Even More on The Law vs. Grace

Even More on The Law vs. Grace

Years ago I heard Craig Hill, author of the Ancient Paths seminars, describe the experience of the believer after being born again. Paul described the conflict that occurs in our soul between flesh and spirit.

Romans 8:3-5 (ESV) By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

The diagram below gives us a picture of where we stand.

                   

In Christ we have the ability to withstand the temptation to open the door to the flesh. Jesus Christ overcame sin, and the power of it, so that we could live in right relation with God.

Romans 7:4-6 (ESV) Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

We do not have to walk according to the flesh, but we can now live by the Spirit!!

Romans 8:1-4 (ESV) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Do not allow others to put The Law back on you after being born again. It has no place in the life of the Believer. We now live by the Grace of God. The Law is no longer used as a measuring stick in the life of the Believer.

Galatians 2:16 (ESV) yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

If The Law, any part of it, was still applicable to the Believer we would have to keep the whole Law in order to obtain righteousness. We cannot. It is impossible for man to keep The Law. So do not try.

Galatians 5:3-6 (ESV) I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Philippians 3:7-11 (ESV) But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Our only requirement as a Believer, one baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit, identified with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, seating, and empowered by the gifts He sent, is to live according to the love of Christ. And that, my friend, is enough!!