The Subtle Christian Enemy
In the history of Christian theology, few errors have been as spiritually deceptive and pastorally destructive as antinomianism—the belief that Christians are under no obligation to obey the moral law of God. While often cloaked in the language of grace and freedom, antinomianism undermines the very structure of Christian discipleship and strikes at the heart of biblical sanctification. The Christian apologist must be ready to expose this distortion, defending not only the doctrine of justification by faith but also the necessary role of the law in the life of the believer.
What is Antinomianism?
The term antinomian comes from the Greek words anti (against) and nomos (law), and it was historically used to describe those who, in their zeal to preserve salvation by grace alone, dismissed the law of God as irrelevant or even harmful to the Christian life.
Antinomianism has reappeared in various forms, from early Gnostic libertinism to certain strands of hyper-grace teaching today. While it may vary in presentation, its central danger remains consistent: it severs the connection between salvation and sanctification, grace and obedience, justification and the pursuit of holiness.
Grace is Not Lawlessness
At the heart of the antinomian error is a false dichotomy between law and grace, as if one must choose between the two. Yet the New Testament speaks with one voice: grace does not nullify obedience—it empowers it. Paul anticipated the objection of his readers when he wrote, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1–2, ESV). Far from licensing sin, grace trains us “to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:12).
The moral law—summarized in the Ten Commandments and reaffirmed in the teachings of Christ—remains binding upon the believer not as a means of salvation but as a guide to sanctification. John Calvin rightly observed: “The law is not abolished in such a manner as to have no place among us, but only in respect of its power to condemn us.”¹ The law, then, continues to serve as a mirror, a curb, and a guide in the Christian life.
The Three Uses of the Law
Reformed theology has long recognized three uses of the law, each relevant for apologetics and discipleship:
The Civil Use – restraining evil in society through general moral awareness.
The Pedagogical Use – exposing sin and driving us to Christ.
The Normative Use – guiding believers in how to live lives pleasing to God.
While the first two uses are often acknowledged, it is the third use that antinomians neglect or deny. But this third use is vital for Christian maturity. As the Westminster Confession states, the moral law “doth forever bind all… to the obedience thereof” and is not “contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but doth sweetly comply with it.”²
Antinomianism and the Loss of Witness
One of the tragic effects of antinomianism is its impact on Christian witness in the world. A church that abandons moral instruction for fear of legalism quickly loses its prophetic voice. Jesus said that his followers are “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14), and that light is meant to shine in visible holiness. As Francis Schaeffer warned, “Biblical morality is not legalism; it is God’s command for a people who have been saved by grace.”³
In an age of relativism and moral confusion, the Christian's obedience to God’s law serves as a compelling apologetic—a lived testimony that God's ways are not only true but good. To jettison the law is to discard one of the greatest tools for cultural engagement and gospel credibility.
Freedom in Obedience
Ironically, true Christian freedom is not found in the absence of law but in joyful obedience to it. Jesus himself said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Far from bondage, this is the freedom of the sons and daughters of God who now, by the power of the Spirit, delight to do what they once hated.
As the Heidelberg Catechism beautifully teaches, “Christ has redeemed us… so that we may offer ourselves to him as a living sacrifice of gratitude.”⁴ This gratitude is expressed not in lawlessness but in a new life patterned after the righteousness of Christ, who came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17).
Conclusion: Truth and Holiness Walk Together
The Christian apologist must contend not only for the truth of the gospel but for its moral implications. To separate justification from sanctification is to bifurcate the gospel and betray the Savior who calls us to take up our cross daily. The law of God, rightly understood, does not compete with grace but complements it. It is not the enemy of freedom, but its tutor.
Let us then say with the psalmist, even as justified sinners: “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day”(Psalm 119:97).
Footnotes
John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.7.12.
Westminster Confession of Faith, 19.5.
Francis Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto (Westchester, IL: Crossway, 1981), 49.
Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 86.