Foundations of Faith
LAW AND GRACE
A Christian man, Brother A, once told me about visiting Brother B and expressing concern about Brother B’s habit of smoking a pipe. Brother B’s response was something like this:”It shouldn’t really be a concern because “we are not under the law but under grace” (Rom. 6:15).
Brother B’s response was taken from Scripture, but was it a scriptural response? Does the Christian no longer need to keep the law and obey the commandments given in the Bible? What role does the law play in the life of the Christian?
“The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Rom. 7:12). God’s law teaches us about His character and shows us what is pleasing to Him as well as good for us. Therefore, the Christian does well to become acquainted with God’s commandments.
Before we were saved, the law was helpful in convicting us of sin (Rom. 3:20; 5:20; 7:7-13). But we had no power to keep God’s commandments then, nor do we, in ourselves, have such power now that we are saved. Consider the believer who has a problem with overeating. He knows it is wrong; he wants to overcome it; he makes a new year’s resolution to control his eating; he puts up a sign:”GLUTTONY KILLS”; and on January 2 he pigs out again.
While we have no power in ourselves to keep God’s commandments, we do have a source of power. It comes from living our lives moment by moment under the control of Christ. This is based on the knowledge that we are “risen with Christ,” have “life in Christ,” and are “dead to the law by the body of Christ, that [we] should be married to … Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom. 7:4; 8:2; Col. 3:1; see May98).
Here is another way of looking at this that may be easier to understand:As we focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and think about Him- how much He gave up in coming down from heaven to go to the cross, how much He loved us, and how much He suffered to save us from our sins-our hearts are attracted to Him. In fact, as we behold “the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image” (2 Cor. 3:18). One of the side benefits of responding often to the Lord’s request, “This do in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19), is that we are transformed by it to become more and more like Christ.
As we have Christ before our hearts and are motivated by thoughts of His sufferings for us, we will do what He wants us to do and “the righteousness of the law [will] be fulfilled in us” (Rom. 8:4). In other words, we will keep God’s commandments. But we will no longer do this out of fear; nor with a grudging obedience; nor in our own strength; nor for selfish reasons such as bribing God to do something for us. Rather we will do it out of appreciation for His love and grace (2 Cor. 5:14,15). This is what it means to be “under grace” and “not under the law.” In fact we are lifted above the law in the sense that we now have power and desire to do far more of what pleases the Lord than was ever required by the law.
It is helpful to notice the many scriptures that show us that the power to live holy lives comes from having our hearts set on Christ. For example, when the Lord Jesus tells the disciples to “love one another,” He provides the example and motivation, “as I have loved you” (John 13:34; see also Rom. 13:14; 15:2,3; 2 Cor. 8:9,10; Eph. 4:20-5:5; Phil. 2:1-8; 1 Pet. 2:1-3,21-24). (See Assignment 7)
Christians who use the law-for example, the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount-as their rule of life tend to fall into a number of traps:they may (1) try to find loopholes (Matt. 23:16-19; Mark 7:9-13); (2) concentrate on their own favorite list of rules, often to the neglect of more serious and scriptural commandments (Matt. 23:23-25); or (3) be satisfied with a far lower standard of morality than that found in Christ.
On the other hand, those-like the pipe-smoking brother-who loudly proclaim that Christians “are not under the law but under grace” may tend to use their freedom from the law as an excuse to sin (Gal. 5:13). (See Assignment 8)
As we focus on Christ and allow Him to control every part of our life, we will follow a standard of morality and holiness that greatly exceeds that of the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount.
Running the Race
KEEPING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS UNDER GRACE
To give a practical illustration of what it means to be “not under the law but under grace,” let us take the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20 and translate them into what they might be for the Christian who is living by the power of the grace of God and the love of Christ.
1. “No other gods” translates into the much higher standard (signified by <<) of Christ our supreme object and pattern (Phil. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:21).
2. No graven image (meaning that God is a Spirit) << filled with the Holy Spirit and producing the fruit of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:22,23).
3. Not taking God’s name in vain << preaching Christ as the only name by which one can be saved (Acts 4:12).
4. Keeping the Sabbath (seventh day, rest) << devoting the first day of the week, as well as other days of the week if possible, for worship, service, and receiving instruction (Luke 24:25-49; John 20:19; Acts 2:42,46; 5:42; 17:11; 20:7-11; 2 Cor. 11:28; Heb. 3:13).
5. Honoring parents << honoring and showing respect to all men, and loving even our enemies (1 Tim. 2:1; 1 Pet. 2:17; Matt. 5:44).
6. Not murdering << leading souls to eternal life in Christ (John 3:16; 5:24).
7. Not committing adultery << loving one's wife as Christ loved the Church (Eph. 5:25).
8. Not stealing << working and giving to those in need (Eph. 4:28).
9. Not lying << speaking the truth in love, and proclaiming the truth of the gospel (Prov. 27:5,6; Eph. 4:15; Acts 26:25; Gal. 2:5,14; Eph. 1:13; 1 Tim. 2:4).
10. Not coveting our neighbor’s possessions << coveting our neighbor's salvation, and coveting or desiring for ourselves the knowledge of God's will, the best gifts, the sincere milk of the Word, and to be with Christ (Rom. 10:1; 1 Cor. 12:31; 14:1; Phil. 1:23; Col. 1:9; 1 Pet. 2:2).
Assignment 7: Write out two verses in Hebrews 12 that link an exhortation not to sin with Christ’s work.
Assignment 8: Can you think of a better way Brother B might have responded to Brother A’s concern?