From Rule-Keeping to Resting: Understanding Christian Freedom
One of the biggest areas of confusion for believers is the role of the Law after coming to Christ.
Questions like:
- Should Christians keep the Sabbath?
- Do dietary laws still apply?
- Are we under the Ten Commandments?
- Is freedom a license, or is the Law still binding?
These are honest questions, and they matter, because how we answer them affects whether we live in freedom or quiet bondage.
Before anything else, I want to be clear about how I approach this subject.
Walking Together in Love, Not Policing One Another
The Bible does not call us to police one another’s convictions, it calls us to walk together in love. Romans 14 became a key passage for me in understanding this. Paul makes it clear that some matters are not salvation issues, but “disputable matters”, areas of conscience where believers may hold different convictions.
“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things… Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:1-23)
Paul speaks about:
- Food
- Special days
- Personal convictions
And his conclusion is simple: God has received them all. If God has received someone, it is not my role to reject or judge them over conscience issues. Freedom without love becomes selfishness. Conviction without love becomes control.
In the passage Paul shows how we live out freedom with love and brings us full circle:
- Don’t violate your conscience
- Don’t force others to violate theirs
- Don’t judge
- Don’t despise
- Walk in love
“Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Romans 14:19)
Christian freedom is not about proving who is right. It’s about preserving unity and walking in love.
Now that we have cleared our approach, let’s dive into it.
What Do We Mean by “The Law”?
Before we go further, it helps to define terms.
A law is an unwavering principle that describes how something operates within a particular system without exception, like the law of gravity. As long as there is no other force holding up an object, it will fall to the ground. That law stands as long as we on earth.
In the same way that natural laws describe how the physical world operates, God’s Law describes how life and righteousness operate in God’s kingdom.
In Scripture, the Law (particularly the Mosaic Law) was given to:
- Reveal God’s holiness
- Expose sin
- Restrain behaviour externally
- Lead humanity to Christ
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)
“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Galatians 3:24-26)
The Law shows what righteousness looks like, but it does not give the power to live it.
The Law given through Moses included:
- Moral law (e.g. the Ten Commandments)
- Ceremonial law (sacrifices, feasts, dietary laws)
- Civil law (governing Israel as a nation)
It was given specifically to Israel to shape them as a nation and prepare the way for Christ. Like any nation needs laws to function, Israel had God-given laws for a specific covenant and time. But the Law was never meant to be permanent as a system of righteousness.
What Christ Did With the Law
Jesus was very clear:
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus did not cancel the Law, He fulfilled it completely.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4)
This was a turning point for me. We do not fulfill the Law to become righteous. We are righteous because Christ fulfilled it.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
Jesus showed clearly in the scripture above, that righteousness goes deeper than actions, it reaches the heart.
Grace doesn’t lower the standard, it changes the source.
Under the Law: Behaviour was restrained externally.
Under Grace: The heart is transformed internally.
This fits perfectly with the “new heart and new spirit” discussed fully in our blog posts, “What It Really Means to be Born Again” and “Forgiveness and The New Heart”.
The Law Fulfilled in Love
When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded:
“You shall love the Lord your God… and love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37–40)
And He added something profound:
“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Every command is fulfilled in love.
This is why the New Covenant is not about detailed rule-keeping, it’s about walking in love by the Spirit. To be precise, “LOVING GOD WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED”
Scripture tells us plainly:
“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)
James calls this the law of liberty, not bondage, but freedom that produces fruit. This freedom is not reckless. It is guided by love, conscience, and faith.
A Loving Warning: Don’t Go Back
I will begin by repeating this scripture:
“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Galatians 3:24-26)
The scripture is clear here, “we are no longer under the law”
One of the strongest warnings in Scripture is against returning to the Law as a system of righteousness.
“Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)
“You who attempt to be justified by law have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
This is not condemnation, it’s protection. Returning to law-keeping as a means of righteousness undermines what Christ has already finished.
“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
The scripture above shows how much we become vulnerable to the devil when we go back under the law. What Christ did on the cross and dealt with becomes ineffective in our lives because we think it’s what we do that will protect us instead of just accepting what He has already done.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14 )
When we continue to put ourselves under the law, sin will have dominion over us.
“knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
The Sabbath: Resting in Christ, Not Just One Day a Week
Another major shift for me was understanding rest. New Covenant rest is not about observing a specific day, it is about resting from self-effort. Taking a physical day to rest is good. Setting aside a day to worship is good. But our true rest is not found in a calendar, it is found in Christ Himself.
Just as God ceased from all His works never to work again on the seventh day. When we get into Christ we cease from our own works never to work again. Look out for a future post on “Works”. The scripture below is a long read but it explains “THE REST”
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:1-11)
A Prayer from my Heart
Father, Thank You for the finished work of Christ.
Thank You that I am no longer striving to be righteous, but living from righteousness.
Teach me to walk in freedom guided by love and truth.
Help me to honour You, not out of fear, but out of love.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen. ❤️
If this post has led to more questions than answers or has helped clarify confusion around the Law, freedom, or conscience, you are welcome here, reach out. And if you’re learning to live from grace, not pressure; from love, not fear, we would love to walk with you.
Last modified: 27/01/2026