Law and Grace
II
The Letter
of the Law versus the Spirit of the Law
1. The Law is only
one small part of God’s Grace - Grace is the
big plan while law is only one
component of the larger plan.
Fulfilling the Spirit
of the law in three steps:
i. The person who trusts in
Jesus and receives His grace is fulfilling the law (letter &
spirit), since we now depend on His obedience and approval
Matthew 5:17 (NIV)
"Do
not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Galatians 2:16 (NLT)
…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 (GW)
Yet,
we know that people don’t receive God’s approval because of their
own efforts to live according to a set of standards, but only by believing
in Jesus Christ. So we also believed in Jesus Christ in order to receive
God’s approval because of faith in Christ and not because of
our own efforts. People won’t receive God’s approval because of
their own efforts to live according to a set of standards.
ii.
The spirit of the law is fulfilled when
grace produces an obedience which flows out of an inside-out
trust (faith) and love
Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)
For
the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly
passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this
present age…
Romans 5:17 (NIV)
For
if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man,
how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace
and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man,
Jesus Christ.
iii.
The spirit of the law is fulfilled when we
love God and others with a love that is
produced by God’s transforming
grace
1 John 4:7 (NIV)
…for
love comes from God.
Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)
Owe nothing
to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love
your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You
must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and
other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others,
so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
The
entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor
as yourself."
Matthew 7:12 (NIV)
So
in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for
this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
2. The law is a
last resort in most cases – so turn to grace as a
first response!
Psalm 62:7 (NIV)
My
salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
3. Turning to Grace instead of law
gives us power over sin as well as strength to overcome in the
midst of sin
Romans 5:20 (NKJV)
…But
where sin abounded, grace abounded much more…