People often try to make concepts in the Bible "mutually exclusive"; thus, if you have grace, you cannot have works...and if you have works, then you cannot have grace. Nowhere in the Bible is such a concept stated or implied, but rather both are necessary parts of the equation.
However, there are other concepts that Bible clearly states are mutually exclusive...and many people deny that they are.
"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." (Galatians 5:16-17)
According to the Apostle Paul, righteousness and lawlessness are mutually exclusive.
"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin IS lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:4-9)
God and the devil are mutually exclusive.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)
We cannot serve two masters.
"...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
Have the same courage that Joshua had...make the decision to practice righteousness and not lawlessness...make that decision every day of your life.
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