Sunday, October 16, 2011

"Not Under Law But Under Grace"

This title is taken from Romans 6:14 which says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."  Many of our preachers are falsely teaching that this means we no longer have to "Keep the Sabbath Day Holy".  However, as far as the other 9 commandments - somehow they still want us to keep them.  You know, the ones that say "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, etc."

I John 3:4 states that "...sin is lawlessness." We can re-state the above verse to say, "For lawlessness will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." As Christians, we are now expected to be law-keepers instead of being law-breakers!

About a month ago, my husband and I took a trip back to Ohio to visit our relatives.  On the way, we stopped at a rest area.  In a glass box on a wall were posted the "Rules of this Rest Area".  There were about 20 rules that were listed.  Do you think that my husband and I took the time to stand there and read all 20 rules to make sure we weren't breaking any of them?  Of course not!  Why?  Because we are "law-keepers" and not "law-breakers".  We believe in obeying the law and that means we are no longer "under it".  In a way, we are actually ABOVE the law when we become law-keepers!  We don't have to worry about stopping at stop signs, red lights, vandelizing rest areas, etc. etc.  We automatically do it because we want to obey the law.  

However, the ones who are "law-breakers" and who don't want to obey the law - they are the ones who are "under the law".  They are the lawless ones who need to worry about those 20 rules listed at that rest area, and they are the ones who need to worry about running the red lights, not stopping at stop signs, breaking the 10 Commandments, etc.

Obeying God's laws - the 10 commandments, will never give us eternal life.  That only comes by turning our lives over to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  At that time, His grace saves us.  However, something is very wrong if as a Christian - we don't love the Lord enough to desire to walk in obedience to ALL of HIS laws, which also includes keeping HIS Sabbath Day (Saturday - the 7th day) holy and set apart from the world. Something is also wrong, if Christians continue to debate and try to find reasons to NOT be obedient to His Laws!  Let us never forget that Christ gave His all for us.  How can we not give our all for Him?