“Amazing Grace” Series

TGP’s “Amazing Grace” Series has 4 parts:

1. What’s so amazing about God’s wonderful grace?

2. Forgiveness, Sin, Confession – must a Christian confess his sins in order to be forgiven?

3. Judgment – will a Christian be judged?4. “The Law has its place, then it must give way to

Grace.” What’s the relationship between God’s Law and His Grace?

This is Session 4:

The Law has its place, then it must give way to Grace.

Two thousand years ago there lived a man named Saul (later called Paul).He was a Jewish religious leader and an expert in the Old Covenant Law.He did not accept Jesus or the New Covenant that Jesus established when He died.In fact, Paul went around persecuting Christians and opposing Christianity.

One day, Paul had a supernatural encounter with Jesus.After it, he was totally changed – he became a Christian and spent the rest of his life as a missionary for Jesus, spreading the Good News of God’s Amazing New Covenant Grace far and wide.

Among the places that he visited was an area called Galatia (modern day Turkey.)He told the Galatians the Good News that faith in Jesus makes us right with God and many accepted the Good News with great joy.

But after he left, other people came and started to confuse the Galatians. They told them that accepting the New Covenant Good News about Jesus was not enough.They told the Galatians that as well as trusting in Jesus to be right in God’s sight, they also had to obey and practice the Old Covenant Law.

This made Paul furious and he wrote a very stern letter to the Galatians stating that belief in Jesus ALONE makes us right with God and warning them STRONGLY against trying to mix Old Covenant Law with New Covenant Grace.

Here is what he said to the Galatians:

Galatians 3: 1 - 14Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a

picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You

received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish

can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit,

why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for

our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on

a tree.”

These and many other serious things are what Paul wrote to the Galatians.WE also need to pay careful attention to what Paul wrote so WE are not tricked into mixing Old Covenant Law with New Covenant Grace.

Here is a very serious passage of Scripture:

“Those who depend on the law to make them right with God are UNDER HIS CURSE.” (Gal 3:10)

Here are some other very serious Scriptures:

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law (Gal 5:1)

The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death . . . . (2 Cor 3:7)

The old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious . . .(2 Cor 3:9)

He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and stood opposed to us . . (Col 2:14)

If you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. (Gal 5: 4)

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. (Rom 7: 7-11)

So we have seen the Law associated with:

God’s CURSE SLAVERY DEATH CONDEMNATION BEING AGAINST US / OPPOSING US BEING CUT OFF FROM CHRIST / FALLING

AWAY FROM GRACE GIVING SIN POWER OVER US AND KILLING

US

How can this be? After all wasn’t it God Himself who gave the Law in the first place?

And doesn’t the Bible say somewhere that the Law is “Holy, Righteous and Good”?

YES! Right here:

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

(Rom 7:12)

So, how can something that brings a curse, makes you a slave, kills you, condemns you, opposes you, cuts you off from Christ and gives sin power over you be holy righteous and good?!

The answer is found in the title of this presentation:

The Law has its place, then it must give way to grace

And in this next passage of scripture:

”Now we recognize and know that the Law is good if anyone uses it lawfully

[for the purpose for which it was designed],Knowing and understanding this: that the Law

is not enacted for the righteous (the upright and just, who are in right standing with God), but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane. . .”

(1 Tim 1: 8-9)

So, what is the purpose of the law?How can we use it FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED?

The answer is found in this question:

Who is it FOR and who it is NOT for?

It is NOT for those who are in right standing with God.It IS for the lawless, the unruly, the ungodly . . .

Very broadly, the main purpose of the law is to show the lawless, the unruly and the ungodly:

GOD IS HOLY . . . YOU ARE NOT

“for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23)

“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law

simply shows us how sinful we are.” (Rom 3:20)

“Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” (Rom 7:7)

“The law was put in charge TO LEAD US TO CHRIST,

so that we might be JUSTIFIED by faith.” (Gal 3: 24)

Here’s how we use the law PROPERLY:

1. By letting it show us that we are sinners – in need of a Saviour.

2. By letting it LEAD US TO CHRIST so that we might be justified (declared righteous) by faith.

The first 5 Chapters of Romans are a perfect example of how to use the law PROPERLY:

In Chapter 1 to Chapter 3, Verse 20:Paul uses the law to show us that we are all

sinners and that:“No one can ever be made right with God by

doing what the law commands.”

Then in Chapter 3: 21 to Chapter 5:

Paul goes on to show us: “that God will count us as righteous if we BELIEVE in Him, the one who raised Jesus

from the dead.”

So, Paul uses the law to LEAD US TO CHRIST.

Has the law lead YOU to Christ? Then In Christ, God has JUSTIFIED YOU –

declared YOU to be perfectly righteous in His sight.

The law has been GOOD to you – it has had its place in your life.

BUT IT MUST NOW

GIVE WAY TO GOD’S GRACE!

How do we use the law IMPROPERLY?(1) By trying to be right with God by obeying the law. (Rom 10: 1-3)

“Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand

God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own

way of getting right with God

by trying to keep the law. “

(2) By observing and practicing Jewish traditions ceremonies, rituals etc. “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every

man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.” (Gal 5: 2-3)

• If you put yourself under EVEN ONE law, you obligate yourself to obey EACH AND EVERY law!

• If you participate in EVEN ONE ceremony, you obligate yourself to participate in EACH + EVERY CEREMONY!

• If YOU have used the law properly, • If the law has shown YOU that you have sinned

and fall short of the Glory of God, • If the law has caused YOU to accept Jesus and

therefore God has declared YOU Righteous IN HIM,

THENthe law has done its proper work in YOU . . . .

HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO DO WITH IT!!If you DO, it will KILL you, CONDEMN you, ENSLAVE

you, ALIENATE you from Jesus and cause you to FALL AWAY FROM GRACE!

Has the law ended?People who want to put you under the law say “No”, it hasn’t ended. “It is an everlasting covenant” and they quote these words of Jesus:

“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. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the

smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law . . “

(Matthew 5: 17 + 18)

But they forget the next little word: UNTIL!

. . . .until all things [it foreshadows] are accomplished. (Matt 5: 18)

(We will soon see WHEN and BY WHOM all the things the law foreshadowed were FULFILLED and ACCOMPLISHED.)

Furthermore, God says this: ‘If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like

the covenant made with their ancestors whenI took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a

husband to them,” declares the LORD.” (Heb 8:7-9)

At and by Jesus’ death, 2 things happened – the Old Covenant was fulfilled and accomplished and the New Covenant was instituted.

“It is finished” (John 19:30) (Jesus on the cross.)

The night before His death, Jesus had said,“This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my

blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” (Luke 22:20)

(That agreement was confirmed the next day – on the cross, when His blood was poured out.)

The law is NOT part of the New Covenant:“Christ is the END of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who BELIEVES.”

(Rom 10:4)

“For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads

up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled.

That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him]”

Paul was angry + perplexed with the Galatians. They had understood and accepted the Good News that we are made right with God by faith in Jesus.But now they were in danger of being placed under a curse, condemnation and a death sentence as they listened to false teachers who told them to go back to Old Covenant laws and practices.

BEWARE!!THIS TEACHING IS ALIVE AND “WELL”

ON PLANET EARTH TODAY!

What about new, modern day rules, that are not Old Covenant laws?

• Can we be tempted (or TAUGHT) to put ourselves under modern day rules that we feel we must obey in order for God to be pleased with us? In order to be right in His sight?

• Do you think such rules would help you have a close relationship with God, or would they hinder closeness?

• From our study of Galatians so far, do you think God is pleased when we invent our own rules that we feel we must obey to please Him and to be right in His sight?

• If we make up our own list of rules, will we be in the same position the Israelites were in? Trusting in our OWN righteousness, instead of accepting the righteousness that comes FROM GOD, which we receive by faith in Christ?

In his wonderful book, “Classic Christianity”, author Bob George lists the sad results of trying to live up to:• God’s Old Covenant laws• To modern man-made “religious” laws • Or to our own self-imposed standards“The result will be fear, guilt, frustration and feelings of condemnation. You will experience a lack of ability to love God or men. How can you love a God that you are labouring to please but never can?”

“And when you are feeling continual guilt and condemnation, how can you be kind and forgiving to other people? . . . . Under law, you never experience peace or rest in the Christian life. Why? Because your work (of trying to please God and be accepted by Him) is never done . . .you never rest in Christ Himself, who LIVES IN YOU, who has already done it all, who has already given you everything you need, (including HIS right standing with God).”

Recently, Pastor Ali gave us a good example of people living under modern day rules + regulations:• The people have NO JOY because they have NO

ASSURANCE of God’s forgiveness and acceptance. (“Am I obeying all the rules correctly”, they are always wondering.)

• They spend a lot of their time criticizing and judging others who have different rules than they do.

(Are WE like this? Then maybe WE are living under somebody’s list of

“Rules to Obey to be Right In God’s Sight.”)

Saints, let us live WITH JOY in this truth:

“ He (God) hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Eph 1: 6)

(“The beloved” is Jesus! God accepts US In Him!)

AND LET’S REJOICE IN THIS TRUTH!: (Acts 13:38)

Everyone who believes in him (Jesus) is declared right with God—something the law

of Moses could never do.

Imagine accepting God’s gift of righteousness In Jesus and then going back to clinging to your

OWN way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law – either the Old Covenant law

or any other set of laws.

WOULDN’T THAT BE FOOLISH!!!YES! That’s what Paul called the Galatians!Let US present day believers not get tricked

into being FOOLISH, like them!

3

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—

not the realities themselves.” (Heb 10:1)

“Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious

festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the

things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Col 2: 16-17)

Imagine having THE REALITY, JESUS, but going back to trusting in a

SHADOW!!

WOULDN’T THAT BE FOOLISH!!!YES! That’s what Paul called the Galatians!

Let US present day believers not get tricked into being FOOLISH, like them!

Let’s think about this as we close:What was Paul’s prayer for the Israelites who would not accept the righteousness that comes from God, but sought to establish their own? (Rom 10: 1-3)“Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for

God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to

their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.”

What is God’s way of making people right with Himself? (Rom 10:4)

Christ is the END of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who BELIEVES.

So, if we fall away from Christ – if we start depending on our OWN ways of getting right with God, will we be like the Israelites?Paul prayed for them TO BE SAVED. Will WE also need people to pray for US to be saved if we don’t accept the righteousness that comes from God, but try to establish our own?

A very sobering thought indeed . . . .

SO, next time someone tries to put YOU under Old Covenant Law or under some new man-made “religious” laws, REFUSE IT!

Tell them:

The law has its place, then it must give way to grace!

Then YOU can go on to teach THEM the difference between the law and God’s wonderful GRACE and

help them to start using the law properly too!

“It is for

FREEDOMthat Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a

yoke of slavery!” (Gal 5:1)

For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,

I am not entangled with a yoke of slavery,

Jesus is The Truth – He has come to set me free,

I am FREE, I am FREE, I am FREE!!