Topic: Law and Grace 1

Links: Romans Chapter 14
Links: Colossians Chapter 2
Links: Matthew Chapter 5

THE TWO COVENANTS:

Galatians 4:24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai (law) which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free (spirit).

Hagar is like the law because she was the bondwoman
Sarah is like grace because she is the legal wife
Believers are compared to Isaac as heirs of God’s promises in love.
Nonbelievers are compared to Ishmael who is the son of the bondwoman

JESUS SAID TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: ISN’T HIS COMMANDMENTS THE LAW?

John 14:15 Jesus Promises Another Helper – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Matthew 5:17 Christ Fulfills the Law -“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Jesus fulfilled the commandments)
Matthew 5:19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
What is the greatest commandment? To love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and spirit and the second greatest is to love your neighbor as yourself.

CAN THE TWO COVENANTS BE RECONCILED?

A Jewish Covenant / A Gentile Covenant?
Before Jesus’ Death / After Jesus’ Death?

TWO MARRIAGES

Paul compares the Law to a husband and Grace to a second husband. In the following verses the woman is a wife.

Romans 7:2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.
Romans 7:3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.

Is Paul saying the Law is dead?

Arguments made for the Law being dead:
- The definition of Ark, is “coffin” as in Ark of the Covenant.
- The Ten Commandments were inside the Ark (The Law of the Covenant).
- Covering the Ark is the mercy seat where the blood of the sacrifice was applied.
  When the blood of the sacrifice was applied, it covered the Law.
- Likewise; one could argue the blood of the Passover Lamb, Jesus, covers the Law buried inside the Ark/coffin/tomb.
  - As the “Ark/Coffin of the Covenant” where the blood of the lamb was applied to the mercy seat, so was the tomb where Jesus was laid: The “Ark/Tomb of the Covenant” with an angel at the foot of the “mercy” seat and an angel at the head of the seat where the blood of God’s Lamb was applied.

Paul also says the Law is a curse to a sinful man who is unable to keep the Law.

Galatians 3:10 The Law Brings a Curse – For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

The Law isn’t bad but sinful men are “bad”.

Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

Unfortunately, the law didn’t have the power to make sinful man good perfectly. Even more, the law can’t forgive one single sin.

Hebrews 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Something changed when Jesus died and rose from the dead. Observance to the Law was attached to God’s covenant with the Jews. They promised to observe all of His commandments and if they did, God promised to bless them with many blessings, but if they didn’t, God promised them He would scatter them to the nations. They didn’t keep His laws and He did scatter them to the nations.

Jesus, before His death, announced there would be a New Covenant:

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mark 14:22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Mark 14:24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.
Luke 22:19-20 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

The “Old” Covenant is compared to an Old Wine skin. The “New” Covenant is compared to a New Wine Skin by Jesus.

Matthew 9:17 Nor do they put new wine into old wine skins, or else the wine skins break, the wine is spilled, and the wine skins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wine skins, and both are preserved.”
- Note: BOTH are preserved.

What good is the Law to man?

Romans 7:7 Sin’s Advantage in the Law – What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

The Law kills
- The law is contained inside the Ark of the Covenant
  - 2 Samuel 6:6 And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error (irreverence); and he died there by the ark of God.
- - I Chronicles 13:9 And when they came to Chidon’s (Nachon) threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled (let it go off). 10 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.
- - Uzza also “stumbled”.
The Law is a curse for a sinner
- Galatians 3:10 The Law Brings a Curse – For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in ALL things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
- Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

What is the difference, if any, between the commandments and the law?
- The commandments are work
- Works can be of the law or they can be of grace. One is done as a duty and the other is done in love.
What is the “Law”?
- Torah, Ten Commandments, Jewish Feasts, Commemorations.
  - The law is an eternal truth, a description of the way things really are with the consequences that follow.
  - Truth (therefore law), is an unmovable reality.
  - It is truth and reality confirming that all men are sinners, prone to make bad decisions, lured to destructive behaviors, and need the one and only God who resides apart from sin to direct them. The meaning of the word “holy” is to be “set apart”. God is apart from sin.
  - God’s law was created to protect men from themselves, not to punish men. Therefore; rebels who fight the law hurt themselves and damage the society built on these laws. The result is that they punish themselves and disrespect God which does bring about God’s discipline.
  - Only God knows what constitutes “sin” and what constitutes “holiness”, what leads to death and what leads to life. Laws are based on outcomes. Only God knows right from wrong and that which is right does not lead to death while that which is wrong surely will.
  - Only God sees reality from every direction, dimensions and outcome: “If this…then that.”
  - This means only God knows the “Way” to direct men through a minefield of misunderstandings, lies, and destruction. (The law is part of this process: do this and don’t do that.)
  - Man may see two giraffes in their life but God also sees the unspoken and invisible white elephant in the room: A man may want to ride the giraffes without knowing he is also saddling himself with his own destruction by the unseen charging elephant.

(The illustration above is not the manipulation of a picture. It is a real three dimensional art structure of bent wires to create the illusion of two different realities depending on one’s vantage point)

The law is absolute. There are no exceptions; no room for a single misstep.
Both God and the Law demand absolute perfection.
Satan is the prosecutor of the law because he is the “accuser”. Satan holds men’s feet to God’s fire with God’s laws.
God provides a Bridge for men in order to meet His standard of perfection. When sin misses the mark, the blood of Jesus fills the gap.

What is Grace?

“Grace” is “Life”.
Without grace there is no life for a sinner.
Obedience to the law is life, however; if and only if, there is no “stumbling” in keeping the law.
Because man is a sinner, he will always, without exception, stumble.
Grace cannot neutralize the law, it can only fulfill it.
Only something sinless can fulfill the law for a sinner.

“Grace is mercy”. Mercy is sharing one’s resources with another who is needy, at a sacrifice to himself.

God shares His “sinlessness” with a needy, sinning, lost mankind.

Matthew 5:17 – Christ Fulfills the Law – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Matthew 5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

There are some who argue that, since Jesus did not “abolish” the Law, then the Law is still in effect—and still binding on believers.

Paul is clear that the believer in Christ is no longer under the Law: “We were held in custody under the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the Law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:23–25, BSB). We are not under the Mosaic Law but under “the law of Christ” (see Galatians 6:2).

The law is dead to believers, but very much alive to non-believers. They shall be judged by the law since they rejected the redemption.

Does the law ever “die”?

1 Corinthians 7:39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Romans 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion (rules) over a man as long as he lives? ²For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. ³So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. ⁴Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. ⁵For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. ⁶But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

At the “Great White Throne Judgment” nonbelievers’ feet are held to the fire of the law.

1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Believers however, are exempt from the law and the accusations of the law.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

For unbelievers, the fire is a fire of judgment. For believers, the fire is the Spirit of God that burns in the heart toward the good works of love.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
1 Corinthians 6:12 Glorify God in Body and Spirit – All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

At the “Great White Throne Judgment” believers will be seated as judges to judge both the angels and nonbelievers as well.

1 Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

The Benefits of the Law

Romans 7:7 I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

What does it mean to Fulfill the Law?

Romans 13:8 Love Your Neighbor – Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Frustration of the Law

Romans 7:13 The Law Cannot Save from Sin

Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Romans 7:25…with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

Conclusion:

Unbelievers are led toward death by sin but constrained from death by the chains of a perfect law. The law is a helmet of protection against death. At the Great White Throne Judgement, if there is no repentance of sin, then the law becomes the instrument of the second death.

Believers struggle with a war within them. With the temporary lure of sinful flesh they are enticed by the flesh into sin. Believers suffer the consequences of sin while alive, being chastened by God as children of God. However; the Spirit of the Mind and their trust in God pulls them away from the lure of the world. Therefore; the tug of war continues until they receive a glorified body untouched by sin. In the end the body and spirit will serve God without spot or blemish of sin.

Faith and Love Produces The Law of Liberty

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. (NOTE: The only law for believers is the law of faith and the law of liberty.)

Romans 14:1
The Law of Liberty
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

Romans 14:14
The Law of Love
I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

1 Corinthians 9:20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
1 Corinthians 9:21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 7:⁹I was alive once without the law (the age of innocence), but when the commandment (law) came, sin revived and I died. (note: the revival of sin is the recognition of sin being sin) (Man is born into sin. We are not sinners because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners.) Therefore; Christ died for sinners so that they could pass over from sin to sinlessness under His grace and mercy, by His sinless blood, being freed from the accusations of the law.

Note: the Hebrew word for “Pass Over” is “Hebrew”. Hebrew meaning those who Passed Over the Jordan after leaving Egypt. Believers are “Hebrews” in that believers Pass Over death into life once they become believers. In this vein, the “Pass Over” is celebrated by the Jews because the death angel Passed Over them when they applied the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.

Conclusion:

For non-believers the Law is in full effect: regardless of Jew or Gentile. (However; sin is not imputed when there is no law.)

For believers, the Law is a tool used to convict non believers of their sin; giving sinners the opportunity to take advantage of God’s grace.

At the Great White Thrown Judgment – Those who follow the law will be judged by the Law.

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