BEFORE FAITH CAME

BEFORE FAITH CAME, WE WERE HELD PRISONERS BY THE LAW, LOCKED UP UNTIL FAITH IS REVEALED.

ACCORDING TO SOME BIBLE COMMENTATORS, THE APOSTLE PAUL IN THESE VERSES IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS WAS ACTUALLY REFUTING HIS DETRACTORS; THOSE WHO WERE ADVOCATES OF THE LAW.

(Rom 6:1a)  “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!” (Nkjv)

APPARENTLY, THEY WERE SARCASTICALLY SAYING THAT IF GRACE INCREASES WHEN YOU SIN, LET US THEREFORE GO ON SINNING SO THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND. 

PAUL ARGUED THAT HOW CAN SOMEONE WHO “DIED TO SIN” (OR DIED TO THE IMPUTATION OF SIN), SIN? OR HOW CAN SOMEONE LIVE IN SIN IF HIS TRANSGRESSIONS ARE NOT CHARGED AGAINST HIM? PAUL WAS PRACTICALLY SAYING THAT UNDER THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE SIN IS AN IMPOSSIBILITY!

(Rom 6:1b)  “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Nkjv)

YOU SEE, IN CHRIST, OUR “OLD SELF” WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM AND ANYONE WHO HAS DIED HAS BEEN FREED FROM SIN!

(Romans 6:6-7) “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.” (Nkjv)

SIN HAS DOMINION ONLY OVER THOSE WHO ARE UNDER LAW. BUT IN CHRIST, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER LAW BUT “UNDER GRACE” (UNDER THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE). THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU.

(Romans 6:14)  “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Nkjv)

BEFORE FAITH CAME (THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE IS BY FAITH), WE WERE HELD PRISONERS BY THE LAW, LOCKED UP UNTIL FAITH IS REVEALED.

(Gal 3:23-24)  “Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. (Niv)

NOW THAT FAITH HAS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LAW.

(Gal 3:25)  “Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” (Niv)

SOMEONE MAY ASK, IF THE NEW COVENANT PEOPLE ARE NOT UNDER THE COVENANT OF LAW (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS), WHAT LAW ARE THEY GUIDED BY?

LET ME EXPLAIN IT FURTHER, YOU SEE, THE OLD COVENANT HAD A HIGH PRIEST, ONE IN THE ORDER OF AARON. SIMILARLY, UNDER THE NEW COVENANT GOD ASSIGNED CHRIST TO BE THE HIGH PRIEST. ONE IN THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK AND THEREFORE IT BECAME NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE LAW.

(Heb. 7:11b-12) “Why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.” (Niv)

CHRIST OUR HIGH PRIEST GAVE US A NEW LAW; IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE “ROYAL LAW OF LOVE”.

(John 13:34a) “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  As I have loved you” (Nkjv)

THE “LAW OF LOVE” WHEN OBSERVED IS TANTAMOUNT TO OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW (TEN COMMANDMENTS) MINUS ALL THE CURSES, CONDEMNATION, GUILT, JUDGMENT, PUNISHMENT AND DEATH. 

SO IN ESSENCE, THE NEW COVENANT PEOPLE THOUGH THEY ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE STILL UPHOLDS THE LAW BECAUSE OF THE “LAW OF LOVE.” SINS ARE NOT IMPUTED AGAINST THEM BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, BUT THEY ARE NOT LAWLESS.

THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS THAT “LOVE FULFILLS THE LAW”

(Rom. 13:10b) “Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Nkjv)

ANOTHER LAW THAT GUIDES THE NEW COVENANT PEOPLE IS THE “LAW OF FAITH”.

UNDER THIS LAW BOASTING IS EXCLUDED.

(Rom. 3:27-28) “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the “Law of Faith”. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” (Niv)

THIS IS ALSO THE REASON WHY THE BIBLE SAYS:“THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH”

(Rom 1:7)“IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD WITHOUT FAITH.”

(Heb 11:6)“WE LIVE BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT”

(2 Cor. 5:7)“BE IT UNTO YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH”

(Mat 9:29b)“FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH” (1 Tim 6:12)

FURTHERMORE, OBEDIENCE TO THE “DOCTRINE OF GOD’S GRACE” THAT THE EXALTED CHRIST GAVE TO THE APOSTLE PAUL, SETS YOU FREE FROM SIN AND MAKES YOU SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS AS WELL.

(Rom 6:17)  “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Nkjv)

UNDER LAW, YOU ARE A SLAVE TO SIN AND THE FRUIT YOU REAP IS THE FRUIT TO DEATH.

(Romans 6:20-21) “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!” (Niv)

UNDER GRACE, YOU BECOME A SLAVE TO GOD AND THE BENEFIT YOU REAP IS HOLINESS. 

(Rom 6:22)  “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” (Nkjv)

TRUE HOLINESS COMES FROM GRACE!

Michelle chee- Accf- Philipines