An antinomian is someone who believes that Christians are released from the obligation to obey the moral law by virtue of grace. The word “antinomian” comes from two Greek words – “anti,” meaning “against,” and “nomos,” meaning “law.” So an antinomian is one who is “against the law.” Antinomians believe that Christians are not required to follow God’s moral laws and commandments, such as the Ten Commandments. Since we are saved by grace alone and not by good works, they argue, we are free from any obligation to keep the law as a way to earn salvation or prove our faith.
The roots of antinomianism go back to the early church, when some Gnostic heretics claimed that truly “spiritual” people were above morality and the law. Various antinomian teachings emerged at different points in church history, promoted by figures like Johannes Agricola in the 16th century. In Protestant Christianity, antinomian controversies flared up numerous times, especially during the Reformation era among radical reformers and Anabaptist groups. Groups accused of antinomianism, rightly or wrongly, include the Free Grace movement and hyper-grace teachers.
Antinomianism fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between law and grace in Scripture. The New Testament makes it clear that while we cannot earn salvation through law-keeping, God still expects Christians to uphold His moral standards. Grace is not a license to sin (Jude 1:4). Paul affirmed that the law is good and holy (Romans 7:12), even while arguing vigorously that keeping it cannot justify us before God. The law shows us our sinfulness and need for Christ (Galatians 3:24), and the Spirit enables us to fulfill the law’s righteous requirements (Romans 8:4). Love for God is expressed through obedience to His commands (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3).
Several key passages in Scripture speak directly against antinomian ideas:
- Romans 3:31 – “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”
- Romans 6:1-2 – “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”
- Matthew 5:17-19 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
- 1 John 3:4 – “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”
In summary, the Bible clearly teaches us to uphold God’s moral law even though we are saved by grace alone through faith. True saving faith always manifests itself in a life of holiness and obedience, even while fully resting on Christ’s finished work rather than our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-10). Antinomianism destroys sanctification and discipleship by divorcing faith from faithful living.
Common antinomian views
While antinomian teachings take various forms, several core ideas tend to characterize antinomian positions:
- The moral law is cancelled for Christians. Antinomians teach that once we are under grace, we are released entirely from any obligation to obey God’s moral commands.
- Faith alone means faith without obedience. Whereas orthodox doctrine sees obedience as the fruit and evidence of true faith, antinomians separate faith from the way we live.
- We cannot please God through obedience. Antinomians may say that obeying God’s commands does not bring Him glory or delight but only breeds self-righteous pride.
- Preaching the law is legalism. Calling Christians to obey God’s law is wrongly condemned as legalism that depends on works rather than grace.
- Sinning willfully is fine. Since behavior is irrelevant, antinomians imply that Christians can deliberately continue in sin with no consequence.
Underlying these false beliefs is a fundamental misunderstanding of the relationship between the Old and New Covenants. The New Covenant fulfilled and superseded the Old (Hebrews 8:13), but this does not nullify God’s moral law itself, which reflects His unchanging holy character. The law’s purpose changed from providing the way of salvation to showing the need for salvation through Christ. But the moral precepts themselves remain binding on believers today.
Origins and history of antinomianism
As mentioned, antinomian ideas emerged very early in church history. Some of the first opponents of Christianity were Gnostics who claimed to be “spiritual people” with mystic knowledge, beyond the need for ethics and obedience. By the third century, Manichaeism taught that the spiritual realm created by God was entirely good, while matter and flesh were evil. Hence, whatever the physical body did was irrelevant.
In the fourth century, Augustine battled Christian ascetics who argued that once baptized into grace, Christians could behave however they wanted, even sinfully, with no damage to their spiritual state. Augustine upheld the importance of righteous living, writing, “Law and grace do not divide the human race in two, assigning some to grace and some to law. They cooperate; each does its part in the work of justification.”
During the Reformation, antinomian tendencies emerged among those reacting against Catholic dependence on good works. Martin Luther dealt extensively with antinomians and was accused of antinomianism himself, though he strongly affirmed the believer’s duty to keep the law. In 1527, his colleague Johannes Agricola taught that the law was abolished for Christians, leading to a serious controversy.
Later Reformation leaders like John Calvin and Richard Baxter argued vigorously against rising antinomian views among sects like the Anabaptists. In England, antinomian ideas influenced radical Puritans and Baptists. Tobias Crisp’s unorthodox sermons sparked an antinomian controversy in the 1640s. Crisp taught that believers are free from the law “as a rule of life” and should not fear punishment or judgment for breaking it.
In colonial New England, Anne Hutchinson was associated with antinomian teachings that alarmed authorities in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her followers were said to believe they “were justified by faith alone, and that it was nonsense to insist upon good works.” The colony’s civil and religious leaders persecuted and banished Hutchinson for her threatening theological views.
Debates over legalism and antinomianism continued through the 18th and 19th centuries, flaring up periodically in eras like the Second Great Awakening. Teachers like Charles Finney combated antinomian tendencies among revivalists. Walter Chantry notes that many camp meeting preachers in Finney’s day “decried the need for holy living since the standards of biblical morality were ‘legalistic.'”
In contemporary times, accusations of antinomianism persist against various theological camps across the spectrum of Christianity. Critics charge figures like Joseph Prince and Tullian Tchividjian with antinomian tendencies in their “hyper-grace” teachings. The Free Grace movement’s belief that righteous works are unnecessary for salvation is condemned by some as antinomian. Debates continue today over the proper understanding of law and grace in the life of the Christian.
Key figures associated with antinomianism
While antinomian-type views have popped up across church history, a few individuals stand out as key figures tied to this theology:
Johannes Agricola
Agricola (1494-1566) was a German Protestant reformer and colleague of Martin Luther. He is often called the “father of antinomianism” for his teachings in the 1520s that the moral law was abolished for justified Christians. Luther strongly refuted Agricola’s position and required him to recant. Their dispute became known as the Antinomian Controversy, the first major debate on the issue.
Tobias Crisp
Crisp (1600-1643) was an English Puritan clergyman whose antinomian preaching stirred great controversy in the 1640s. His ninety sermons emphasized God’s free grace while diminishing the importance of righteous living. Crisp minimized sins committed by believers, arguing Christ had already paid fully for future sins as well as past ones. His ideas were condemned by many contemporaries.
Anne Hutchinson
Hutchinson (1591-1643) led informal women’s Bible studies in colonial Massachusetts that challenged the colony’s religious authorities by promoting “free grace” ideas. She taught that sanctification was not proof of justification. Her views were linked to antinomianism and she was expelled from the colony after a civil trial. She and her followers founded the settlement of Portsmouth in Rhode Island.
Count Zinzendorf
Zinzendorf (1700-1760) was a German nobleman and bishop of the Moravian Church. Under his leadership, Moravian teaching minimized the importance of doctrine and law while emphasizing spiritual experience. Moravians were accused of antinomian beliefs due to their downplaying of biblical commands and ethical standards in Christian life.
Other, more recent figures associated at times with antinomian perspectives include Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, Rudolf Bultmann, Joseph Prince, Tullian Tchividjian, and various leaders in the Free Grace movement.
Biblical response to antinomianism
Scripture leaves no doubt that God expects Christians to uphold righteous standards of morality. His saving grace does not cancel our obligation to obey His commands for holy living. Several biblical principles refute antinomian errors:
1. Faith works through love
True saving faith always manifests itself through loving obedience. Paul makes this clear in Galatians 5:6: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Faith is not merely intellectual assent but active trust that transforms our desires to reflect God’s will. Those truly saved by grace keep Christ’s commands out of love for Him (John 14:15).
2. Salvation is for good works
While we are not saved by good works, we are saved for good works to the glory of God. Ephesians 2:8-10 says believers are saved by grace through faith “for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Sanctification is part of God’s eternal purpose in redemption. He reconstitutes us as new creations who walk in holiness.
3. Christians have died to sin
Romans 6:1-2 directly refutes the idea that grace permits ongoing sin: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Union with Christ means we have died to sin’s power and been set free from bondage to live righteously (Romans 6:15-18).
4. The law is good and righteous
Far from rejecting God’s law, Paul delighted in it, calling it “holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12). The problem was not with the law itself but our inability to keep it perfectly. Christians uphold the law by looking to Christ to fulfill its righteous requirements in us (Romans 8:4).
5. Sin still leads to death
Even for believers under grace, sin leads to spiritual corruption and death if left unchecked. Paul warns clearly, “If you live according to the flesh you will die” (Romans 8:13). Practicing sin grievously harms our intimacy with Christ. Our future judgment will be based on works done in the body (2 Corinthians 5:10).
In summary, the New Testament promotes both grace and godly obedience, not one at the expense of the other. Cheap grace that excuses sinful lifestyles is utterly foreign to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who practice lawlessness prove they do not know God (Matthew 7:21-23).
Pastoral responses to antinomianism
For pastors and church leaders contending with antinomian tendencies, several pastoral responses can help establish biblical understanding of law and grace:
1. Preach the full counsel of God
Addressing only grace or only law breeds imbalance. The whole Bible message includes commands and obedience alongside grace and forgiveness. Like Paul, pastors should testify “to Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).
2. Teach that faith works through love
Avoid presenting faith as mere mental assent. Remind people that biblical faith infuses our lives with Christ’s love. Obedience flows naturally from hearts captured by God’s grace, not external compulsion. Our works prove our faith is genuine (James 2:14-26).
3. Equip people for righteous living
Merely scolding sin is insufficient. We must disciple believers positively to walk in holiness. God’s law shows the path of sanctification. Scripture equips us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Model righteous attitudes and actions.
4. Demonstrate grace and patience
In correcting antinomian tendencies, have compassion like Christ does for wayward saints. Be gracious toward those who confuse law and grace, patiently instructing them. But also warn clearly that unrepentant sin brings judgment.
5. Focus on Christ and the gospel
Legalists and antinomians alike lose sight of Christ. Redirect people to the glory of the cross and resurrection. Knowing Christ’s love compels us to live for Him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Make gospel truths the center, not debates about conduct.
With prayerful vigilance, pastors can steer their flocks toward biblical balance between law and grace. We uphold righteous standards not in legalistic striving but in the joyful freedom and loving obedience we have through the finished work of Jesus Christ.