There is so much to be said about law and grace. There are a lot of verses in this post, but I wanted to be sure I had the word to back up everything. I encourage you when you have time look up the references, read the word, see what it says, don't just take my word for it. It's a tad long, but read to the end, let the word of God refresh you, let it renew your mind.
So, I just wanted to point out a few things I have heard, am learning, seeing in the word, and get to the bottom of the good news, the gospel, the grace of God in all it's fullness. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. Col 1:6
Under Grace, the NEW COVENANT, God says I will remember your sins no more, I blot them out forever! (Heb 8:12, Heb 10:17, Rom 11:27, Jer 31:34, Jer 50:20, Isa 43:25) By the way that isn't just the sins that you committed before you were saved, you see God can say I "remember" them no more, because He has been to the future...He has seen it, he has a memory of what hasn't happened. He saw ALL your sin, he put it on Jesus and punished them there, and buried the sins with Christ. When Jesus rose to new life, the sins were gone they stayed in the grave, dead to never rise again, obliterated forever. It's not that you don't sin, it's just that He doesn't see it anymore, He chose to blot them out. Praise His Holy Name!!
Law demands righteousness from you. (Lev 26:3-4, Deut 11:13-14) It says you must be perfect, act right, so God will accept you and bless you.
Grace imparts righteousness to you. (Rom 3:22-28, Rom 5:17, Rom 8:3-4, 1 Cor 1:30, Acts 3:26) It says Jesus was perfect, he fulfilled the law, He is our righteousness, we are blessed because of what HE did and the moment you are born again you are placed in right standing with God. You don't earn your righteousness, being right with God, you are given it by faith in Jesus ALONE. Our blessings are based on Jesus, not our performance. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Eph 1:3
Under law you can't be forgiven until you forgive others. Before Jesus died, this is how it worked "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." Mark 11:25 Unless you forgive, then you aren't forgiven.
Under Grace God forgives you first so that you can forgive others. God is our ultimate example, he says Forgive as your Father forgave you. After Jesus had risen check out how the verses on forgiveness change:
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Col 3:13 Notice it says forgive AS the Lord FORGAVE you, it is already a done deal. Since you have received such great forgiveness, of all your sins, past, present, future, you CAN forgive others. And again: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Eph 4:32 FORGAVE, past tense, it has been done. "God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins" Col 2:13 ALL is ALL!!!!! Do you believe the word?
Before Jesus died there was an Old Covenant, but after Jesus died the veil of temple was torn and by His blood he cut a New Covenant with God, because He found fault with the old one (Heb 8:8-12). We are under the New Covenant. We are under His Grace. We have been released of our sin, we have had the sin nature cut off us, we are totally forgiven eternally (Rom 6:18, Col 2:11-14). That is freedom, and when you realize that it is all about GOD, and His Grace towards us, that we are truly under that Grace....do you know what happens? It is not, YAY let's go sin and do what we want, because now we are not in trouble.....NO! SIN IS BAD, it does bad things to you, and opens you up to the enemy. This is what knowing you are forgiven and completely under the grace of our merciful God does in your life, the word says:
"Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." Romans 6:14
Sin has NO POWER over you...is it when you live by the law? NO! It is when you are under God's grace, and living in freedom. When the Law is gone, the Holy Spirit says "Ok, now it is my turn, I will guide them, because all the law does is bring them to the end of themselves." So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Galatians 5:16
It is time we as believers realize, we are not under the law, but under grace. We live by the spirit, not by the letter (a list of rules). When we are guided by the Holy Spirit we won't want to sin! HALLELUJAH!!!! Now that is some good news.
I choose GRACE!!!!!!!
Linking up to Wisdom Wednesday, Cornerstone Confessions, Women Living Well, A Wise Woman
& Winsome Wednesday
