Legalism?

Yesterday I mentioned that orthopraxy is more important than orthodoxy. Does that mean I am going down the path of legalism and works righteousness? μὴ γένοιτο! If you read on, you will see that I said it has to be all grace all the time.

We can no more live the Christian life without the Holy Spirit than we can change the course of the planets. All we can do on our own is what we do best—rebel against our creator. Does that mean I am now saying that Calvin was right and we are consigned to hell except for the "elect"? μὴ γένοιτο! I believe in free grace for all. Everyone is repeatedly offered the chance to repent and believe—daily, even every second. How we choose to respond to that offered grace is the deciding factor.

A life of holiness and righteousness is all the result of dying to self and allowing the true life of Jesus Christ, via the Holy Spirit, to flow in us and through us. Of course, if you take Paul seriously in Romans and Colossians, he will tell you that we died with Christ and so it is a matter of believing what God says is true, i.e., you aredead. It is now the life of Christ that is to empower you. Anything else is dead works and a lie...