[...] value, worth, and success. Tullian Tchividjian speaks truth when he writes that we are all addicted to law. Instead of focusing on reading books and Scripture to hear from God for the sake of heart change, [...]

This post reminds me of where scripture talks about the offense of the cross.

[...] found this article by Tullian Tchividjian that is so profound, I had to repost it on my [...]

Thanks be to God that Christ Jesus is totally in charge of our Christian growth and sanctification.

(since "all our righteous deeds are as filthy rags", that is a wonderful thing)


.

In 2 Cor. 5:9, the apostle Paul said "Therefore also we are determined, whether at home or abroad, to gain the honor of being well pleasing to Him." I do not believe that when the apostle Paul said this he was declaring himself to be a legalist who just couldn't get his head around grace. It seems to me that this verse and other verses that speak with affirmation of our need to live in a certain way in order that God would be pleased (Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 4:1; Rom. 12:1; John 14:21) present a real problem for Pastor Tullian's apparent insistence that grace cannot admit any sense in which we might be moved by grace to be (as the inspired Scripture say) "determined...to gain the honor of being well pleasing to Him."

One the other hand, I agree with Pastor Tullian's main point, that much of the traditional Reformed understanding of sanctification reduces to legalism/law-addiction/our efforts and performance. I believe this is the result of the traditional Reformed theology's tendency to define God's perfect will as "the Law," to see our efforts to keep the Law as what really pleases Him, and to define Christian growth/sanctification largely in terms of how well our individual behavior matches the Law as moral code.

However, I believe that New Testament reveals that God's perfect will is not "the Law" (a thing, a code of conduct given to us by God for us to keep) but rather that Christ Himself (a glorious Person, the Father's Beloved) would be all and in all.

Moreover, what truly pleases God is not law-keeping but that we would enjoy and experience Christ, which is what actually causes us to gradually grow in holiness: Christ being revealed in us (Gal. 1:17), Christ being formed in us (Gal. 4:19), Christ living in us (Gal. 2:20), Christ making His home in our hearts through faith (Eph. 3:17), we abiding in Christ and He in us (John 15:4-5; 1 John 1:27-28); we walking according to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:2-4); our being conformed to His death by the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10), our being transformed into His image from glory to glory by our beholding Him (2 Cor. 3:18), our being filled unto the fullness of God in Him (Eph. 1:22-23, 4:13, 3:19). What pleases God is that whatever we do in daily life and spiritual service would be not from our own efforts to but from the overflow of our enjoyment and experience of Him, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

I personally believe that many Reformed theologians are so preoccupied with the traditional distinction between law and gospel that they cannot see that the biblical revelation concerning Christian growth and sanctification simply transcends this dichotomy.

My thoughts on grace and law take a more poetic form: http://virginiaknowles.blogspot.com/2010/07/it-became-to-me-dark-thing-poem.html

Well, the flesh is 'addicted to law' but the new life in Christ is free from Law and knows it.

Having written the above comment I have just glanced at Jack's comment above and agree with it entirely.

The Gospel never sends us back to the Law. The Sinaitic Covenant -- which is the Law -- was ended in every sense by Christ's death on the cross. Each individual commandment of it presupposes the salvation-by-works principle, and was issued with that idea in mind. New Covenant/Gospel morality, in contrast, presupposes saving grace, is built on saving grace, and evidences saving grace by the keeping of it.

Mike and Paul: I don't know either of you but I agree 100%: not only is Pastor Tullian going to take hits (he already is in the blogosphere: Jones and D. Murray) but a divide IS coming on the issue of Sanctification (it's already here)...Horton, WSC and Pastor T are already taking blow back and I fear for the supposedly 'orthodox reformed' churches and the gospel of Grace. Additionally, it irks me that much of the criticism is 'irrelevant' in that Pastor T is NOT addressing EVERY SINGLE ISSUE on grace and sanctification but is discussing a particular aspect: moralistic therapuetic deism...(at least the moralisms part for sure).

I think these folks 'don't get it' because they, unfortunately, are preaching moralism in the 'orthodox' camp. We often jump all over the 'therapeutic' pastors (how to have a happy marriage) but ignore the 32 steps to keep Jesus happy so he'll bless you (coming out of 'conservative' evangelical AND reformed churches).

Pray and show yourselves (ourselves) approved by God.


God bless you Pastor T

Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. Galatians 28-31

Mike, this is why PT will take hits. Paul said it will happen. The only way any of those who completely believe the Gospel of Grace can escape it is stop teaching it. I have heard other Grace teachers sermons on this subject but would like to here PT's thoughts.God Bless

PT you're going to start taking the hits! There will be a divide for sure on this issue. For me this has been the crux of much of reformed thinking and I call it(LAW GOSPEL LAW)and at root I would also say: what does Jesus mean "our righteousness exceeding that of the pharisees" I know Sproul & Jones here are adamant that it is a righteousness of obedience from the heart and NOT the imputed righteousness of Christ, that for me takes the good news out of the Gospel and I would also add do these guys not know their own hearts.
http://www.meetthepuritans.com/2011/12/16/jesus-nothing-everything-an-analysis/

Receptivity of the grace insights in this blog post will be nurtured by praying against the morphing Pharisee inside that cherishes feeling more Christ-devoted or grace-aware than others. Never more true than once we obtain listening ears and reading eyes.

[...] Read the whole thing at The Gospel Coalition: Might As Well Face It, You’re Addicted To Law. [...]

We're addicted to self. We want neither the law...or the gospel.

We want, what we want.

[...] Tchividjian tells us that we’re addicted to The Law “because we are by nature glory-hoarding, self-centered control [...]

To legalists who are still ignorant of the gospel, we don’t talk only about gratitude and freedom. Yes, we tell them that those for whom Christ died are thankful and free and pleasing to God. But we also tell them: if you don’t know the gospel and believe it yet, then you should be shut up to nothing but legal fear.

If Christ did not die for you, you should be afraid. Being afraid won’t save you. But legal fear is the reasonable response to not knowing the gospel. Because not knowing the gospel means knowing that you are not yet justified.

I do not want to preach terror to Christians. But we must not assume that people are Christians.

Do we address the people in church as if we are all elect, who have been believing some form of the gospel all along? “Close as in horseshoes”? Or do we say: some or all of you may need to be reconciled. Nobody is born reconciled. Let’s not presume. Let’s not beg the question.

Jerry Bridges, p34, Transforming Grace—“if you are trusting TO ANY DEGREE in your own morality, or if you believe that God will somehow recognize any of your good works as a reason for your salvation, you need to seriously consider if you are truly a Christian.”

”If you were operating out of legal fear instead of gospel motives, how then do you know you were justified all along?”

How do I know I am elect and now justified? Because I believe the gospel. Did my believing the gospel cause justification to happen? No! Did God's imputation of Christ's righteousness cause me to believe the gospel? Yes.

But many who have not yet repented of legalism still claim to now be converted to the Lord Jesus Christ. So what shall we think about saying that ”I was born justified, or I was justified but did not know the gospel”, or “I believe it now but I don’t repent of what I believed then” or saying that “I know that I believed the gospel then even though all that time I was operating out of legal fear”?

Just because Peter acted for a while like he was operating out of legal fear doesn’t mean that he was. Well, you could say, Peter sure got bad results, since he ended up betraying the Lord three times. That’s why he messed up so bad, because of his legal fears.

But we all still sin. We are still all getting bad results. The justified elect are still habitual sinners. They are still not doing so well in morality, when they are measured by God’s standard for morality.

We should not be ASSUMING that legalists are already in the "invisible church", already justified and just need to be instructed. There’s an in and out. Ecclesia: called out, gathered together here from there, separated by doctrine. The question is: what is the gospel, and do you believe it?

The gospel is not that you are elect (nor that I am). Not: God loves you. Not: God loves me. But: God loves as many as are believing the gospel of Christ’s death for the elect.

The gospel can’t tell you that you are elect until you are believing it already. If you confess yourselves as still being motivated by legal fear, then how has the gospel made you to submit to the Lord and His doctrine?

Either God is pleased with you or not. How do you know? Are you believing the gospel? You need to know this before you try to please God. You can’t please God if you don’t already please God. And you don’t please God yet if you haven’t believed the gospel yet. We talk about legal fear of God to possibly lost people. None of us is born justified.

Am I saying that we get lost and saved again every time that we fall into legal fear? No. Am I saying that we never are motivated by legal fear? No. But no Christian should be addressed as though they were still legalists. Many who listen are still lost in their sins.

We do not threaten Christians with the idea that they are still legalists. We threaten legalists with the idea that they are not Christians.

When a person is operating out of legal fear, that person may have a very dutiful prayer and Bible reading life, but it’s all an abomination to God, dead works coming from a dead person.

Tullian,
I loved this post. You should consider putting your posts into a daily 365 devotional book. That along with your recent book would satiate the weary soul.

Tullian,
In your experience, do see the concept of Grace more easily accepted/lived out by people who have come to Christ later in their years?

Those who are still on the (law) project, haven't heard the gospel yet. (I mean really hear it)

That's basically it.

Thank you for your article. Let us join together in great praise and thanks to our magnificent God who has chosen to make known to us the glorious riches of the mystery - Christ in us, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that everyone may be presented fully mature in Christ. Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity. God permitting we will do so and with diligence to the very end, what we hope for may be fully realized. Col 1:27-28;Heb 5:13-6:11

I think alot of people don't get grace.


Like it's hard for people to wrap their brains around grace.

Thanks Tullian for continuing to hammer home the good news of the gratuitous, free and sovereign grace of God proclaimed in Christ Jesus. John Owen's A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace is germane to your arguement. Here's a quote:

The law guides, directs, commands, all things that are against the interest and rule of sin. It judgeth and condemneth both the things that promote it and the persons that do them; it frightens and terrifies the consciences of those who are under its dominion. But if you shall say unto it, "What then shall we do? this tyrant, this enemy, is too hard for us. What aid and assistance against it will you afford unto us? what power will you communicate unto its destruction?" Here the law is utterly silent, or says that nothing of this nature is committed unto it of God: nay, the strength it hath it gives unto sin for the condemnation of the sinner: "The strength of sin is the law." But the gospel, or the grace of it, is the means and instrument of God for the communication of internal spiritual strength unto believers. By it do they receive supplies of the Spirit or aids of grace for the subduing of sin and the destruction of its dominion....

cheers...

James 2:8-9—“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself,? you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

And THAT is getting cut off at the knees... but I imagine some will be determined to stand on their own "grand performance" of the Christian life and want the rest of us to follow suit. Keep heralding the "Good News" Tullian!

"Once born again, the Law is no longer useful?? Paul doesnt teach that."

Really?

"Christ is the end of the law for all those who have faith."

_____________________________________________________________

The law is so we can get along in this sinful world, and with each other (better).- That is the 1st use of the law, or the civil use of the law.

And then the theological use is to put us to death. To expose our sinfulness. To paint us into a corner where there is NO place to go...but to Christ and His forgiveness.

Attempting to use the law to make us 'better Christians' will actually make one a worse Christian. A much worse Christian.

You might as well say to Jesus, 'thanks for dying for me Jesus, but scoot over a bit on that cross and make a little bit of room for me, and what I have to offer to all of this.'


.

Mike,
Well said. The cross of Christ says we have nothing to give or offer. My problem in the past as a proponent of "balancing law and gospel" was the fact that I didn't compare myself to what God commands. My comparing/contrasting was with myself and others. The comments looking to emphasize sanctification over and above our real problem, "How do we stand before the Holy God" (being justified) resonate exactly with my former attempts to "think more of myself than I should" and to "think less of others" who didn't seem to measure up.

All is well indeed! Thanks for your kind reply.

"Not every post can say everything." Amen! That goes for sermons and books as well. All an aspect of interpreting each other generously for the sake of Christ. :)

I agree with post-conversion addiction to law. I think sanctifying grace itself begins to dissolve and breach the power of addiction to law (ironic in this discussion). Addiction to law is slowly (relatively, incompletely now), unraveled by sanctifying grace. Even if I, when appropriate, stress means of grace (grace-rooted effort in sanctification), does not necessarily imply law-addiction in that moment. Such could be a bit over critical of God's work in my life, and underestimate the moment by moment work of God in sanctification. I apply this to others who may appear to be halting the justification train when trying to have doctrinal balance in communicating the whole counsel. I completely agree if you mean that many attempt this law-addicted halting . My emphasis is that some do not. This might be obvious. I suppose I felt it worth stating.

I realize I may be moving away from your desired point. Filter me out as you deem appropriate, no offense taken in any case.

So glad for you in Christ! Thanks!

Thank you for laboring in/for the grace of our Lord, brother!

1.Many of us see the Law for the mountain it really is. Some of us see the Gospel as a climb that it really isn’t.
2.The Law is a mount like Sinai, which we could never climb. The Gospel is not the backside of the Law (Sinai), a more gradual slope we climb.
3.The Gospel is God having come down to us in Christ Jesus, not another way of making our way up to God.
4.Beware of those who get the Law right, but turn the Gospel upside-down, by turning it into another Law.

http://gospelmuse.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/gospel-up-or-down/

The comments prove the point. We talk balance in grace and law because we want a God who tips the balance in our favor as we bow to the law and compare ourselves to others. i thank my God every day he is not balanced for I could never survive the scales that had his righteousness on one side against mine, instead of for mine. I am glad I am not in competition for righteousness for i have learned I have none on my own.

Hey Tim!

Thanks for your comment.

I wish you were right, that it's actually more grace that people want ("an emphasis on sanctifying grace"), not less. I'm afraid, however, that that's not true. Part of the reason I know it's not true is because of what Marshall says in the quote above: “By nature, you are completely addicted to a legal method of salvation. Even after you become a Christian by believing the Gospel, your heart is still addicted to salvation by works." The flesh is always resistant to "It is finished." In fact, as I say above, that's where mortification begins.

Not every post can say everything. This post is simply intended to help us come to terms with why my theology professor said what he did back when I was in seminary.

Hope all is well, my friend!

I really liked this post very much, Tullian.

Please, forgive me for applying some of your own words to processing them further. A short while ago when I was listening to a song on the radio the following idea(s) crossed my mind.

We'll have to face,
His high-cost grace,
Forevermore,
What ever's score.

If we look back,
And try to check,
If all fulfilled,
We'll detect guilt.

Since law condemns,
While grace offends,
Whereto with sin,
That's deep within?

If Christ not died,
Nor raised with might,
Nor were the Light,
And we His Bride,
We'd lose all sight,
With law we'd fight.

So lean on Him,
Forget all sin,
He gave His best,
For us to rest.

The Law kills but the Spirit brings life!

Tullian, you are bringing it. Don't grow weary!!

Thank you Tim Wilcoxson for your comment. Agree 100%.

Jon,
Tullian has made no error... Paul even called the Law "the ministry of death." Tullian understands the weakness is in the flesh.
Also the "PURE-i-tans" (pun intended) left Europe at a time when there was no persecution against them. They came to America to separate themselves from those "lesser/worldly Christians." Essentially, they thought more of themselves than they should've. A grave and recurring error. They were legalistic... weak minded in their thinking. Bent on their sincerity about God rather than God's sincerity about them.

Tullian, thanks brother!

I think some of the reaction you get may seem like a desire to put a "brake" on grace, but it is not necessarily so. Sometimes its just gladness over the doctrine of sanctification and concern that its promises are being undermined by a lack of emphasis. Many may feel that you want to leave behind this beautiful benefit of grace (I don't think you do!).

I've personally known people that talk about salvation via sola fida/sola gratia but continue in habitual, long-term immorality. It seems they are using faith/grace alone without knowledge of, or concern for demonstrable fruit in their lives as a product of grace. Clearly they don't get grace! But would it not help to make clear sanctification as well as justification?

I think for many (or maybe just some), the desire is not to stop preaching "high-octane grace," but rather to continue discussing what sanctification (a gospel-guarantee) looks like in those who are wonderfully grace-gripped. Is that really a wrong approach? Justification and sanctification can be preached side by side, right?. I certainly want high-octane, no limit grace! I just want people to understand the doctrine of sanctification (definitive and progressive both!) as good news as well. as something that is reassuring to those who have been truly drawn in by impossible, logic-defying grace!

I certainly hope this doesn't come off as grace-halting type talk! That's a scary thing to participate in.

This almost has me in tears...of gratitude, and repentance.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Tullian! This is what I need to hear daily. I hope you can come to Mound, Minnesota this summer to preach. This message is so needed.

I greatly appreciate the emphasis on grace for right standing before God. There most certainly is no other way.

But the New Testament is full of exhortation. I don't think encouraging people towards holy living and examining to make their calling and election sure (1 Peter 1) is "law."

I would actually say that, MAYBE, it is a sign of a low view of grace to think that people who are genuinely in Christ will always receive exhortations to sanctification as justification by works. I just don't understand the fear of exhortation with gospel of grace foundation.

Refer to "The True Bounds of Christian Freedom" by Puritan Samuel Bolton for a full, balanced understanding of the law. Here is a sample quote: "The law sends us to the Gospel for our justification; the Gospel send us to the law to frame our way of life."

I think you have made the of late history error of pinning the Law against Grace. The Law is good, its us that we are bad, the law cant justify or cause salvation, it point out our sin and our sinfulness and leads us to Grace in Christ. Once born again, the Law is no longer useful?? Paul doesnt teach that. In Christ, we see the Law with Delight and we can rejoice with David in saying, We delight in your Law oh Lord,, In Christ we fulfill the law and we see the law as Good and Holy "the Law of the Lord is Perfect converting the soul"Psalms 19:7 Puritans had a point in seeing the Law as well as other graces like prayer and communion of fellowship the the ministry of the word as means of grace, in other words, in sanctification, the Holy Spirit uses the Law to bring us into the image of Christ "the perfect law". The Law in itself does not work sanctification, it is the Holy Spirit who does that in our hearts, he uses the word, and we cant cut the Law from the word for it is the same.

Love this blog post

[...] Tullian Graham Tchividjian teaches a scandalous grace (though Grandpa never wrote this well): http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tullian/2012/01/05/might-as-well-face-it-youre-addicted-to-law/ This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged gospel, grace, Jesus Christ. Bookmark the [...]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones says this in a sermon from 1 John:

Why does he not tell us, I wonder, that the way to reassure our hearts before Him is to think of the Cross and remind ourselves of the death of our Lord for us? Now here, I think, we see the very depth and profundity of John's teaching. You see, he is concerned about people who are much too ready to fly to the Cross. John knows that the human heart is desperately wicked, and he knows the danger of men and women referring everything to the Cross, in order that they may have ease and peace of mind and conscience and then go on with their sin. ("Life in Christ" page 374)

2 Corinthians 13:5- Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

If beholding is becoming, then certainly it is not a fallacy to think that if you are not becoming, then you have not beheld.

Kristin -

Praise the Lord that he's freed/freeing us from *performation*. You are right in saying that Elyse's book helps to focus our eyes upon Christ, with the hope of genuine Spirit-wrought transformation (2Cor3). And you are also right in saying that this so-called calling to "balance the Gospel" by Stuart Scott is difficult to grasp. Reason being, it is an attempt to balance Law and Gospel, as both being the *Rule of Life* for the Christian.

Unfortunately, this "balance" misses the fact that the Law-incarnate (Christ, the Word for us!) and Law-indwelling (Spirit of Christ in us!) fulfills all true righteousness. It (He) always succeeds to achieve Christ-likeness (30, 60 or 100 fold) in us. However, if we lack a sound understanding of the course of redemption (from Promise to Fulfillment), the inclination will be to view things Old and New as having a one-to-one correlation. We will then live as those still waiting on the Promise to become Incarnate, when it has already been Fulfilled.

[...] My response shared elsewhere (Might as well face it you’re addicted to Law): [...]

Jay -

Thank you for the response...I truly appreciate the concern with the imperatives, and trust that you understand that NT imperatives are not the OT Law. For, we have died to the Law and are married to another, Christ, that we might might bear fruit of the Holy Spirit (Rom 7:4) who brings us along in way of Christ -- not back to the external code (Rom 7:6) -- in order that the *righteous requirement* of the Law might be fulfilled in us, again, by the Spirit (Rom 8:4).

Indeed, what I've said "sounds spiritual" because it is biblical, Christian. Our focus is solely upon Christ (The Indicative) and such focus is the sole means whereby the Holy Spirit produces fruit (the imperatives). With eyes fixed upon Jesus our ears are opened to the calling of the Holy Spirit, who works in us the works of God.

We are called to rest upon Christ who is our Rest. To behold and live. This is the way of the New Covenant, which is Christ himself, our Covenant (Isaiah 42:6, 49:8; 2Cor 3:1-18).

The NC imperatives are altogether Christological, not Law, no less commands but more than mere commands. They depict for us the likeness of Christ, both for and in us. They define what the Spirit of Christ is doing in us who believe this is how God works.

2Cor 4:6-7 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

We are not missing the call to action, but grasp the New Covenant cause of action...the effectual and finished work of Jesus Christ. Imperatives that become unhinged from this Gospel-context end up as Law-like things doing what the Law does best (Rom 7.7-25)...inciting the Flesh to do works that have the appearance of godliness, but deny its power (2Tim 3:5).

The Spirit of God has been given us, not as a spirit of fear (as to how well we are performing), but a Spirit of power and love and self-control (2Tim 1:7). This is how the Gospel has come to those who hear it rightly, not only as a word, but as an effectual work of God that will cause us to delight in loving God and neighbor (1Thes 1:5). Against such, there is no external code in force (Gal 5:23), but the Rule of the Spirit inwardly (Ezek. 36:25-27).

Beholding is becoming.

Matthew,
What you're saying sounds all well and good, and very spiritual, but not the full testimony of the New Testament. Justification is not sanctification, plain and simple. I'm could only assume you think Paul is kidding when he exhorts the church to "run in such a way as to win the prize." No longer being a slave to the Law (praise God) does not equal kick back and relax.
I would say the balance being referred to is to simply listen to the New Testament. It may not make sense how exhortations work, but listen to them anyway. I believe I am set free by the blood of Christ. I also believe that if I do not love my brother I am a liar. Just leave it at that.

Pastor Tullian,

I was wondering if you have the time to comment on this post from the BCC blog on a "balanced Gospel": http://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/blogs/2011/11/21/1271/ I am having a hard time understanding it.

God freed me from a performance driven relationship with Him about 3 years ago after reading E. Fitzpatrick's book "Because He Loves Me". Since then, God has placed people, books, sermons, into my life enabling me to grow in my understanding and application of the Gospel to life. I have also entered into the world of Biblical counseling training and am seeing more and more of a call to "balance the Gospel".

Thanks for all you do! I've benefitted greatly from your sermons and ministry!

"After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3;2 "But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope." Holiness is not attained by observance of The Torah, i.e,. The Law. It is produced over time by faith in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and He will do it.

Let's be clear here -- when the Scripture says law, it means Torah, which is The Law in Hebrew, the first 5 books of the Old Testament. The generally accepted view is that there are 613 commands in The Torah. Some people know this, and attempt to become Jews. They think that becoming God's people according to the flesh makes them pleasing to God. This is spiritual adultery or idolatry. Paul wrote, "I promised you to one husband, to Messiah, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him." II Corinthians 11:2

[...] Might As Well Face It, You’re Addicted to Law - Tullian Tchividjian writes on the Gospel Coalition blog: “The law offends us because it tells us what to do–and we hate anyone telling us what to do, most of the time. But, ironically, grace offends us even more because it tells us that there’s nothingwe can do, that everything has already been done. And if there’s something we hate more than being told what to do, it’s being told that we can’t do anything, that we can’t earn anything–that we’re helpless, weak, and needy.” [...]

[...] or ability to measure the amount of pride we want to have. Tullian Tchividjian is right when he says that as much as we can’t stand the law telling us what to do, we hate grace even more because [...]

[...] Might As Well Face It, You’re Addicted To Law   from Tullian Tchividjian by Tullian Tchividjian     [...]

[...] Recently, in his blog for The Gospel Coalition, he published a post entitled ‘Might As Well Face It — You’re Addicted To Law’. [...]

[...] Source [...]