The 'Keep Your Laws Off My Body' belligerence of defiant inferior-gender twits craving sterilizing themselves with contraceptives into humankind extinction . . . and/or imposing non-healthful and non-reproductive mangling of both would-have-been-parental mothers and womb babes murdered by those committing and not "performing" abortion homicide . . . simply does not apply and is not viable in The Game of Life, nor even in games of boxing, wrestling, football . . . nor Checkers.

Here are [Immutable] Ten Commandments of Checkergame Competition:

(01) Checkers MUST be placed in normal position at the start of each game.
(02) Checkers can ONLY be moved diagonally.
(03) One CANNOT move a single checker backwards diagonally; ONLY a king can move backwards.
(04) Checker moves MUST be made WITHIN 12o seconds; players who take longer than 119 seconds automatically lose the entire game.
(05) Players MUST alternate moves according to their turn; players can ONLY take ONE turn per sequence.
(06) One MUST jump one's opponent's checker or checkers WHENEVER the situation presents itself.
(07) Players MUST remove checkers after being jumped.
(08) Replacing jumped checkers for resupply during a single game is NEVER allowed.
(09) Kings ONLY become kings when having reached the EXTREME opposite side of the checkerboard closest to your opponent.
(10) The MAXIMUM number of COMBINED moves of BOTH players on a checkerboard is 399, and if 400 is reached, a draw is declared.

Driving a vehicle on city streets or country highways requires 24/7 obedient compliance with traffic-movement rules and regulation, and both street and highway signs MUST be done under threat of police, sheriff, or highway patrol arrest and monetary citation?

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. NO one comes to the Father except by Him (even past and present Jews). NO one succeeds with computer access unless they type in The EXACT alpha-numeric letters in The EXACT order if a black-screen BIOS passcode is required. NO other combination of alpha-numeric letters in WHATEVER order will work.

Are we "saved" by either faith alone (Romans chapter 3), faith along with works (James chapter 2), nor a combination of the best (and not worst) of our human-possessed, Divinely-bestowed faith and/or works?

Are we "saved" (or forever? "justified") by the mechanisms or manifestations or proofs or evidences of "grace" [ and related subparts thereof: faith and works ] - or even by some non-tangible abstraction termed: "grace" itself?

If we are not saved by the religiously-worded mechanics [ e.g. grace, faith, works, baptism, eucharistic ingestion, penances, indulgences, fasting, etc. ] of Proto-Catholic Christianity and the existence of Christian doctrines and existence of Biblical Law (i.e. an assortment of God-given laws in the plural - both Old and New Testament ones), and not even saved by the philosophical abstraction known as "grace," how or by what are we saved?

The ultimate answer is that we are saved and justified and sanctified by the Mechanic Himself- not the mechanics of salvation -- especially not the abstractions called "grace" nor "faith" nor "works."

Our sins are atoned for not by the philosophical abstractions of [His nor OUR] [ good ] "faith" NOR by [His nor OUR] [ good ] "works" -- but instead by CHRIST JESUS Himself -- He utilizing of-secondary-importance mere mechanism of His redemptive and sacrificial death on some Roman-carpentry-constructed perhaps-subcontracted-and-officially-certified cross around 2000 years ago over in the Middle East.

According to the statement printed above, even the [wooden, not plastic] cross of Christ does not save us, nor even His bloody crucifixion of Him allowing Himself to be hatefully-lynched and illegally murdered, save us.

CHRIST JESUS alone saves us (but with our belief in, our trust in, and our non-rejective acceptance of Him sacrificially and non-suicidally deliberately allowing Himself to be lynched and murdered for the sake of universal atonement of those who believe that that is so as such).

Doesn't Christ's, or (God forbid) our [ sometimes-faithless ] belief, save us by atoning against our sins?

Belief in what? Faith in what or who? Belief in whom? Ourselves? Our human heroes and government leaders? Reading the writings of holy-men authors who wrote the Bible? Claiming loyalty to or patronizing Paul or Apollos or Cephas?

James 2:19 (ESV) You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder!
James 2:19 (VULGATE) tu credis quoniam unus est Deus bene facis et daemones credunt et contremescunt

MUST we cooperate with God and both His Law and His Gospel for us to be justified and saved? Must a wife cooperate with (instead of compete against) her husband to have sex? Must an employee cooperate with his or her boss (instead of compete against) to not only stay employed but to produce for the company which both are part of? Must a soldier cooperate with (instead of compete against) his (not her) commanding officer (not officerette) to win a war in battle?

MUST we seek the God who already seeks and has sought us? Must WE accept Christ, or instead like cold and lifeless non-interested zombies let Him embrace our bored and indifferent carcasses? If we do search for God and Christ, is that considered a blasphemous and damnable self-righteous or legalistic work in defiance against pure non-pompous faith for which we will be sentenced to burn in Hell forever?

Deuteronomy 4:29 But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near

Maybe in the never-never-fairy-land of "purgatory" cultic pseudo-catholic heretics will then seek the Lord after ignoring Him during their earthly lives while they capriciously lived like the Devil? May such deplorable vermin heretically hallucinate on.

Joshua 24:19 But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD; for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.
Hosea 5:6 With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn from them.
Amos 8:12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it.

Hosea 10:12 Plant for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of continuous love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and rain salvation upon you.

Amos 5:6 Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel.

Zephaniah 2:3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do His commands; seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the wrath of the LORD.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

To repeat, are we thus saved by grace, or by law, or both?

Galatians 2:15 We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not non-Jewish sinners,
Galatians 2:16 yet who know that a man is not justified [or non-justified?] by works of the law [so throw the Law out?] but through faith in Jesus Christ [even demons have "faith" that God will torment them someday?], even we have believed in Christ Jesus [as demons believe?], in order to be justified by faith IN CHRIST, and not by works of the law [so discard the Law?], because by works of the law [ nor by our non-reliable, non-trustworthy-at-time "faith"] shall no one be justified.
Galatians 2:21 I do not nullify the grace of God [obviously, in your one-sided embrace of faith only and never works?]; for if justification were through the law [or disobedience against the Law?], then Christ died to no purpose.

Galatians 3:2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law [ or how about works against the Law? ], or by hearing with faith [ Not necessarily by hearing anything, being that generally what goes in one ear goes out the other? ] Have not the demons also "heard" and do they not also "believe" ] ?
3 Are you so foolish? [Speak for yourself, Paul] Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh [ Rant on, O pseudo-perfect one] IS Paul here equating submissively obeying the lawful doctrines of Christ with that usually-"nasty" word: "flesh"] ?
4 Did you experience so many things in vain? -- if it really is in vain [ Get to the point, O sarcastic one ].
5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith [ Paul, you works-reviler, please re-read the insert in verse 2 above ] ?
6 Thus Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness" [ which belief involved the laborious and justifying work of putting Isaac on a child-sacrifice altar? ].
7 So you see that it is humans of faith [ who also work what they should do ] who are the sons of Abraham.
9 So then, those who are men of faith [ who also work what they should do ] are blessed with Abraham who had faith [ needless reiteration? ].
10 For all who rely on works of the law [ how about those who rely on works against the Law?] are under a curse [ so all who submissively obey the lawful doctrines of Christ are under a curse? ]; for it is written, "Cursed be every one who does not abide by ALL things [ "all?" ] written in the book of the law, and do them." [ And cursed is every one who does not abide by ANY thing written in the book of the law? ]
11 Now it is evident that no man is justified before God by the law [ but instead justified before God by disobeying and disregarding the Law?] [ And what exactly is meant by "the Law?" By having "the Law" around, obeying most of "the Law" most of the time, obeying all of "the Law" all of the time, or what? ]; for "He who through faith is righteous shall live" [ and WHO has perfect faith pertaining to THAT qualification for righteousness? ];
12 but the law does not rest on faith, for "He who does them [does WHAT?] shall live by them." [ So merely mouthing "faith" without obeying the Law saves us? ]
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law [so the Law is a satanic curse? And curses us if we obey it?], having become a curse for us -- for it is written: "Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree" [ They should have used a rope hanging from a horizontal Roman-column pillar to bring on the curse instead? ]
14 that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the nations, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through [the philosophical abstraction of] "faith" [and do the good works necessary to qualify them to not be thrown into the Lake of Fire on Judgment Day with neighboring disobedient euphemistic "goats" who will also "be judged by what they had done?" ].
15 To give a human example, brethren: no one annuls even a man's will, or adds to it, once it has been ratified.
17 This is what I mean: the law, which came four hundred and thirty years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. [ What has all that to do with obeying and not disobeying the Law? ]
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not [ Bingo! ]; for if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law [ or by disobeying the Law? ]. [ Moralistic abstractions do not themselves make anything alive, but remain mere moralistic abstractions of the mind synapsing in the human brain ]
22 But the scripture consigned all things to sin [IS then Scripture itself is to be blamed for "consigning all things to sin" - which seemingly-ludicrous accusation sounds hideously blasphemous? ], that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. [ "Believe" WHAT? ] [ like the demons believe and shudder? ]
23 Now before [the philosophical abstraction of] "faith" came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith [ in WHAT or in WHOM? ] should be revealed.
24 So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by "faith." [ in WHAT or in WHOM? ]
25 But now that [the philosophical abstraction of] faith [ in WHAT or in WHOM? ] has come, we are no longer under a custodian;
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through [the philosophical abstraction of] "faith" [ and thus doing good works and especially the desire to please God by doing good not evil works -- are now irrelevant, needless, useless, even offensive anathema?].

"Faith" alone saves? Does even Christ's OR ("let alone') our non-reliable non-trustworthy-at-times "faith alone" saves anything or anyone?"

Romans 8:2 (ASV) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
Romans 8:2 (VULGATE) lex enim Spiritus vitae in Christo Iesu liberavit me a lege peccati et mortis
4 (ASV) that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
4 (JB2000) that the righteousness of the law [ Bingo! ] might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
4 (VULGATE) ut iustificatio legis impleretur in nobis qui non secundum carnem ambulamus sed secundum Spiritum

WHAT "requirement of the law?" WHAT "righteousness of the law?"

Why is "law" involved anymore whatsoever, in connection with either "requirements" or "righteousness?"

How is "righteousness" defined? "Righteous" is WHOSE opinion? Yours? Mine? Ours? Hitler's and Obama's? GOD's? And how MUCH "righteousness?" Absolute perfection 24/7?

Are we now, being forever saved (especially by "Believer's Baptism" - whatever that is and is not), therefore at liberty to willfully disregard and disobey Law? Not try to find out what all the Law is comprised of? Pick and choose whatever new things we find in the Law? Have perpetual immunity against punishment for not consistently complying with and accommodating to everything we know the Law to be comprised of?

Tell that to a squad-car cop upon us going through a red stoplight, and experience the non-pleasant consequences!

Job 34:11 For according to the work of a [human] He will requite [him], and according to [his] ways He will make it befall [him].
Job 34:12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

Proverbs 24:11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:12 If you say, "Hey, we did not know this," does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will He not requite humanity according to their work ["faith" is not even mentioned when it comes to actual judgment]?

Remember the vain and dishonest cop-out pleas of Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg Trials? "We did not know about the concentration-camp ovens." "I did not know that there was a stopsign there," or "I did not know that I had to stop for a red stoplight." Yah sure, you betcha. Not!

IS Law now done away with? Ask the police, sheriffs, state patrol, federal marshals.

No way is law "done away with!"

We have experienced, and yet experience: "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus."

"THE law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?" A meaningless metaphor, euphemism, or symbolism?

Let's take it apart, piece by piece, to see if it then makes sense:

"The law of the Spirit?" What, the duce, does that mean?
"The law of the Spirit of life?" What, for Pete's sake, does THAT mean?

What is meant by "the spirit of the law?" The Holy Spirit who gave the Law, and insists that we obey His Law so that we do not quench nor grieve Him? A spirit of us wanting to ALWAYS do right? A spirit of wanting to always please God by doing whatever He commanded?

Luke 6:46 "And why do you all call me, `Lord, Lord,' - and do not the things which I say?

MORE law is mandatory:

James 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

"THE law of liberty?" A meaningless metaphor, euphemism, or symbolism? Do whatever we want, especially live like the Devil however and whenever we want with misused liberty?

So, does the intention-to-henceforth-be-perfect abstraction of "law" and/or the conceptive abstraction of free-forgiveness-for-sins-payment "grace" or "faith" save us by atoning against our past sins? Does us accepting whatever substitutionary sacrifice we should accept and us therefore trustingly having the abstraction of "faith" (in whatever or whoever) and the abstraction of "works" (doing whatever however for whoever) atone against our past sins? Does "the" gospel, or a cross, or a crucifixion, atone against our past sins?

None of the above -- though all are indirectly involved.

JESUS - THE Human/Divine Person who is THE Inerrant Word of God, Redeemer and Lord - has already saved, continues to save, and will save us.

Statements of faith, or professions of faith in Christ Jesus for church membership or before water baptism, typically are variations of:

"I was brought up in a Christian/Catholic home. Read the Bible. Went to church. Never took it seriously or applied it to myself, and never really understood it. I even was a prodigal for a while, and scheduled for execution in a "correctional" facility, but wasn't really that bad and thought that I was a pretty good person compared to other death-row inmates guilty of mass genocide, but pardoned and paroled because I deceptively mouthed a Christian Conversion Testimony. Then it dawned on me that I was saved by Grace [who she is] through Faith [another anonymous female], not of works [either good or evil] . . . and that applied to me personally. Prayed the Sinner's Prayer. Accepted Jesus as my Savior [from WHAT?], and was baptized [HOW, and EXACTLY when?]. I still sin, but so what? Now I am always forgiven anyway without being bound by legalistic Law or related rituals."

Perhaps a preferable testimony would be as follows:

"I was brought up in a Christian/Catholic home, and now have made my own home a Christian/Catholic home. I read the Bible and went to church. I now religiously read the Bible even more and habitually attend church more often to find out what parts of the Law I am ignorant of so that I can discover stuff like how I have been despicably and disgustingly immodest, sexually harassive, and abusively assaultive -- irresponsibly and selfishly battering the non-soliciting vision and tranquility of men -- so as to promptly correct and cease arrogantly and faithlessly flaunting my sexually-obscene loose-long-hair public mopheadedness by bravely and faithfully keeping it tied up in a bun or into a single back-of-head ponytail whenever in both potential and active view of post-puberty human males who are not currently married to me. As you can readily see, I am not saved by merely believing that God is one, as the demons do. I am not saved by mouthing the mantra of "I accept Jesus as my personal Savior, who has eternally forgiven all previously sins committed and all sins I am going to intentionally and non-intentionally commit" [and not "perform"]. I am not saved bad-mouthing the Law by publicly declaring it quite irrelevant and useless legalistic trifles from now on. I am saved by believing that my past sins of lewd mopheadedness are forgiven by the Lord and His Calvary sacrifice for me, by believing that His Law demands that I do not do public mopheadedness anymore nor again - ever, and by forever keeping my loose long hair tied up in a bun or into a single back-of-head ponytail whenever in potential or active view of post-puberty human males who are not currently married to me, in obvious contextual accord with the obvious and implicit Biblical enlightenment found in RSV's/NASV's Numbers 5:18 in immediate-pre-and-post context, RSV's/NASV's Song of Solomon in immediate-pre-and-post-context, and also First Corinthians 11:14-16 in subtle but reasonably-plain understanding that the churches of God do not have the custom of allowing a woman to consider her glorious loose long hair adequate or sufficient as a prayer covering or veil."

You might be wondering how The Creator and Omniscient Maintainer of The Universe and Earth could "die" on a cross. When that happened nearly 2000 years ago over near Jerusalem in the Middle East, who kept the Universe and Earth running at the moment of His death? Was there a lapse of consciousness by The Creator and Omnipotent Maintainer of The Universe and Earth at the time of His demise on a cross? Why His petition to "His Father?" Was He not "one with the Father" at that precise time of death also? Why did He not petition "The Spirit" when He was on that cross? Did "The Holy Father" and/or "The Spirit" take over running everything at the precise moment of the physical death of "The Son?" The instant(?) the Son got into Paradise after His death on a cross, did He (as The Creator and Omniscient Maintainer of The Universe and Earth Itself) resume command, take over again, and got back in control like before?

Philippians 2:7 [ASV, RSV, Darby] [He] emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

So, unlike self-contained-superstrength Superman, The Infinite Creator Son of God, voluntarily became confined to a weak human body (but which human body was empowered by the Father and the Spirit to obediently predict the timely occurrence of more-than-mere-coincidental phenomenal miracles, as Divinity also empowered Moses who obediently participated in declaring the opening of the Red Sea and Joshua who obediently participated in ordering the Sun to stand still).