Works, refusal of grace
BELIEVERS are called so because they have positively responded to the Grace of God by accepting the Gospel of Christ free of works.
They have been freed from the law which came by Moses. Believers are recipients and beneficiaries of grace and truth which came by Jesus.
There is an error that mischievous elements circulate that we are under grace as an empowerment to ably live under the law.
This is heresy and is contrary to the spirit of the Bible and despisal of the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Grace has liberated us to bear fruit of God’s righteousness in Christ Jesus. Self-effort is pride and a slap in the face of the Gospel of Christ.
Authoritatively stated by the Bible is that no flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the law.
The law held us in bondage. Jesus came to set the captives free. Romans 7:6 reads: “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
We are delivered from it or set free from it. Dying to the law means that we are free from the condemnation of the law.
In Christ Jesus we are free from the curse of disobedience of the law and blessed through the obedience by Jesus.
The Amplified Bible in Galatians 3:23 elaborates: “Now before the faith came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept in custody in preparation for the faith that was destined to be revealed (unveiled, disclosed),” The law kept us in custody. We were, therefore, not free. The faith of Christ Jesus brought liberty.
This is how the law kept us under bondage. It put us under a curse because of our failure to obey it perfectly.
Galatians 3:10 points: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
The law demands that you observe it to the dot. Let us say you manage not to covet, but you lie; you are guilty of the whole law including covetousness.
The curse of disobedience will befall you. This is what Jesus came to solve.
Galatians 4:4-5, Amplified, spell out, “[4] But when the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born subject to [the regulations of] the Law, “[5] To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God’s sons].”
If you are a believer, you are, therefore, blessed in Christ.
Here is Apostle Peter’s appreciation of the law. He speaks in Acts 15:10 at the Jerusalem Council, “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?”
No one can bear the yoke. Please don’t try it, resort to the grace of God, Christ Jesus.
The law closes every mouth and makes us all accountable to God. The law speaks to those under it showing them the impossibility of keeping it.
Romans 3:19 records: “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.”
No one is able to be justified by keeping the law; rather, the law brings the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:20 reads: “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.”
e law puts us under God’s wrath according to Romans 4:15: “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.”
Transgression is the act of going against the law. You cannot go against the law if it’s not there.
The law increased our transgressions and held us under the reign of sin and death.
Romans 5:20-21 put thus, “[20] Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: [21] That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Attempting to be right with God by law-keeping is doomed to failure.
The only benefit of the law with regard to salvation is that it shows us God’s impossible standard of holiness and thus drives us to Christ as our only hope, so that we will be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:24 reads: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
The Bible is making a clarion call for us to turn to Jesus to be saved by grace and live by grace.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
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