Under Law or Under Grace?

Church Family: Are you living “under the law or under grace” (Romans 6:12-14)? God’s law says, “Do this and you shall live.” Can you already feel the weight of the law? Do this and don’t do that and you will live. But if you fail to keep this law completely you will die a spiritual death for eternity. The weight is heavy! If you believe that it is your responsibility to justify yourself in the presence of God by your own efforts and good works you are living under the law. Living under the law brings with it condemnation, hopelessness, discouragement, futility and depression because you will always fail to fulfill God’s law. The law will never deliver you from the bondage of sin because it was never meant to do so.
 
So, what is the purpose of God’s law? God’s law is holy, righteous and good and its purpose is to give us knowledge of our sin (Romans 3:19-20), not to be a rescue from that sin. It tells us what we must do to be considered righteous before a Holy God. The law points to our sin, rubs our face in it, holds us hostage and screams condemned!!!
 
But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as the end of the law for everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). The law was our guardian (Gal. 3:24) until Christ came so that we would be justified by faith. Grace could only come to us because Christ did not minimize one measure of the law, but instead fulfilled it completely. The law's purpose in revealing our sin to us is to send us joyfully to Christ to be justified through faith, by grace, in Christ. This is called being “under grace.”
 
Being under grace means that Christ has fulfilled the law for you perfectly. Grace writes the law of God on your heart (Ezekiel 11:19; Hebrews 8:10). Grace says, all of your sins are forgiven. Grace says, God will remember your sins no more. Grace says, no more condemnation. Grace says, you are a new creation. Grace says, sin has no more dominion over you. Grace says, God has made an everlasting covenant with you. Grace says, Jesus has made you completely righteous. Grace says, live up to these blessings by not letting sin reign in your mortal body presenting yourself as an instrument for righteousness (Romans 6:12-14). Paul says, you have been declared righteous, under grace, live like it.

Under Grace, Steve