Legalism, we saw, is me doing for myself, what Christ has already done. It is the outcome of unbelief – of not believing everything is finished in Jesus Christ.

But what is license?

License is NOT me doing for myself what Christ has done. Rather, license is based on an IRREVERENCE for what Christ has done. Thus, I take what God has free given, and paid for with His own Blood, and use it as a "license" to do as I please.

Most people who walk in license, yet call themselves Christian, have never been brought to the place where they see their great need for the grace of God. Thus, they are irreverent to it. That is why they are able to take the grace of God, and without blinking, trash it. They take the very means by which God saves us and use it for their own indulgence.

God treats those in legalism as if they are errant Christians. But for those who practice license, especially those who TEACH IT – God is much more harsh. Their very conversion is in question. Notice His strong words from the epistle of Jude:

Those who are guilty of this sin are said to have "turned the grace of God into license." The Greek word here means "without restraint." In other words, they are teaching that ANYTHING GOES – because we are saved by grace.

If you read this passage, you will see that these people have a motive for doing what they are doing: They walk after their own ungodly lusts. In other words, they WANT TO DO what they are doing. So they have fashioned a Christianity to suit them. And all "in the name of love."

The gravity of this sin becomes apparent once we recognize that these people are not only sinning – but they are saying it is acceptable. In fact, they are going a step further as using the grace of God as a license to do so.

Now, don’t misunderstand. People who use the grace of God as a license to sin would never say that this was what they are doing. No. In fact, they may be completely deceived as to what grace is. Sure, they likely know, or suspect, that much of what they are doing is sin. Certainly. But to them, this IS somehow what grace is all about. After all, God doesn’t actually expect us to obey Him, does He? Didn’t He give us His grace so that we don’t have to obey Him?

What I am saying is this: Those who practice license don’t call it "license." They call it GRACE! They are completely deceived as to what the grace of God is. But never think this means they are victims. They are not. There is something in them – Jude calls "ungodly lusts" – which makes them ok with what they are doing. There are always REASONS IN US as to why deception finds a home in our hearts.

License and Law

We have seen that God gave His holy, just, and good law to show us how unholy, unjust, and bad we are. The intention of God was to leave no doubt in our mind: We cannot help ourselves. If God doesn’t save us and keep us by His grace, we have no hope.

We saw how people in legalism miss the point. Instead of allowing the law of God to show them their need for grace, they instead try to use it to OBEY themselves righteous.

People who practice license don’t try to use obedience to God’s law as a means of making themselves righteous. Instead, they use the grace of God as a license to do away with God’s law altogether.

God has NEVER abolished His law. In fact, Jesus came and made it all the more binding. He said:

Now the result of this is supposed to be that we become all the more reliant upon the grace of God. Not upon our ability to keep the law. But what about the law itself? Does the fact that we cannot keep it mean that we just toss it? No. The law REMAINS the standard.

When Christ died for us, God did not take the law, toss it out, and then say, "Anything goes. I have abolished the law. Because My Son died, everyone has forgiveness – everyone has a free ticket to sin as they please. Go out and play."

Rather, God said, "The law continues to be My standard for righteousness. But because Jesus died, that standard is going to be met – not by your works – but by the righteous new life which I will put in you. That is the life of My Son."

So the answer to God’s law is that we have the law written on our hearts. There is a righteous law in us with is the fulfillment of God’s law. Indeed, it is there BEFORE WE DO ANY WORKS. But this does not mean we need not obey. No. It means that we will both WANT to obey, and WILL obey. For a righteous life will do righteous works. Every time.

Of course, we will never obey God perfectly. But when it comes to these issues of obedience, the root issue is INTENT. Do I want to obey God? Then I have faith. God takes that AS obedience, even if I fail. Do I want to sin? Then I have no faith. God takes that as disobedience, even if I outwardly obey. God looks at the heart. THAT is where His law is either written, or not written.

Freedom

It has been said quite often: Christians are freed FROM sin, not freed TO sin. This is true. But we need to understand that this is more than a legal position. It is the nature of the life in us. The life in us is life FREE FROM SIN. But it is likewise a life which does not want to sin. How could the righteousness of Jesus Christ in us be otherwise?

Divine logic dictates that if I am free FROM sin that this will not result in freedom TO sin. For if freedom FROM sin does result in freedom TO sin, then I am not free FROM sin. That is a direct contradiction. It really doesn’t get much more plain than that.

Furthermore, the reason I am converted is because I wanted freedom FROM sin. Thus, having been converted, it is logically impossible for me to want to sin. You cannot be converted FROM sin – AND -- TO it, at the same time.

The possibility of license as the Truth disappears once we understand that Christianity is a new birth. The "creature" that is born again is one which is free from sin, and which has a new nature which does not want to sin. There is no other KIND of new creation in Jesus Christ. That is the only kind there is!

Think about it. If the process through which I passed to become a Christian was to turn from refusing Christ, to embracing Him by faith, then is the result of that likely to be that I will want to sin? Ridiculous.

Actually, Paul asked a direct question with regard to this possibility of license. He asked, "Are we to continue in sin because grace abounds?" (Romans 6:1) His answer was, "God forbid. For how we can who are dead to sin, live any longer in sin?" (Romans 6:2)

Paul is giving the reason why those who are in Christ will not sin – will not use the fact that "grace abounds" as a license. He says: "Whoever is dead to sin won’t live any longer in sin." That’s the reason you won’t live in license: You are dead to sin.

What does it mean to be "dead to sin?" It means that you have surrendered yourself to the death of Jesus Christ. And your sin died in Him. But more importantly, every part of you that WANTS to sin died in Him. I mean, that is really THE root of sin, isn’t it? Our WILL. Our wanting to sin? Sure. Thus, once you are converted, the "wanting to sin" part of you is crucified in Christ.

So how can you, once converted, WANT to sin? You really can’t. That part of you is dead. Thus, freedom TO sin isn’t an option. You will have forsaken all of that because you wanted freedom FROM sin.

Faith Without Works

Legalism is faith in my works. But license is faith WITHOUT works. Yet even that can be misunderstood. The fact is, license is "fake faith" without works. This is because REAL faith ALWAYS results in good works.

James make this clear. He says:

The key to understanding this is to note that James is talking about a DEAD FAITH. That is WHY there are no works. Thus, James is not saying, "If you do good works, you’ll make our faith come alive." No. He is saying, "If you have a living faith, you will do good works." The faith is either alive or dead. The works which follow expose which.

James is talking to those who are practicing license. They say they have faith. But their life belies the fact. It is simply NOT POSSIBLE to have real faith in Jesus Christ, and to be IN HIM, but not have works which are the outcome.

Again, Christianity is a new birth. The KIND of creature we are in Christ does good works. We don’t want to sin. That’s the new nature. And that new nature, as we grow, will LIVE in accordance with those characteristics and traits.