No Longer Bound To The Law Which led to Sin and Death; Free through Christ

Let's get this straight one more time... this is probably one of the hardest things for Christians, both seasoned and new believers to grasp. This thing of following the law, being under the law, obeying God, freedom in Christ, do what you want and still calling yourself a saved Christian because Jesus died on the cross for our sins so we no longer are bound to the law... and on and on....

Okay. First, in all your getting, get understanding. These verses simply means that we are no longer enslaved to the law. We no longer have to live in constant fear of the law and its power over the flesh that leads to sin, condemnation,or guilt.

But dont ever forget that Jesus said if we love HIM, we will keep HIS commandments. Believers obey Jesus Christ out of free will, love, and because of our relationship with him. Not because we HAVE to or because the bible says so, or because of the law. Thats the old nature as Paul would put it.

The Holy Spirit within us makes it so natural to obey Christ. Its not a matter of pressure, fear, or legalism. Its a matter of love, willingness and a longing to please and worship Him because we know He knows what is best. Nothing that He tells us to do is to hold us back or to limit us. It is for our good in some shape or form. Further, those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.The Spirit we receive as believers does not make us slaves, so that you live in fear again.

It is a freeing spirit. We choose to obey. We choose not to obey. Which ever choice we make, we still have access to God's grace and mercy. Not that we seek to sin on purpose or desire to sin, but IF we sin, we no longer have to stay in condemnation. Jesus paid it all on the cross. We are reconciled and die daily. God grants fresh new mercy, morning by morning. We can now repent of our sins and disobedience and ask God for forgiveness and keep it moving. Whereas under "The Law" that was not the case.

Just having the laws in place put us in an impossible place because we would fail. There was NOTHING we could have done to make things right. We would have been constantly been walking on eggshells, always condemned, and guilty of something. The "law" had power and said "dont do this and dont do that" it ruled and lured our flesh and showed us as unworthy, because we couldnt keep the law. The flesh and the law were at war, what the law said don't do, the flesh naturally did because the law said don't do it. Anythng that is pointed out, becomes magnified. For instance if someone says don't look up right now. Your mind is going to wonder "why shouldn't I look up?" "I wonder what's going on"? "what are they withholding from me"?

That's the type of bondage and power the law had over the flesh. Eventually the flesh would look up, which in this example we will call, "the flesh sinned". Our sins sepearated us from God and we had no direct contact with God to be reconciled. We would be constantly offering sacrifices and constantly in limbo wondering if we were "back in God's good graces". Sometimes those sins would lead to immediate death like stonings and banishment.

But the coming of Christ changed all that. He was THE final sacrifice. He fulfilled the law so that we could be set free and delivered from that type of bondage. A system that constantly condemned us and found us guilty. He set us free. We no longer HAVE to sin because the law is not there. It holds no power, unless WE give it power. Which many christians today give the law and legalism much more power than it deserves instead of living in the freedom of the Holy Spirit, grace and mercy.... which is why Christ came.

Now. dont get me wrong, just because we are no longer BOUND to the letter and legalism of the law, which meant condenation, and sometimes sudden death when any law was broken, does not mean that we don't have to answer to anything or to anyONE. We still must obey God. We still answer to His call. We still have consequences for our actions and inactions. But now we are not obeying because the law said so, we obey because we want to. We do so because we love God with all our hearts, mind, soul, and strength. We do so because we see the connection between obedience and blessings and rewards here on earth and in eternal life in heaven. We do so because of the indewlling of the Holy Spirit which renews us and transforms our old sinful natural that we WANT to do what's right and holy and acceptable in the sight of the Lord! No law needed! Just Christ's calling!

Thank God for having ALL power over the law, the flesh, sin, and death!

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

.

Created over 1 year ago