I just want to make sure that I have a good understanding of the Christian concept of Antinomianism.
Please correct any misunderstandings I have. Thank you in advance.
My understanding of antinomianism is that the Christian is guided by their Conscience, instead of by the Law of Moses. In this respect, it is quite important to safeguard ones conscience--you don't want to mess it up or corrupt it by practicing questionable things. (Hurting others and such will "sear or scar" ones conscience, making it less sensitive than it should be.) Forgiveness of self and others is a big part of keeping a clean conscience--even getting baptized is a petition for a clean conscience. Being guided by conscience means you have spiritual freedom in that you are no longer tied to the Laws of Moses. However, this does not mean that you are excused from the civil laws of the land. (You still have to pay your taxes and such, and not break laws that result in harming others, etc.)
Feeling bad because of a guilty conscience for something you did to hurt someone should be seen as a good thing, as it prompts you to make amends and not repeat that harmful behavior. (Those who do not prize feeling bad due to a guilty conscience do stuff like honor killings in an attempt to make the bad feeling go away. Those who do such things are desensitizing their conscience and corrupting it, rather than training it well and making it into a fine-tuned instrument.)
Personally, I think this is one of the finest teachings I have ever come across. Please let me know what I have incorrectly understood regarding antinomianism.
Thank you.
Please correct any misunderstandings I have. Thank you in advance.
My understanding of antinomianism is that the Christian is guided by their Conscience, instead of by the Law of Moses. In this respect, it is quite important to safeguard ones conscience--you don't want to mess it up or corrupt it by practicing questionable things. (Hurting others and such will "sear or scar" ones conscience, making it less sensitive than it should be.) Forgiveness of self and others is a big part of keeping a clean conscience--even getting baptized is a petition for a clean conscience. Being guided by conscience means you have spiritual freedom in that you are no longer tied to the Laws of Moses. However, this does not mean that you are excused from the civil laws of the land. (You still have to pay your taxes and such, and not break laws that result in harming others, etc.)
Feeling bad because of a guilty conscience for something you did to hurt someone should be seen as a good thing, as it prompts you to make amends and not repeat that harmful behavior. (Those who do not prize feeling bad due to a guilty conscience do stuff like honor killings in an attempt to make the bad feeling go away. Those who do such things are desensitizing their conscience and corrupting it, rather than training it well and making it into a fine-tuned instrument.)
Personally, I think this is one of the finest teachings I have ever come across. Please let me know what I have incorrectly understood regarding antinomianism.
Thank you.
It was in reference to those who practice it in order to avoid shame...(which is supposed to be tied to a guilty conscience, but in honor killings the conscience is so seared/insensitive that "shame" is an external social stigma rather than an internal working of ones conscience.)
