The Big 10 Out From Under the Law
There are certain design-violating activities we should steer clear from because they do not convey the love of God that looks to increase human flourishing and care for sick, the fatherless and the widows, as God speaks of in Isaiah 58, James 1:27, etc.
These are actions we should avoid, because they do not represent the love of God and His righteousness. But, there is a reason God sent Jesus to earth to take away the sins of the world -- because left to ourselves, we become pretentious, and start marking down moral legislations that help create exclusivity and moral classism, separating sinners from saints.
What About "Lesser Sins?" Can They Be Misused?
But what about the design violations that have lesser impacts, or can be used to tout our own individual righteousness?
Jesus died so that the law no longer applies to us at an eternal level ( Romans 7:6 ), and so we can get to know Him as He introduces himself to us through the Spirit ( John 16:13 ), our Helper, revealing God through the Scriptures and through everyday life as we walk with Him ( John 14:21 ).
We have been freed from the Law and are now at one with the Spirit, who takes us on a journey outside the scope of the Law ( Matthew 5:27 -32 ), allowing us to know God personally, without fear of retribution or condemnation -- and this includes using sins we don't even know we have, and ones we refuse to give up -- to bring us to a place where we joyfully throw them before the throne because we KNOW him -- not because of condemnation from the law within our hearts or because of the devil's attacks against us.
God's Law, Christ's Commands, and Grace
Mr. Luther famously said, "sin boldly," reminding us that if the devil or our consciences condemn us based on the law tattooed onto our hearts, we can either further condemn ourselves -- rejecting the finished work of the cross ( Gal 5:2 ), or we can embrace the cross and put to death the condemnation we receive from the evil one. We are both to not seek to offend or consciences -- and also to never place the law of death above the finished work of the Cross. Sin boldy, knowing He has forgiven you.
Christ's commands are 49 in totality, and we are to repent and confess our sinful nature and glory in God's righteousness and grace, abide in him by being thankful, grateful, even for the sins we wrestle with and the pain we endure, be baptized, assemble together and confess our sins to each other, serve each other, love each other, and be faithful until the end.
We are purchased with the blood of Christ, and nothing we do condemns us before Him ( Romans 8:1 ). This is a one-way covenant ( Jeremiah 31 ) -- because God loves the whole world ( 1 John 2:2 ).
Dealing with the Weaker Brother and the Legalist
If we come across someone who is damaged by sin based on God's dealings with him previously, and the consumption of meat from idols, the drinking of alcohol, the sound of rock music, the shortness of our skirts or dresses, or the words of our mouths cause him to stumble and want to return to such habits, then we should set them aside when around him, letting him know we are doing such out of love ( Romans 14 ).
But if we come across someone who is claiming Godliness is defined by such things, a legalist who perceives the things of God are physical and not of the heart, then we should buy him a beer, hike up our skirts, and play the music louder.