Under Grace

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from the book of Romans.

Rom 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

When we are under the control of something it has dominion over us. For example my son has a lot of chickens that he has authority over. Maybe you’ve had a dog in your life that you’ve had dominion over. The scriptures clearly teach us that Christians are not under dominion of the Old Testament. The Old Testament is known as Judaism while the New Testament is called Christianity. One is based on law while the other is based on mercy and grace.

Truly If any of us were under the law we would all be dead because each of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Bible has concluded this fact. The only way any of us can attain heaven or pass eternal judgment is through God’s mercy that is available through the blood of Jesus Christ. As a born-again believer we are not under the Old Testament Covenant.

Gal 3:24-25

²⁴ Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

²⁵ But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Many people don’t understand that the law produces judgement and punishment, while on the other hand, the Christian life is about God’s mercy and grace.

The Apostle Paul was a Jewish Pharisee and he understood this very well. He was very versed in the law of the Old Testament.

John 1:17 – For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

The law serves its purpose, to convict us of our own sinfulness.

Romans 3:19-20 – Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Nobody has kept the law perfectly.

Acts 15:10-11

¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

The apostles taught that the law produces death but in the New Testament we have life through God’s grace in Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:6-9 – Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

There’s only one way that any of us could become righteous and that’s through the blood of Jesus Christ that he shed for us at the cross. The Bible is clear that none are righteous no not one.

Romans 5:20-21 – Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Notice that the Apostle Paul referred to the Christian church as the circumcision.

Phil 3:3-9

³ For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

⁴ Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

⁵ Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶ Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

The Apostle Paul referred to trying to become righteous by following the law akin dung. As a Pharisee we sure can understand how he felt about that issue. If anybody knew about the law it was the Apostle Paul who later realized that true righteousness comes through trusting in God’s forgiveness and grace for our salvation.

James 2:8-12

⁸ If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

⁹ But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹ For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Remember that the Old Testament law was referred to as the ministry of condemnation but the law of Liberty is God’s forgiveness and mercy found in Christ Jesus the Lord. Thank God for His kindness extended to us all.

Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing we will talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤

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