justified. Justification comes from God's work, not man's work.

Justification and righteousness are synonyms in this passage. Righteousness and justification come to us as we enter in Christ by faith in his redemptive work.

Paul even makes the comparison between justification by the works of the law to being justified because of our faith in Christ, calling faith in Christ, a law of faith.

Paul here is not making a new law to replace the ten commandments. Not at all. He is not saying that a new law is part of the new covenant. He is being a Rabbi, and making a comparison, like the Rabbis did in Proverbs so much of the time, comparing this to that. Comparing the righteous under the Mosaic covenant, doing the works as commanded under the Law of that covenant with the faith of those who trust in Christ.

As others in this forum have well pointed out before, we enter into God's justification by faith in Christ, and not by doing any works of the law. And if we have entered into Christ by faith and are justified through our faith, then too should we continue to walk in that self same faith.

But does faith in Christ nullify the Law and Christ's commandments in it? I did already say this in my previous post, did you miss it? It was the pre-incarnate Word of God that gave the Law to Moses. The very same Word of God that was the creator in the beginning. The very same Word of God that became flesh and tabernacled among us. This same Word of God, spoke with Moses from the burning bush. And the same Word of God met Moses on the top of Mount Sinai speaking with him for 40 days, giving him the tablets of the Law and all the accompanying teaching. Is the Law of the Word of God, nullified by faith in the Word of God? Not according to Paul. According to Paul the law is established in us by our faith in the Word of God. (Lest you misunderstand me, the Word of God is Jesus the Christ, not the writings of the Bible. When I mean the scriptures I write "word of God", lower case "word".) The Law is not nullified, but still living and active as we shall see.

More to come. To enter into a discussion on this article as I form it, join me at MeetChristians.com