The law part 5: Under grace not law

(All scripture quotations taken from NIV 1984)

There is a shift. Something has significantly changed in our relationship with the law, that much is definitely clear. And we can understand much of the language used to describe elements of that shift, words such as obsolete, and abolished, ministry of death etc make clear sense but also don't go so far as to say the law and prophets has no value in the life of the believer, as some claim. But they also make it clear, we are not saved in order to come under law, as some also claim.

We can learn more about the law, its role in Israel, its role for us as believers and how it relates to sin, we can also learn from the prophets, and wisdom literature. But outside of this value, discussed in more depth in part 6, there is more to the significance of this shift. Understanding this shift helps us to walk free of legalism, but draw from the whole body of scripture which is God's word without fear or condemnation and not being confused by the doctrines of men in their deceitful scheming. This shift comes in the following format:

Romans 6:14 'For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace'.

Galatians 5:18 'But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law'.

Galatians 3:25 'Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law'

Very clearly, we are not under law. But why? These verses explain: it is because of grace, faith, and the Spirit. Further to this Romans 7:4a 'So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ...'

Gal 2:19 'For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God'

Who or what is your primary authority? God himself, or the law? Is the law God? Do we worship the law itself? This idea of shifting primary authority is key to understand what it means to no longer being under law.

What governs us is not the law any more it is explained as being the grace of Christ, faith in Christ and the Spirit of Christ in me, the hope of glory!

This is what governs our lives, or is meant to. So yes, the law in terms of what governs our lives, is abolished, the covenant connected to law, is obsolete. Our covenant is by grace through faith in Christ, the person, the work, the cross. Therefore, the three reasons for not being under law are linked as follows:

Through faith in the grace of Christ in the cross of Christ we receive the Spirit of Christ

This is why we are no longer under law. Lets look at that idea further.

If it was announced that for one day, all laws will be removed. For one day whatever you do, there will be no police, no criminal charges brought against anyone for anything done on that one day. This would basically mean that for one day, all actions and behaviours are no longer, under law. You can do what you want, with only natural consequences.

However, if there were no laws for a day, would that make it right to steel, kill, speed, take drugs, fight, burn, abuse? If the law is removed does it actually change what is good and right? In that one day, does what the law says about right and wrong change, even if there were no consequences? The issue is, not being under the law would not change what is right and good about the law.

Lets think of another example. We are under UK law. Not US law:

-I haven't done extensive research on this but it appears that according to US law, apparently a kinder surprise Egg is illegal. Because according to the FDA any food with a non nutritive element embedded into it, isn't allowed.

-If you have a garage sale and try to pass on books pre 1985, because of a very small amount of lead which can be found in them, you would be breaking the law.

-There is the more obvious and controversial issue of being able to buy semi-automatic assault rifles in the US.

-Also, Eggs in the US have to be stored, prior to selling, in a fridge, if not it would illegal to sell them. In the UK the opposite is true. Eggs that HAVE been stored in the fridge prior to selling would be illegal to sell.

So it is not illegal for you to sell unrefrigerated eggs in the UK, because we are NOT under US law. But that doesn't mean that their law has no wisdom.

When you are not under law, it means you are not under the jurisdiction of that said law. You cannot be judged according to that law. So being under grace means that we are judged according to grace, not law. Which is good news (meaning gospel): our final destiny is not going to be based on if we fulfilled the law or not! Because we are not under law, but under Christ. His grace is the deciding factor of whether we are declared guilty, not law. If it were law, we all all fall short!

This then links back to the law being obsolete or abolished. Because we are no longer under the law, in that sense, as law, it is obsolete. It is not over our lives any more. It is no longer the driving authority over our lives. Jesus is. But what is does not mean, and this is the key, it does not mean there is nothing we can learn from it, it does not mean that there is no truth in it, no wisdom in the law and the prophets. It does not mean it has no use. This is where we come to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which states 'All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work'.

The same guy that said we are not longer under law, who said that the law is abolished, who said that we died to the law, also said all scriptures are useful for thoroughly equipping the saints. If you want to be thoroughly equipped? Get into God's written word.

So we are not under law, but clearly, New Testament authors didn't mean throwing it out. We can learn and grow from the wisdom of the law, we can learn and grow in Christ through the law which he fulfilled. But we are under grace, the grace of Christ.

Titus 2:11-12 'For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

it teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age'.

Grace teaches us to say no, the word of God, can teach us what to say "no" to.

Hebrews 4:12-13 'For the word of God is living and active, Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.'.

Here, note that it says 'it'. Some argue that this is talking about Christ, but it would seem incredibly out of place and the only time in the NT that Christ was referred to as an 'it'. But in Christ is life and life to the full, and in him, the word is living and active. IT makes sense to describe the written word as living and active, because as 2 Timothy mentioned above says scripture is God breathed. When God breathes, he gives life. (Genesis 2:7). So not being under law changes things, our relationship has changed to the law, but the scriptures are full of the living and active word of God. Which never ceases to be useful in the life of a believer. But never does it mean we stand condemned by the law, for we are not under it, but under grace.