Law vs Grace

The New Testament reveals a new doctrine that changes the way we think about salvation. This is the idea of grace. Grace is defined as the unmerited favor of God. The key word here is “unmerited.” Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” According to this, we deserve to die because our nature is to fulfill our fleshly, carnal desire which is not pleasing to God.

Until Jesus came to earth, our acceptance from God was based on our ability to keep the Old Testament Law. Sin required blood sacrifices for atonement which were fulfilled by animals. Because we are not perfect beings, the fulfillment of the law was unattainable. The law itself is good and is a moral code established by God. We should strive to keep it, but the New Testament recognizes its condemning nature.

Jesus’ life on earth and death on the cross made him the ultimate blood sacrifice for our past, present and future sins. Through his role in the Trinity, we now have a direct intercessor to God the Father and can establish a personal relationship with our creator. This sacrifice was a gift from God the Father through Jesus the Son for his creation and is what we call grace. Our sins separate us from God, but through this gift, we can have a personal relationship and have freedom from the condemnation of the Old Testament Law. Romans 8:1 says, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We are not bound by the law but saved by grace. Some could see this as a way to take advantage of scripture and live however they desire. It is quite the contrary. Our recognition of the sacrifice made for us should lead us to want to become more like Christ and please him by keeping the law. The law is no longer a requirement, but a response to our thankfulness for Christ’s sacrifice.

When we fail spiritually, we should not sulk in our self-pity. As we repent, we should rejoice in the fact that Jesus has already atoned those sins. This should lead us to worship! It should change the way we think about our salvation, and how we want to live our lives. Thank God today for the sacrifice of His son for your sins. Let this love God has shown us live our lives in CELEBRATION rather than CONDEMNATION.