Antinomianism

This word has a Greek origin which strongly holds on the doctrine mentioned in the Old Testament that every Christian who is strong in faith is free from the obligation of other moral laws. Therefore, Christians believe that faith and God's grace can liberate them from the observance of all moral laws of a culture. Martin Luther, a proponent of the Reformation movement supported this doctrine that a faith alone has a bearing on the life of a Christian and that he/she is not bound by any other law. This can mean that a person who is strong in Christian can lead an exemplary life free from all other moral codes of conduct, as the Holy Spirit would keep them from committing sin. Such a faith in Christ is higher than all other laws of the land that is in existence. Anne Hutchinson was banished from Massachusetts because she held on to this particular doctrine. There are many contrary views to this doctrine as some people felt that it was contrary to the gospel of Jesus .Others felt that sin is inevitable having come to this world and there is no question of resisting it. Antinomianism was in vogue in an extreme form in the Adamite sect of North Africa that existed in the second and third century. These people worshipped nude and called their churches as Paradise .They also did not believe in the institution of marriage as Adam did not observe it. In the middle ages, some groups preached the Corinthian style of worship which believed in the freedom from law and the followers of this doctrine did not consider prostitution as a sinful act for people with a spiritual bent of mind. The well known antinomian controversies of the sixteenth and seventeenth century, were that of Martin Luther and Anne Hutchinson .Martin Luther wrote treaties that refuted antinomianism and stressed the purpose of law was to reveal sin ,to bring decency in the decadent society and to discipline the Christians. In the case of Anne Hutchinson her stress on the covenant of grace was against the views of the majority of Puritans in Massachusetts and therefore in 1637 at a synod of Congregational churches she was condemned as a heretic and banished.