For the law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty demanded by the law determined upon every individual sinner. Thus, as far as the law is concerned, all are dead in Christ. Being dead, the law has no more power to condemn us. We are not in bondage to the law.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Those who teach that works are necessary to obtain salvation are trying to bring us back under bondage and fear of not being good enough, never knowing whether we are saved or not. Understandably, all men without the saving grace revealed in the Bible’s pages fail that judgment, as the Bible presents the strictest of religions in that it requires absolute sinless perfection to be saved. Unlike other religions that leave you hanging, unsure as to whether you are good enough. The Bible tells us flat-out that—we are not and cannot ever be good enough. We can stand securely and confidently on this solid ground, the knowledge that we are not good enough, cannot save ourselves, next to God. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” With this knowledge, we can do what no other religion affords. It affords us the ability to see within its pages that the God of the Bible, the God of creation, the God of justice, judgment, and loving-kindness, has freely provided absolute sinless perfection for us: on the one condition that we believe him.
God’s moral standards have not changed. It is simply that we are dead to the letter of the law, it has no more power to condemn us, we are not chained to it, in bondage to it, and no longer have to fear it.
Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
This does not make us free to do whatever our flesh desires. We are to walk in the Spirit.
Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
All the law is contained in two general precepts: love God and love others as yourself. If you obey these you will have fulfill the whole law. If you love God, you will take no action that is displeasing or that disparages His name. If you love others as yourself you can do no harm to and will aid all within your power.
Many falsely believe that the saints will not be judged on their works. Nothing could be further from the truth. Works mean nothing before salvation, everything after. Each individual saint will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of all their works from the day of their salvation until death or the return of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Christianity is not a free ride. As with most gifts, there are strings attached. If give your child a car as a gift, it is understood that driving safely and obeying the rules of the road are required. It is the same with the free gift of salvation. We are expected to be thankful and glorify God in any circumstance. I would that all true Christianity understood this.