Not Under the Law

Not Under the Law

By Stephen M Golden

Many Christians seem to think we are to follow the Ten Commandments. However, we are not under the Law; we are freed from it through Jesus Christ. “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Let me show you what I mean.

No one can be justified by the Law; we stand justified through Jesus.

Acts 13:38 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

Gentiles were never under the Law.

Acts 15:5,9-11

5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."

…

9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

We have access to a righteousness that is apart from the Law.

Romans 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

We are justified by faith, not by observing the Law.

Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Seeking to live by the Law renders your faith void!

Romans 4:13-15

13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

We died to the Law through Christ.

Romans 7:4 So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

We are released from the Law; we serve in the new way of the Spirit!

Romans 7:6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

The requirements of the Law have been met in us through Jesus because we live according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:3-4

3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Paul tells us he is not under the Law, and by implication, neither are we.

1 Corinthians 9:20-21

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.

If you are trying to live by the Law, you are under a curse. We are to live by faith. Christ removed us from the curse of the Law!

Galatians 3:9-13

9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

Paul clearly tells us we are no longer under the supervision of the Law.

Galatians 3:25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

We fulfill the “law of Christ” By carrying each other’s burdens.

Galatians 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Jesus abolished the Law for us.

Ephesians 2:14-15

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,

The Ten Commandments are part of the Law!

Everything we need to live Godly lives has been given to us in the New Testament. Holding on to the Law—even the Ten Commandments—only works against us.