Clarification

Was studying like a mad thing this week, and read "How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth" by Fee and Stuart. This is from their Gospels section:

"to see the imperatives [of Jesus' teaching eg. if you even look at a woman lustfully...] as law is to misunderstand them. They are not law in the sense that one must obey them in order to become a Christian; our salvation does not depend on perfect obedience to them. Rather, they are descriptions, by way of imperative, of what Christian life should be like because of God's prior acceptance of us... It is our experience of God's unconditional, unlimited forgiveness that comes first, but it is to be followed by our unconditional, unlimited forgiveness of others. Someone has said that, in Christianity, religion [that we know God] is grace; ethics [how we live] is gratitude."

It's not often that we are so aware of what God has done for us that we are delighted to forgive her.

Or stopped thinking of ourselves long enough to do something good and right for them (that doesn't benefit us at all).

Or severely disciplined our heart/mind/attitude towards him or that organisation.

If Jesus is not describing a way to live so that we are assured of salvation, but telling us about what life is like as part of the redeemed community, should our concept of what it means to live like a Christian be altered?

Yes, I think it should. Suddenly, our salvation isn't relying on piety and Christian-like acts (in other words... us). But the piety and actions are a direct result of the gratefulness, confidence and assurance we have in Christ and his salvation.