16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” Galatians 2:16 (NLT)
14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) Romans 4:14-15 (NLT)
Should we nullify the law now that we are made right with God through faith in Jesus?
Should the law be made void since it only brings punishment to those who try to obey it?
By simply reading the above verses, one might think that the law is no longer required if we want to be made right with God.
And there, is where we find ourselves stuck. We cannot read the Bible just in isolated verses; it must be read in context.
There are many Scriptures in the Bible that talk about “faith vs. grace vs. work” which, if read out of context, it may suggest that the law is no longer needed. But that is not always the case. We must be open minded and have a teachable spirit in order to understand God’s word. And most of all, we must have a humble heart.
God will never contradict Himself. It is us who need to understand what God is telling us before we jump into conclusions and cause others to go astray.
So, the next time you find yourself in a situation where whatever Bible passage you are reading on contradicts your level of understanding; do yourself a favor; ask God to clarify it for you and He will be sure to do so.
And How does God clarify our doubts?
He will either send someone with more knowledge than us to teach us how it should be or as feelings through promptings and impressions in our heart.
But again, God is unpredictable; He has infinite ways - so be alert. Pray for a discerning heart so you may be able to tell the difference between your conscience, the devil's voice and God's voice.
Going back to The Law...
Paul tells us that The Law was given to us so we can see how sinners we are, and how our lives should be guided.
The Law, though Holy, it only reveals God’s standards - it tells us how we should live – but it does not provide the spiritual power for humanity to live up to those standards, whereas faith in Jesus, it leads us to salvation by grace.
And how do we receive grace?
First of all, we must acknowledge that He (God) is the only God worthy of worship and praise; Secondly, we must believe in His Son - our Lord Jesus Christ as the Father Himself commands in 1 John 3:23 which read;
“And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.”
And here's the secret; believing in Jesus as the Father commands, is obeying His Law first, before we can receive His grace.
So you see, we cannot separate the law from grace, they are together. That’s why many scholars say; “Salvation is by grace, but grace only comes to those who obey God’s Law.”
And now what?
Can we then void The Law?
Can we then live sinful life because we are not saved by The Law, but by grace instead?
By no means!
Jesus did not come into this world to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets, but rather, to accomplish their purpose. “Matthew 5:17"
Even before Matthew 5:17, the Psalm 19:7-14 (NLT), God tells us how important The Law is, as you can see it the verses below:
7 The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever.
The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair.
10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.
12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
And in Psalm 103:18, God the Father also tells us that; “His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!”
As you can see, the commandments mentioned in the New Testament are just a continuation of the ones given to Moses then, and we are to obey them as well.
In conclusion:
- We must acknowledge that God the Father is God of all gods – That He is the Creator of The Universe; of all things, seen and unseen; The Sustainer and Preserver of all things; The Father of Mercies and Love; The Only true God worthy of worship and praise;
- We must then believe in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ - "This is a command (Law) from the Father."
- It is by believing (Faith) in Jesus that we receive Grace;
- It is by grace through faith in Jesus that we are saved;
- It is only by grace that we will be able to love one another and forgive those who are constantly hurting us;
It is only by God’s grace that we are able to say no to idolatry, no to adultery, no to fornication, no to all types of evil…
Prayer:
Lord Jesus - God made flesh.
By obeying your Father to come into this world, you have opened the way to heaven for us.
Now, we thank you Lord for your word and for choosing to die on the cross for our sins - for without it, no one would have eternal life. In your Name we Pray, Amen.
