"Thou shalt not covet," "thou shalt not commit adultery," thou shalt not kill," "thou shalt not bear false witness," are all aspects of the eternal moral law of God. Perhaps they are different in kind from the ceremonial observances and the covenantal statutes.

We are judged by the law of liberty. The law of liberty is that we remain without condemnation while we are cooperating with the Holy Spirit of God, obeying the law of the Spirit of life, growing in the righteousness that is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Under the Law of Moses there was no such liberty. The worshiper was condemned the moment he transgressed. Under the new covenant we remain without condemnation even though there is much we do that comes short of the Glory of God. We are without condemnation provided we are following the Spirit of God as He leads us in putting to death the deeds of our wicked flesh.

Are believers actually to exert themselves in righteousness while waiting for the maturing of the nature of Christ in their personalities?

Pastor James answers:

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:22-27)

Are there action words here?

Doers of the word, not hearers only.

Looks into the perfect law of liberty (walking according to the Holy Spirit is the law of liberty) and continues therein.

Bridles his tongue.

Visits the fatherless and widows.

Keeps himself unspotted from the world.

Why does Satan stress the "Jesus did it all" doctrine? It is because Satan knows that God will not work with sinning people, only with people who are confessing and repenting of their sins and vigorously and diligently obeying the commands of the Lord and His Apostles. Satan seeks to remove our anointing and our shield of protection by enticing us to sin, deceiving us by whispering that we do not have to resist sin because "Jesus did it all."

To be continued.