Law Versus Grace

One of the problems throughout history has been that people try to live a godly life through their own strength and will power.  They have developed various moral codes and religious rituals that, if practiced religiously, are supposed to make one pleasing to God.  As a result many are trying to earn their own salvation through these various sets of rules.  God himself established the Old Testament law, yet Romans 3:20 tells us, “…by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight…”  If keeping God’s own law will not save a person, how will keeping any other set of laws do so?  Galatians 3:21 tells us that if it were possible for a set of laws to give life then that would have been enough and there would have been no need for Christ to come.  “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Because the obedience to the law could not save, God sent Jesus Christ to give us salvation, as Galatians 3:22-26 explains.  “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”  Romans 3:20 tells us, “… for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  The law just shows us that we are sinners and need a savior.  Romans 10:4 tells us, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Christ has set us free from having to follow the Old Testament law or any other such standard, by fulfilling the law for us.  If we deliberately go back and do the things that made the sacrifice necessary again, we make a mockery of his sacrifice, as Galatians 2:16-19 tells us.  “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”

God has given us a whole new life.  To go back and live by the same old earthly standards discredits and devalues what Christ has done for us, as Galatians 2;20-21 tells us.  “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”  That effort to please him by such means hinders us from receiving the gifts and blessings he wants to give us. 

Unfortunately, many have been misled to believe that they have to keep some such set of rules, whether from the Old Testament or those set by some religious leader.  Galatians 3:1-7 points out the fallacy.  “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.  He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”

If keeping a set of rules could not save us, how can it possibly make us pleasing to God?  Abraham was not blessed for keeping the laws, but for believing in God.  Because he believed, Abraham obeyed God, but the blessings were the result of his faith, not his obedience.  The same is true for Christians today, as Galatians 3:8-14 tells us.  “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.  For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

I Timothy 1:9-10 tells us, “…the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”  Its whole purpose was to make us aware of what is wrong, not to show us how to do right.  When we are trying to do what is right we will be more concerned whit what God wants than with what we can get by with.   Godly people have a different attitude.