Law and Grace

Law and Grace

INTRODUCTION There are many Christians who are saved by grace but try to keep saved by obeying the law or keeping the commandments. This was the error of the Galatian church which Paul seeks to correct in his Epistle to the Galatians.

Galatians 3:3, "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit (saved by grace), are ye now made perfect by the flesh (keeping of the law)?"

Paul answers this provocative question in Galatians 3:11, "The just shall live by faith." We are saved by faith; we live by faith, without law-keeping. But does this allow us to become a law unto ourselves and break the law of God and sin wilfully? Paul answers this question in Romans 6:1-2, "... God forbid. . ."

It is sometimes hard to keep a balance between the teaching of Paul and of James. James says in James 2:14, "What doth it profit. my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" James 2:20, "But wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

Paul answers this in Php 2:12-13, "... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." By faith we yield to the indwelling Christ and He uses our bodies to do good works. The Saviour works through us. Our work is to yield. He is the one who performs the works of righteousness.

After conversion we do good works because we are saved already, not in order to be saved. A dog barks because he is a dog, not in order to become a dog.

Romans 7:16, "Wherefore the law is HOLY, and the commandment holy, and just and good. " Psalms 19:7-8, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. . . the statutes of the Lord are RIGHT. . . the commandment of the Lord is pure. . ."

Thus we see that the law is holy, just, good, perfect, pure and right.

Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."

The problem is this: Who can keep the law perfectly? The answer is clear from Romans 3:9-23, that only Christ could fulfill every jot and tittle of the law.

Grace offers pardon and peace to sinners through the death of another-the Saviour.

Grace says that those who receive eternal life will never perish, John 10:28.

Romans 3:19 makes the whole world guilty before God, "... that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." The law sets up a standard, but people are helpless before it.

Galatians 3:10, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

Grace brings salvation. Titus 2:11, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."

Grace restores righteousness that law took from us through the gift of God.

Grace is God’s riches at Christ’s expense in favour of the guilty sinner.

Grace not only saves the sinner, but more grace is added daily to sustain him.

The law could not make anything perfect. Hebrews 7:19, "For the law made nothing perfect. " To get to heaven the sinner needs to be both justified and made perfect through the blood of Christ and the atoning work of the cross.

Grace can teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, Titus 2:11-12.

Galatians 3:19, "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions. "

Without law man would have no knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20, "... for by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Justified by faith, for we cannot be saved by works or law.

Grace is given to us for we are too weak in ourselves to keep saved, to keep the law or to do good works. 2 Corinthians 12:9, "And He (Jesus) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

CONCLUSION Is Christianity a mixed system of law and grace? No, it must be all of faith.

Romans 4:4-5, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.? Is the believer under law after conversion? NO. Romans 6:14, “... for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Scripture could not be plainer.

How ought a true believer to walk before his fellowmen? As Jesus walked. 1 John 2:6, "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.”

1 Peter 2:21, following in His steps.

Those who are in Christ while not saved or kept by the law, nevertheless love the will of God and do from the heart those things which please Him, not for salvation nor by constraint, but for love’s sake, as they walk in the Spirit. (Goodman) Galatians 5:18, "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Romans 8:4-5. To be saved by faith and then to return to works is to fall from grace,.Galatians 5:4.

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