Some thoughts on Law and Grace
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel Galatians 1:6
Revisiting Galatians, it is important for us to study carefully and have a rethink of the meaning of law and grace.
1. Why did Paul write this epistle?
The Galatians after receiving the gospel of grace had been turned by evil men to again try to incorporate law into their gospel, that is a gospel of works. Paul was so incensed, he declared that cursed be the man who teaches any other gospel. But has law crept into our church today? Does our church give us a set of rules that we must read carefully and try to abide by every day? Do we feel guilty and condemned when we fail to fulfill Jesus’ commandments? Is it the law creeping in when we are asked to set rote practices– you must pray 1 hour a day, you must pray the Lord’s prayer every day, you must read 3 chapters a day, you must finish the Bible in 1 year, you cannot miss home fellowship more than 3 times a year, you must serve in 2 ministries. Where we feel obligated to do something, and feel tired and dry in our service, there is something wrong. Our service to God must be from a free spirit, for we are free, and the Spirit of life will give us life and passion when we serve God.
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. Galatians 2:16
This is a truth we must remind ourselves time and again, no matter how hard we work to serve God, we cannot be justified by what we do. We are solely justified by faith in Jesus Christ. What is faith? Simply believing in Jesus, believing that He justifies us. Jesus cleanses us of our sins, He makes us right before God. This we must believe simply, in faith and thank God. We are first saved when we believe, and that is the most important and central thing.
2. What then is the purpose of the law?
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. Galatians 3:24-26
In explaining the purpose of the law, Paul gives the example of a schoolmaster who takes care of a child while his parents are away. However, when the child grows up and the parents return, the child is no longer subject to the schoolmaster or his rules. The child is free and destined to be an heir to his parents. Basically, Paul says we have two choices, to live as a slave that is to be under the law or to be free that is to be under grace and live by the Spirit.
3. Once we are saved, then what? Do we go back and try to follow the old law again in our own strength to keep our salvation? Does a student who has graduated go back to school again?
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ Galatians 4:6-7
No! Paul calls us to follow the new way, which is to seek the Holy Spirit constantly, to want to do what God wants. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are essentially adopted into God’s family as His legitimate children. Our status is different now. We have God as our Father, Jesus as our Brother. We are no longer condemned, we are free of the law.
4. Are we free then to sin?
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Galatians 5:13-14
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God Galatians 5:19-21
If we receive the salvation of God and then turn back and purposely do things that are evil, Paul says clearly that we will not inherit the kingdom of God
5. How do we know we are following the Spirit?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
We look at our works, is what we are doing showing that we love God, and love our neighbor? The new way is based on a relationship between child and Father, through the Holy Spirit, with Jesus and with God the Father. As we grow in this relationship, we can look at what we do and see that its consistent with what Jesus taught us. If we follow things that are clearly wrong as stated in the Bible, we are not following the right spirit. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, we are not under law, but if we are led by another spirit, we are again under law and condemned. The Holy Spirit will lead us to do what pleases God and pleases Jesus.
6. If we are under grace and not under law, is there any point in reading the commandments of Jesus? Won’t we just automatically live rightly by following the Holy Spirit?
The establishing of the Word of God in our lives strengthens our ability to listen and follow the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is after all called the Sword of the Spirit. That’s why it is important for us to read the Word, but we must do so in faith, expecting God to speak to us.. We must have faith, we must believe that God is at work within us. We must believe that as we seek His Spirit, He will lead us to do what is right in His eyes. We need to find that place of freedom and grace and faith that the Holy Spirit calls us to.
7. Conclusion
Most of us haven’t really grasped the magnitude and the preciousness of the grace that God has given us. Grace really means undeserved favor. Imagine a beggar who is called into a home of a very rich man and told “Today, I adopt you as my son”. Once we receive Jesus, we have a new status, as a real son of God, destined to reign with Him in the future. Knowing this, we should no longer live under fear like a student being careful not to break the school laws for fear of being punished. Instead, with our new status, we should be seeking to please our Lord Jesus and our Heavenly Father by listening to the Holy Spirit that He has given us. Generally, our aim day by day is to love God and to love others. No longer fix specific rules that bind us and take away God’s grace. Live life freely, simply, believing the power of the cross, thanking God for the status He has given us and helping those we can.
May the Lord help us really understand His grace, and lift us up to live freely by the Spirit and glorify Him in faith and in freedom. God bless, Jason
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