Forgiveness plus life equals freedom. Real freedom. To the question, "What is God’s will for my life?", freedom is God's answer.
 
It's what you have longed for all your life. Now it's yours.
 
But here's the reality. Freedom can be scary. When asked about the idea, Robert Capon, an Episcopal priest and author, made this point: "One of the problems with any authentic pronouncement of the gospel is that it introduces us to freedom."
 
What will you do with your newfound freedom? How will you respond?
 
Legalism doesn't think you will handle it very well at all. It fears you will go wild without its control in your life. Subtly, and not so subtly, legalism delivers the message, "You can’t handle freedom."
 
What I mean by legalism is this: anything man does through human effort to earn God's love and acceptance. Legalism is a works-based approach to God. Works, not grace through faith, mark the path to righteousness. Paul described this system concisely in his letter to the Romans, "Not to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation" (Romans 4:4).
 
But there is no way for us to earn righteousness. This is impossible. The only things we earn through this works-based system are condemnation and death.
 
Through faith in Jesus we've escaped that system. We are not under law. We are under grace. We've been set free.