LAW AND GRACE

Read Acts 15:1-2 / legalistic Jews: New believers, must be under the law of Moses - they argued with Paul, Barnabas, and James. Agreement with Pastor, James / Acts 15:13-22

THREE ERRORS REGARDING THE LAW

1. Legalism: saved by keeping the law / Romans

2. Antinomianism: Makes no difference how we live, for it is all of grace / James

3. Galatianism: Saved by grace, then kept saved by obeying the law perfectly

The law was never given to provide salvation: Rom. 3:19-20; Gal. 2:216,21; 3:10-13

It is utter hopelessness to think that we can be saved by the law. The law must be kept perfectly, continuously, without any interruption for anyone to be saved by it. Really unbroken obedience. God never intended any sinner to keep the law. He knew that it was impossible!

The law was divided into three parts:

Moral law: 10 commandments / Ex. 20:1-26
Judgments: Civil law / Ex. 21:1-24
Ordinances: Chapters 24-31

WHY THE LAW? The law could not justify or sanctify / "wherefore serveth the law? Gal. 3:19

1. The beginning of the law: It was added to something that existed before (transgressions)
2. The end of the law: Till the seed should come to whom the promise was give. Gal. 3:16-22
3. Purpose of the end: In order to reveal sin as a transgression.

There was no transgression before the law was given: there was sin and rebellion, etc. before the law. "Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Rom. 4:15

The law gave sin "new meaning"/ the purpose of the law was to reveal sin as rebellion against God. Satan wants us to be religiously right, if we will but stay lost. From Satan’s point of view, this would be a fair trade.

The law was given 430 years after Abraham (grace). But the law did not take the place of grace. The law was added, but did not negate the principles of the law. Gal. 3:17

EXODUS 19 BACKGROUND OF THE LAW

19:1 Three days out of Egypt they failed (15:24) and two months later again (16:2-3). They did not recognize or appreciate the grace of God or the gravity and character of sin. They thought that they deserved better from God, so God gave them the law to teach them the greatness of His grace.

19:3-5 Message to Israel: you are under grace - unconditional blessing "IF" / The blessing is now due to obedience.

When we are delivered by the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus we are:

delivered from the law
dead to the law
free from the law
redeemed from the law
Christ is the end of the law

With this in mind, we might ask, "can the Christian then live any way they want to because we are now under grace? Paul was accused of this "do as you please" philosophy: Rom. 3:7-8 / But he answered:   Rom. 3:10-12; 6:1-2; I Tim. 1:5-11

The last word of the Old Testament is "curse" / close of the Old Testament covenant
The last word of the New Testament is "Amen." Rev. 22:21
The dispensation of the law ends with a curse.
The dispensation of New Testament ends with grace.

The law is not always the 10 commandments: testimonies, statutes, judgments, etc. Law is used 500X in the Old Testament and 300X in the New Testament, and the majority of the time does not refer to the only the 10 commandments.

The Apostle Paul contrasts the law of God and the perfect law of grace in 2 Cor. 3:2-7. The "law" killeth, ministration of death, accompanied by glory - but this was done away with / see 2 Cor. 3:9,11-16 / this is a good description of the law: ministration of condemnation which was abolished.

A veil preventing the approach to God separated the sinner in the temple and tabernacle worship. The veil can only be removed by One who is sinless and able to pay for sin. The VEIL was torn apart at the death of Christ (Matt. 27:51). The real significance of this is overwhelming. The barrier which prohibited man from entering into the holy Presence of God has been torn down.

Should we go back to the law, turning our back on the work of Calvary. NO! Enter into work of Christ and His resurrection power. Israel could not obey during the first three months out of Egypt, but God continued to forgive them. They did not appreciate the grace, but they believed they could do anything that God would require - 19:8

They should have said, " Oh God we need your mercy and grace. Cleanse us and allow us to see your greatness and longsuffering with us." But they did not desire grace! Therefore God gave them a set of laws which was the perfect expression of His will. The law was to convince Israel that they needed God’s grace, and that they could not do all that God had required.

Suddenly God demonstrated the seriousness of the law: a thick cloud appeared (19:9). Penalties, death, ceremonies, etc. were now part of Israel’s life. The ministry of the law was judgment, death, darkness and bondage.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAW

1. Dispensational: 2500 years without the law, then given by Moses, fulfilled at Calvary by Christ

2. National: To a definite nation. The law is for us, but not given to us - addressed to Israel

3. Exemplary: Given as an example to the whole world - 2500 years no one has kept it

4. Example: Romans 3:19-21

If you are lost you must abandon all hope of saving yourself. Cast yourself at the mercy seat of God and the full atonement of Christ! Receive Christ and He will give you the righteousness that the law could not produce. The law was given to show the need of salvation and to reveal sin in our lives (Rom. 7:7-14)

             LAW                                         GRACE

** A criminal is tried for murder and found guilty. He then is hanged by the neck, a death certificate is issued, he is examined by the coroner. He is DEAD! Then someone sees him alive a few days later and tells the judge. The judge says "NO" he is now dead to the law, he cannot be tried for the same crime twice." No legal trial is possible. We are dead to the law! The law cannot touch us! We are free from the law and we are at liberty in Christ, because of grace! Romans 1:16