Grace
(Romans 6:14-18 KJV) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
We are saved by Grace and are not under any Law ( save the Law of Love ). There are many however, some with good intentions, who seek to put us under a Law. They replace Grace with church doctrine. 'You can't have long hair' ... 'you can't dance' ... 'that music is of the devil' ... 'you can't wear that to church' ... an on and on and on ...
Such legalisms are a stumbling block to new Christians and a wall against the lost who might otherwise be saved. Paul preached against such over and over in his letters. He said that he had become all things to all people that some might be saved. This man who had once been a Pharisee of the Pharisees would not let any culture or custom come between the lost and salvation. He knew that once we are saved, the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth and into acting in a way that would please GOD. When we are born again we are a new creation, old things are passed away. All the things in our life that are not pleasing to GOD will come under conviction by the Holy Spirit and one by one fall away. The Holy Spirit will lead us into rightousness not church doctrine.
When we become dogmatic in our doctrine we put up walls. We in effect say 'if you don't measure up to this standard you are not welcome'. It is not our place to say who is and is not welcome in the Body of Christ, nor can we impose the standard the Holy Spirit has given to us on others. Paul said all things have become lawful but not all things are profitable. And again, to do that which causes your brother to stumble is sin to you. And again, to know what is good and do it not is a sin. The standard for Christians is not legalism but Grace. As we grow in the LORD the standard becomes harder, to whom much is given much is required, but to burden someone else with that same standard is a stumbling block to them, and therefore a sin to us. As we mature in our walk we are given greater insight, greater gifts, and greater responsibilities. We are all at a different place in our walk, some babes in Christ some well matured, we canot force the babes to eat meat meant for mature believers.
(Mark 12:30-31 KJV) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
This is the Law of Love, the Commandments of Grace. We are to Love as we have been Loved. For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. He died for us that we might live for Him. We are not here to judge our brothers but to share the GOOD NEWS of the Blood of Christ and the Forgiveness of Sins. The Holy Spirit will handle the rest. He will lead all believers into a relationship with their Father as they seek to serve our LORD Jesus Christ. Listen for the voice of the GOOD SHEPHERD and follow wherever He leads.