What does it mean to be Under the Law?

[Hobie]

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

Many look and say well this does away with Gods Law, that those who follow the Ten Commandments are 'legalistic'. That although they are 'under grace,' by walking in a path of obedience, that keeps 'the commandments' they are in danger of coming 'under law' again.

So is Paul saying that the Ten Commandments have any further claims upon the believer, that they no longer have to keep the Law. Well, Paul gives a answer to that as he knew that would be the question. So what does he say, lets look.

Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Paul makes clear that this is not so we can sin, but that under grace, those who truly believe will not go into sin as he states 'God Forbid' to such a thought. So what is Paul talking about here in Romans, well we get a clue in his letter to Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 9:20-21
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

So what is Paul saying here, well obviously he is talking about the Jews versus the Gentiles, but notice he says a curious thing, 'being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ'. So what is Paul saying, well lets look directly at the words of Christ.

Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This is clear, being under to law to Christ is beyond the level of the literal law, that it surpasses even what the Jews and their teachers thought it was and followed. The entire law, including both moral and ceremonial aspects, revealed by God, existed with a view to the coming of Christ at that point in history. The law was intended by God to keep before the minds of Israel and men everywhere that the real meaning and purpose of the law lay in the full and final revelation when Christ would come to this world. And what does Christ say, He says that ones righteousness would go beyond the law if one wanted to enter into eternal life. We see Christ laying it out to the rich young man.

Matthew 19:17
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

So Christ begins with the standard that had been given, to keep the Commandments, and the young man lays claim to doing that 'All these things have I kept from my youth up' but notice what he says next, 'what lack I yet?'

Jesus says to go beyond the law, so surpass it and give all 'and come and follow me.' Christ wants us to obey out a of love for God and neighbor that goes above the literal words given in the law, and that we know, we cannot claim ignorance...
Acts 17:30-31
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

And we will be judge by this law of love that we are given which is the literal law, 'being not without law to God', and the level of love that surpasses even that, 'but under the law to Christ.'...

 

[mattfivefour]

Brother, I am a little confused as to the point you are making. Are you saying that in Christ we already have every aspect of righteousness required in God's eyes? Or are you saying that the way we live must achieve a standard in excess of the Decalogue if we are truly in Christ?

The reason I ask is that your study is incomplete in its examination of the subject of the Law as it applies to Christians. For example, some of the verses you have pulled to demonstrate your point (Romans 6:14-15 and 1 Corinthians 8:20-21) are devoid of their specific and theological contexts ... the general context being that they are speaking of sanctification, not salvation. Ditto your Matthean passages.

The general theological context of all of those verses is found in the argument that Paul develops through Romans chapters 5 through 8 --specifically that man is incapable of keeping God's Law-- culminating in the desperate cry...

​

"Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24)"​

... which is immediately answered in the exultant shout of Romans 8:25a--

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"I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"​

Paul then goes on to explain what this means: specifically that "with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin“ (Romans 7:25b).

He then explains how this works:

"1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.​

Notice verse 3 tells us that the Law was not capable of saving us due to the weakness of our flesh. Therefore, our reliance --according to this passage and the rest of Paul's writings in the subject, in particular Ephesians and Galatians-- must be exclusively in what God has provided, not in anything we try to contribute toward it. We must learn that nothing we attempt by our own righteousness works can please God. Only as we accept and rest in Christ's righteousness can we be pleasing to God. Only in that do we truly enter into His rest, ceasing from our own works (as explained in Hebrews 4.) Anything else is of our flesh and merits absolutely nothing in God's eyes.

And that is the actual point of the statement you quote that Jesus makes in Matthew 5:20 ...

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."​

Not all Pharisees were hypocrites. Some were very devout men who truly sought to please God. Nicodemus was one. Joseph of Arimathea was another. But Jesus was saying but even they could enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus then gives his disciples the point of that entire interchange when in utter astonishment they ask “Who then can be saved?" Jesus replies that "with men this is impossible. But with God all things are possible." Here He is hinting that there is a greater righteousness to come than that which is practiced by men, even in their holiest efforts. This surely hearkens back to that stunning statement in Isaiah 64:6 ...

"...ALL our righteousnesses are like filthy rags!"​

Christ alone fulfilled the law of righteousness perfectly. And, by faith in the fullness of His sacrifice on our behalf at Calvary, He has made it possible for us to benefit from what He has earned. By faith His righteousness is imputed to us and it is in THAT righteousness --and that righteousness ALONE-- that we stand pure and clean, holy and acceptable to God ... regardless of our fleshly condition.

Any effort we expend to improve our righteous standing before God --in other words to bring about our salvation or to keep us saved-- is a waste (actually worse than a waste since it is counter to God's plan) because it is just another work of our flesh, not of God's Spirit.

And it is here that the legalist has a fit.

"Are you telling me that there's nothing I can do to please God?"​

Yes. Not by any works you can do.

"So it doesn't matter how I live?"​

God forbid! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:2). When we are truly saved, the Holy Spirit comes into us to permanently indwell us (Ephesians 1: 13-14). If we do not have the Holy Spirit then we are not saved (Romans 8:9-11). Those things being true, then being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, He --being Holy-- will lead us into all righteousness. Our role is to seek to obey His leading.

Do we do so? Not always. The flesh is always at war with the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). But our disobediences do not break relationship with God, they break fellowship with Him. Our eternal home is still secure; but our earthly circumstances can suffer greatly as God brings correction into our lives. Lot is the perfect example of this. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading Is someone with sin in their life really saved?.

But the bottom line, brother, is that when we approach Scripture we need to do so with an open mind, not with a mind that has ideas already planted in it. In human thinking we have the firm idea that we need to do something for our salvation, either to get it or to keep it. Doing for ourselves is something that's inculcated into us from a young age. "You've got to work for what you want ... show you're worthy, put in the effort! You don't get anything for nothing."

Well, in salvation you do. God has done it all and presented it to us as a free gift. Why? Because we couldn't have ever, ever, EVER achieved it ourselves. Isn't that what Jesus plainly said to His disciples in Matthew 19:26? Our role is simply to accept it and hold on to that belief (Colossians 1:21-23). That's it. That's the entire contract between man and God, laid out in three simple verses.

So, please forgive me, brother, if I am too quick to suspect that teachings that appears to lean toward what we need to do, without the context of what God has already done, are efforts to lead the flock into legalism ... which is absolutely contrary to God's design and will only lead to frustration and end up with the opposite of what the legalist desires: namely, a closer walk with God.

Do we need to keep the Ten Commandments? No. Will we keep the Ten Commandments? Yes, as we walk with God. In fact, we will eventually keep them perfectly. But it will not be of any credit to us. That credit will go entirely to the one who lives in us and works His character out through us. And that, my friend, is why one day you will cast every crown you have at His feet.

I hope this helps someone today.

 

[Hol]

Any effort we expend to improve our righteous standing before God --in other words to bring about our salvation or to keep us saved-- is a waste (actually worse than a waste since it is counter to God's plan) because it is just another work of our flesh, not of God's Spirit.

And it is here that the legalist has a fit.

"Are you telling me that there's nothing I can do to please God?"
Yes. Not by any works you can do.

"So it doesn't matter how I live?"
God forbid! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:2). When we are truly saved, the Holy Spirit comes into us to permanently indwell us (Ephesians 1: 13-14). If we do not have the Holy Spirit then we are not saved (Romans 8:9-11). Those things being true, then being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, He --being Holy-- will lead us into all righteousness. Our role is to seek to obey His leading.

Amen

 

[dwb]

But the bottom line, brother, is that when we approach Scripture we need to do so with an open mind, not with a mind that has ideas already planted in it.

Exactly!!

 

[Andy C]

Galatians 3​

Faith or Works of the Law​

1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?
5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.
8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”
12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

The Law and the Promise​

15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.
16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.
20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.
22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.