Law versus Grace

INTRODUCTION

The law, according to Scriptures, refers to the detailed standard God gave to Moses, beginning in Exodus 20 with the Ten Commandments. The Law was given to separate God’s people — the Israelites — from the evil nations around them and to define sin (Ezra 10:11; Romans 5:13; 7:7).

OUTLINE

The Nature Of The Law

The Place Of Grace

THE NATURE OF THE LAW

God gave “a law and commandments” written in a tablet of stone to the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness to the Promised Land (Exodus 24:12). The law and commandments were expanded to include statutes, judgements, testimonies, etc. and written in a book called “The laws of Moses” to hold the Israelites accountable whenever they disobeyed God’s commandments (1 Kings 2:3; Matthew 19:7–8). Jesus summarised all the laws to:

“Love God with all your heart.”

“Love your neighbour as yourself.”

(Matthew 22:36–40).

God’s commandments are not grievous or burdensome (1 John 5:3), but the nature of sin in man makes it difficult for him to comply. Also, the Law was not evil: it defines the condition of a person’s heart (Romans 7:7). The Law exposes the inability of man to keep God’s commandments (Romans 7:14–16).

While the Law itself was good, and just (Romans 7:12), it was weak in that it lacked the power to change a sinful heart (Romans 8:3; Acts 13:39). We should be careful not to set aside the commandments of God, replacing it with traditions (Mark 7:7–9).

THE PLACE OF GRACE

God is full of grace (Joel 2:13), and people have always found grace and salvation by faith in God (Genesis 19:18–19). God did not change between the Old and New Testaments (Malachi 3:6a). The same God who gave the law through Moses also gave grace through Jesus (John 1:17). Jesus was born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4–5) and became the final sacrifice to bring the Law to fulfilment and establish the New Covenant (Matthew 5:17; Luke 22:20).

If properly understood, there is no conflict between grace and the Law: Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf and offers grace through the power of the Holy Spirit, who motivates a regenerated heart to live in obedience to God (Romans 8:1–4). Hence, in place of Old Testament law and its penalty, Christians are under the law of grace through Christ (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:10–14, 22–28).

In this dispensation of grace, God’s commandments remain sacred and to be obedient is to love God (1 John 5:3). However, any attempt to obey the commandment through the Old Testament Law will take away the liberty of the believer (Romans 8:1–3). This is because “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all” (James 2:9–12). By grace, we can do what is pleasing and acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:7–10). This is why it is an aberration for anyone who is genuinely born-again to habitually and deliberately practice sin (1 John 3:8–9).

CONCLUSION

In Christ, we have the grace to resist sin and live in holiness.

QUESTIONS

Why was the law given?

Is there a conflict between the grace and the law?

FURTHER READINGS

SUN: Romans 6:14

MON: Ephesians 2:8–9

TUE: Galatians 3:24

WED: John 1:16–17

THUR: Romans 3:20

FRI: James 2:9–12

SAT: 1 John 5:3

ASSIGNMENT

List the 10 commandments under the two categories of the summary of the whole law according to Matthew 22:36–40.

(1 × 10 = 10 marks).

S/N

LOVE FOR GOD

LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBOURS

1

2