Not Under the Law
Often we hear this argument in an effort to belittle the law of God: “Well, since we are not under the law but under grace, we do not need to keep the Ten Commandments any longer.” Is this a valid point? The Bible certainly does say that we are not under the law, but does that imply that we are free from the obligation to obey it? The text is found in Romans 6:14, 15. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”
How easily we could prevent confusion if we accepted exactly what the Bible says. Paul gives his own explanation of his statement. After stating that we are not under the law but under grace, he asks, “What then?” This simply means, “How are we to understand this?” Then notice his answer. In anticipation that some will construe his words to mean that you can break the law because you are under grace, he says, “Shall we sin (break the law) because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid.” In the strongest possible language Paul states that being under grace does not give a license to break the law. Yet this is exactly what millions believe today, and they totally ignore Paul’s specific warning.
If being under grace does not exempt us from keeping the law, then what does Paul mean by saying that Christians are not under the law? He gives that answer in Romans 3:19. “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.” Here Paul equates being under the law with “being guilty before God.” In other words, those who are under the law are guilty of breaking it and are under the condemnation of it. This is why Christians are not under it. They are not breaking it—not guilty and condemned by it. Therefore, they are not under it, but are under the power of grace instead. Later in his argument, Paul points out that the power of grace is greater than the power of sin. This is why he states so emphatically, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Grace overrules the authority of sin, giving power to obey God’s law. This is the effective reason that we are not under the law’s guilt and condemnation and also why Paul states that we will not continue to sin.
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). Here is the most explicit answer to the entire problem. Paul asks if the law is nullified for us just because we have had faith in Christ’s saving grace. His answer is that the law is established and reinforced in the life of a grace-saved Christian.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY THE MEANING OF THE NEW COVENANT:
10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Therefore, they are not under it, but are under the power of grace instead. Later in his argument, Paul points out that the power of grace is greater than the power of sin. This is why he states so emphatically, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Grace overrules the authority of sin, giving power to obey God’s law. This is the effective reason that we are not under the law’s guilt and condemnation and also why Paul states that we will not continue to sin.
Well that's kind of weird...You are arguing against yourself...
Here, you say we are not under the law and it's condemnation yet you claim our entrance into heaven is determined by being judged by the law...I really don't know what point you're trying to make...
The one thing you are proving tho is that in Romans 2 the people being preached to were justified by the law but in Romans 3 the entire scenario changed...Doctrine changed...The people being preached to were NO LONGER justified by the law but by grace...
That's where Catholics and you guys get messed up...The bible clearly tells us that those who Jesus preached to, the Jews, were still under the law as was taught by their ancestors...But he was also telling them that the blood sacrifices of the past to atone for their sins was insufficient...
And this is what Paul the apostle knew while he was persecuting believers during the events taking place in the Gospels, the book of James, Hebrews, etc...
All this while, a transition is taking place...The gospel was first preached to Jews only...The Samaritans (Gentiles) were not allowed...A little later the Samaritans were allowed to be included to a degree...
The Jews reject Jesus and the material kingdom he was ready to set up for them...
God gets a little ticked off and blinds the minds of the unbelieving Jews so they won't understand any of the resurrection or what follows...
Pentecost happens...
The Holy Spirit takes over as Jesus promised...
Paul has his encounter with Jesus and this is where our modern church starts (sorry Catholics)...
Jesus changed his format again and revealed to Paul what was changing, hence Romans 3 and the Gentile church...
Jesus created the Gentile church to make the Jews jealous...They're still jealous...
Peter gets the vision that all things are clean and all are accepted into the church...
The transition from the gospels was from works (for atonement) without faith (no one needed faith, they had God right there preaching to them) to works and faith after Jesus was Crucified and finally to faith without works when it was ultimately revealed to everyone that Jesus became our sacrifice and was IN us to guide us so no works from then on were required...
I of course skipped over a LOT of things but just giving a simple outline...And if you insist on being under the law and being judged by the law, Paul speaks to that in dept in the book of Galatians...
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
This has nothing to do with Christians...We are NOT the house of Israel and this is for 'after those days'...You need to find out what 'those days' are...Words mean things in the bible...
Here, at the Council at Jerusalem, the apostles debate law keeping that the Judaizers wanted to impose on Christians. (much like you do)
This is the Holy Spirit's response.
Acts 15:12-29 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’
Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter:
“The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
If the apostles agreed with you about Law keeping, then they would have said so, that Christians are obligated to keep the Law to be saved.
But they didn't. In Christ, in His death, we died to the Law. It cannot be used to judge us any more as we are now outside it's dominion.