The Believer’s Deliverance from “The LAW”

A Study of the Christians’ Relationship to the “Outer Laws” of God - By Arthur J Licursi

“… by the deeds of (keeping) the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight...” (Rom. 3:20).

It is strange that so many sincere people can so misunderstand God’s written Word as to suppose that He gave the Law “to help us to be good” or “as a rule of life.” The Law was not given to help us to be good, but rather to show us that we are sinners and need a Savior. Rom. 3:22-23 says that “there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” How foolish, then, to look to the Law for help. Though the Law provides for just trial it does not help the criminal; it condemns him.

Thus the Bible teaches that the Law was given:

“That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought in guilty before God” (Rom. 3:19).

“For by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20).

“The law entered that the offense might abound” (Rom. 5:20).

“That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful” (Rom. 7:13).

“It was added because of transgressions” (Gal. 3:19).

This leads us to the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul’s great conclusion: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight” (Rom. 3:20). This makes sense, for doing a few “good” things cannot right the wrongs we have done. Good is what we should do, hence we should not expect to be rewarded for it. But, thank God, “Christ died for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3) and “by Him all who believe are justified” (Acts 13:39).

“Therefore we conclude that a MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW” (Rom. 3:28).
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” (Romans 5:8)

“BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED” (Acts 16:31).

Christians need to know the truth that they are “NOT under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). God’s law or commandments were given to Israel alone through Moses – Not to “the church which is His body.” Paul is our Moses; Paul the “Apostle to the Gentiles,” sent by the ascended Christ with a different “gospel of the grace of God.” (Rom 11:13, Acts 20:24).

Paul says all mankind innately knows of God and they’re “without excuse”

Romans 1:19-21 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

ALL mankind has knowledge of “the LAW written in their hearts,” which came by Adam partaking of “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil.” Every Gentile’s conscience accuses or excuses him; indicating “the Law” is operating “in their hearts”

Romans 2:14-15 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do (try) by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their CONSCIENCE also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

 

Aside from religion's laws, we were all under our parents “Law of Merit,” a "Law of doing" so may gain acceptance, “love”, etc. Thus, we’ve never known God's genuine unconditional love.

Those who are “of the works of the law” consider themselves to have their worth to God only by their own works, and thus they bear its “curse of the Law” – the curse of having to keep ALL the laws, or suffer the consequence.

Gal 3:10 For as many as (Gk. hosos, whosoever) 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.

We as grace believers are not “of the works of the Law,” we live under "the gospel of the grace of God.” As we've already seen, unlike Israel , Paul tells us (the members of body of Christ) that we are “not under the law but under grace.” Thus Paul has the boldness to do something that would have formerly gotten him “stoned” to death. He specifically names one of The Decalogue (The Ten Commandments) that we are not under – “The Sabbath.” Col. 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ¹⁷ Which (laws) are a shadow of things to come; but the body (the substantive reality) is of Christ (who lives in and through you).

By contrast, James, who writes his epistle “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ” (James 1:1), those who are under "the Law", says if we offend one point of the law we offend ALL. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10)

So the grace economy, under which we live in this “dispensation of the grace of God,” operates based upon 100% Grace.

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more (0%) of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Serving ANY outer law as the basis “for salvation” or as a requirement “for better standing in Christ,” is what Paul calls "dead WORKS." This is because you are operating separate or independent from Christ who lives in you, apart from the Christ’s life “in you,” He desires to regulate you from within. Paul says Christ becomes “of no effect” if we live by outer (written) laws of God, laws of men’s religion, our laws of our parents.

Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you (you are severed from), whosoever of (think) you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

So what is God’s purpose in “the Law”? To understand the Law we must understand Sin. The Law was given so the Sin nature in man would be fully active, Stirred up, to be “exceedingly Sinful.” This is so men would SEE their innate sinfulness and their need of Christ’s righteous life to come into them.

Romans 5:20 … the law entered, that (so that) the offense might abound. How can this be? Why? It is because Sin derives its power from the law.

1 Cor. 15:56 … the STRENGTH (DUNAMIS, POWER) OF SIN IS THE LAW.

Thus Paul says SIN in the Flesh … is actually EMPOWERED “by the law (commandment).”  Paul emphasizes this connection between the Law and Sin in these Romans verses.

Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Romans 7:7-9 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. ⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; (so) that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

The outer “LAW of GOD” is powerless, outer, inert, lifeless, impotent…but, Christ is alive and living in every believer’s human spirit is the overcoming life. Romans 8:3a For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, 2 Cor. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So, “the Law” actually PROVOKES the flesh of man Negatively! We have been Set-Up … by God’s law… to have us fail! Man has gained the knowledge of good and Evil…but he lacked the kind of life to match that good God standard.

God actually expects our failure under the written “Law”; otherwise…we would never turn to Christ to be our life. So, don’t be disappointed in yourself. God is not disappointed in you! He is trying to turn you to trust “Christ in you”! Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory:

Christians think they need to be delivered from sin, world, flesh, etc., and they do, but not by human effort. First we need to know we needed to be “delivered for reliance upon the LAW” … to trust Christ. God wants us to know we’re delivered from…. the demand of the “Outer LAW”

Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

2 Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Romans 10:4 For CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH.

Col. 2:14 BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES (LAWS) THAT WAS AGAINST US, WHICH WAS CONTRARY TO US, AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE WAY, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS;

By the cross and its liberation of us from the Law also… He has liberated us from the tyranny and power of “Sin” in our flesh. By liberating man from outer law… Christ disarmed Sin of its power

Romans 6:14 For SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Sadly, many Christians erroneously think … “We can please God by keeping God’s laws.” So they put their selves under the law (with the bar not so high as to fail). It’s often out of pride, so as to be seen as a good Christian. It gives us a way to appear as being above others. Some prefer Law-keeping since it avoids intimacy & union with Christ since may cost us our “self-rule”. We may still want to be “God of our own life.” It’s easier to follow some rules, than live by the intimate union we have by Christ in us.

Law-keeping is to act outside of and apart from the living Christ. Law-keeping makes us to live by our own wits and self-abilities – which fails. All Law-keeping keeps us separated from the Christ who lives within us and He is the only one who has the life and power to live the Christian life!

Some Pastors tell me; “Well Art, I understand grace BUT, we need a little law or these people won’t come to church.” So they mix law and grace (which is not grace at all). They thereby, emasculate Christ as Life in the believer. Again…read this carefully; Romans 11:6 if by grace, then is it no (o%) more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works (even 1%), then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.