The Christian's Standing

The Law was never really for the gentiles. So why are we still debating law and grace? Paul clearly states the Law is not for believers (the righteous):

"We know that the Law is good if one uses it properly... the Law is made not for the righteous." 1 Timothy 1:8-11

Are you clinging to the Law as your "moral compass"? Then expect a storm of sin, guilt, and confusion:

"Sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. But apart from the Law, sin is dead." Romans 7:8

Break free and live!

The Law is not a multiple-choice quiz; it is an all-or-nothing proposition. Either keep the whole thing or opt for grace instead:

"Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Galatians 3:18

Ever since the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70, there are only 369 of the 613 laws available. So even if it were possible, which history has proven it is not, you still could not keep the whole Law!

What laws were written on a believer's heart (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10)? The laws written on a believer's heart are not the Ten Commandments (of which ignorant Christians who do not understand the Gospel only obey 9 of the 10), because we are no longer under the Law (Galatians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 3:6-7; Romans 6:14). Believers have the NEW commands of Jesus written on our hearts: believe in Him and love one another just as He has loved us (John 13:34; 1 John 3:23; 5:3).

It is not about the stone tablets (which Paul informed us in 1 Corinthians 3 were a ministry of condemnation and death); embrace the beautiful newness of the Spirit:

"But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." Romans 7:6

There is no condemnation left, no sin left unpaid. It is finished!!! Live in confidence, knowing you are at perfect peace with Yahweh:

"Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 [see also John 3:18]

Jesus' tough teachings were for those who were under the Law:

"God sent forth His Son, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law." Galatians 4:4-5

New Covenant glasses change everything!

Salvation is not about your organized religious institution attendance, baptism, or deeds. It is about Christ Jesus living in you. That is the test:

"Examine yourself... Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in youunless, of course, you fail the test." 2 Corinthians 13:5

The cross of Calvary brought perfect forgiveness, but without the resurrection we would still be dead in Adam. Jesus' resurrection is what saves us:

"…having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!" Romans 5:10

Rest in the perfect completed work of Christ Jesus! He did everything on your behalf in your stead; there is nothing left to do. You benefit from what He earned by His perfect obedience. Amen!

FREE Indeed!

““All things are lawful for me,” you say—but not all things are beneficial for you. Even though “All things are lawful for me,” I will not be dominated or mastered by anything because not everything is beneficial or edifying.” 1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23

The Christian is absolutely FREE to do whatever he/she wants, but because he/she has a NEW nature, a NEW heart, and NEW desires, he/she WILL NOT do that which is contrary to “sound doctrine” (your conduct, your behaviour—i.e., “healthy living”; Titus 2:1-10).

Christian liberty has limitations. We may be free from any legal requirements, because we are "no longer under the Law but under grace" (Gal. 5:1; 2 Cor. 3:6-7; Rom. 6:14), but there are still certain practices that are at odds with the Christian life, and no amount of Christian liberty can excuse them. The Christian walks by and after the Spirit—NOT the flesh!

According to these two passages (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23), Christian liberty is limited by at least two considerations: (1.) What is the effect of this action upon one's self? (2.) What influence will this action have on "Jews, Greeks or the Congregation of God" as a whole (10:32). Our goal is to seek "the good of others" (10:24), and NOT just our own good (10:33).

Christian liberty is a major theme in Galatians, Paul's first written letter. Given the Corinthian's mantra, "All things are lawful for me," it is quite possible that this was Paul's original teaching to this congregation and that they took it too far and were ignoring the limitations that love for others and holiness before Yahweh place on liberty. The Christian CANNOT live in sin, and when confronted, shrug and say, "All things are lawful for me." Christian liberty ceases to be "Christian" when we engage in acts of immorality and/or fail to truly love one another! First Corinthians 10:31 sums the matter up perfectly: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:13-14

How Do I Say “No” to Sin?

from Andrew Farley

Quick Answer: How do I say “no” to sin? We believers say “no” to sin by recognizing sinful thoughts do not come from us and that sin has no power over us (Romans 6:11-12). When sinful thoughts or temptations come our way, we can make the conscious decision to count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. In this way, we express our genuine self (the new self) and we express Jesus at the same time.

Diving Deeper: Saying “no” to sin begins with a solid understanding of who we are in Christ and identifying the true source of sinful desires.

Scripture is clear that anyone who has died spiritually has been freed from sin’s power (Romans 6:7). This death doesn’t occur through rigorous Bible study and the keeping of various spiritual disciplines. This death already occurred when we believed in Jesus.

At salvation, a spiritual surgery took place. God crucified your old sinful self with Jesus, buried it, and raised you up through the resurrection of Jesus (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4). Because you are now dead to sin, you are not dominated by its power (Romans 6:2). You are no longer enslaved to sin. You have been enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:18). Think of it this way: You are allergic to sin and addicted to Jesus!

Paul encourages believers to consider, or reckon, or count themselves dead to sin so that they don’t submit to its lusts (Romans 6:12). Note that the lusts belong to the power of sin, not to the believer. That’s right: Sin has its own desires that are different from your new, righteous desires.

So, the next time you find yourself facing temptation, you can remember those desires are not your own. They are ideas that actually war against you (1 Peter 2:11). You can then make the conscious decision to say “no” to sin and say “yes” to who you truly are!