Not Having to Obey the Law

We are all sinners (Romans 3:23).  With that said, is "sin" black and white, or are there shades of grey? Of course, much of our lives are mundane but even in our daily lives we are to praise and honor God. Because we're working six days does not relieve us of the responsibility of honoring God. Honoring God gets no days off. If we fail to honor God, that is sinful - one of omission. In fact, I dare say that even the most dedicated Christians have more problems with sins of omission than commission! Both are willful, but sins of omission are negligence while those of commission are intentional. Both types of sins are for the purposes of the sinner.

There are also accidental sins. One coming to mind is the accidental abortion of an unborn child when another person is struggling with the woman. (Exodus 21:22-25). Why is accidental harm sinful? Because another sin led to it. On this occasion strife between the two. If we remain vigilant (1 Peter 5:8) we are less prone to sin. In fact, if we stay away from temptation, we are more safe! (Matthew 26:41).

Essentially, sin is missing God's mark. God is more lenient with accidental sins. However, the willful sins are our biggest problem. Another type of sin is seldom mentioned - how we are because of human nature. We are born, because of original sin, with a propensity to do evil. In other words, sin comes naturally. We must work to not sin.

The metrics of sin are enumerated with the Ten Commandments. Some are things we are to do, others are things we are not to do, and others are because of our nature. Look at how not to sin. Obey the Ten Commandments. These are Gods Laws written on stone and are eternal. On the other hand, Mosaic Laws were written by Moses, and come with minute regulations. As Christians, we are not bound by Mosaic Law but we are by God's Law. For instance in Mosaic Law, Jews could not eat meat sacrificed to idols. For us Christians, we can. We were delivered from bondage, no longer having to cross every "t" and dot every "i".

Why have the Law? It is so mankind is without an excuse. We can never rationalize: I never knew that was wrong. The Law is so that we can be convicted of sin, to know when we're sinning. Without conviction, there would be no guilt, and repentance would not be forthcoming.

As such, the Law taught us how to be remorseful. Knowing that we are sinners means knowing the Law. The Law teaches us that we are indeed sinners. The Law prepares our hearts for conviction, remorse, and for repentance. That is our part in being born-again, and leads to the conclusion: We can't save ourselves but Jesus can! The Law leads to the second-birth. That's why Jesus said he came to "fulfill the Law", not to do away with it (Matthew 5:17). As a result of being born-again, with that enlightenment, Jesus justifies your sentence. Justification is paying the price on your behalf. He paid the price for dying for you. It is not just as you never sinned as simpletons define it, but because you DID sin and it is paid for! The following verse explains that well:

Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Knowing that Jesus can and did pay for our sins is faith. That includes knowing that He will judge you innocent because your sins are remitted.

The second-birth - being born again, creates a new person. The sinner moves from the status of slave to freeman as that happens. Before being born-again, the old person was bound by both sin and the Law, having to try to justify himself. The Pharisees were the best at self-justification. That is called self-righteousness, and is obedience to the Law without the love of God and others. Jesus pointed out their condition:

John 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

Why are people servants of sin? They sin willingly for pleasure or negligently for their own purposes. As such, sin enslaves, and our method of payment is wrong. People attempt to pay for their own salvation, which nothing in the world can buy. It is a free gift from God. In their attempt to pay for their own violations of God's Law, they become slaves to sin and to the Law. Because they can't serve two masters, Satan becomes their master (Luke 16:13).

With rebirth, we are no longer under the Law because it can enslave us. Satan uses God's Law to hold us in bondage. He says, "If you only do these things, you'll be alright." He lies. You indeed will die!

Grace is getting a freebie. Jesus, because he loves you and desires that none should perish, died in your place (John 3:16). He did that willfully because sinners sin willfully. He carried our crosses along with His to Calvary where he bore our sin, having none Himself. That feat allowed us to go from bondage to liberty:

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 

Once a person is born-again, he is a free man; sin or the Law no longer having dominion over him. You see, being dependent on the Law to save oneself is the ultimate sin. Salvation depends on realizing that!

After the rebirth, you are no longer bound by the Law. By the way, you never were. You were just deceived into believing that! Salvation was always by grace, and was always by the shedding of the blood of another. (Look up your own scripture.)

Sin no longer condemns us, save one:  blasphemy - denying God (Matthew 12:31).  Although, we are no longer bound by the Law, it is not expedient - serving our purpose:

1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

What is that expediency? To show love for God. (John 14:15).  If we love God, we are to keep His commandments. That's expedient because love of God is a pre-requisite to salvation. That sounds like circular reasoning but is not. The new birth is taking the old person who feels he must obey to the new person who is willing to obey. Willingness is the key word. No longer our will but God's. (Matthew 26:39). Thus, being born-again is sacrificing one's own will for God's will (Romans 12:1).

With that change of heart, the flesh, being circumcised from it (Jeremiah 4:4), the old person is transformed to the new. Although at liberty to sin or to obey the Law, the one with a new heart joyfully obeys the Law because he loves God out of gratitude for justification.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

We show our love for God by loving others (neighbors). We have he liberty to hate, but the new creature's heart is circumcised. We can hate if we want, but no longer have the desire to hate. Hatred is still measured by the Ten Commandments, or should I say love.

God doesn't leave nor forsake you when you sin. He does still convict the sinner with the Law. Each time we sin, we are to repent. Failure to repent allows Satan to bond us with even more sin. Since we can't serve two masters, then we accept God as our only Master. You see, we have liberty, but we must use it well. That's like my own permissive father: We were at liberty to do what we pleased because our pleasure was obeying him. We didn't obey Dad out of fear but love and respect. That's the same for our heavenly Father.