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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” (Romans 6.14-15; emphasis mine - jb).
It is not always the case that truth exists between two extremes, but such is frequently the case. When it comes to the role of grace in the salvation of man, this is certainly the case. Grace has been painted and tainted with every possible face and distortion imaginable. Grace, as taught in the Scriptures, is such a marvelous thing; grace as cheapened and abused by humanity takes on the image of the grotesque, not so much for what it looks like, but for the fact that theories of false grace will be responsible for the damnation of hundreds, thousands, perhaps even millions upon millions of souls.
One religious theory that presents a false grace is the idea that man can do something meritorious to earn or gain God’s favor and grace. While it is certainly true that man is able to perform good deeds, and he is encouraged to do so, it is not the case that we are capable of performing any deed or group of deeds which will cause Almighty God to see us as deserving of anything other than death. God’s grace cannot be merited by man! Any doctrine that teaches otherwise is a doctrine of a false-grace and did not issue forth from God.
Another false religious theory comes from a misunderstanding of today’s focus verse (See the first paragraph of this article.) While grace has an essential role in pleasing God, it is also a fact that grace alone (i.e. existing apart from any other factor) does not bring about our salvation. Just as surely as there is no passage which speaks of faith alone (other than those in James which deny the validity of such a doctrine), there is no passage which speaks of grace alone as being the cause of our salvation. According to some, grace is offered and man has nothing to say in the matter; this theory of irresistible grace dates back to John Calvin. It is just as false today as it was then!
The truth exists between these two extremes. Paul affirmed we are not under law, but under grace. In this expression, both grace and law are used in metonymy; the part is put for the whole. Paul certainly did not teach that the believer is not under law – any law – as some have declared. While it is simple enough to go to Romans 8.1-2,1 Corinthians 9.21, and Galatians 6.2 law spoken of in a positive and redemptive capacity, the law that redeems is not man’s law, nor is it the law of Moses. However, that the gospel of God is law and that it contains grace and mercy cannot be denied!
However, one does not have to leave the context or Romans 6.14 to understand that the idea that the believer is not under law – any law – is untrue. Almost without taking a breath, Paul says, “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” The plain fact is this: Man not under law cannot sin; it is impossible since sin is the transgression of law (see 1 John 3.4 KJV). Paul’s question makes no sense at all if the believer is not under some law; not only could it be said we should not sin; it must be said that we cannot sin! Grace and law coexist in the gospel of Christ!
Questions:
1. What law was the primary focus of Romans 1-5?
2. Could that law save? Can man be saved though grace alone? What about through works of merit?
3. Sin is transgression of the law; could man apart from law commit sin? If yes why did Paul charge his fellow believers to not be governed by sin?
4. What is the perfect law of liberty in James 1.25 and James 2.12? Does grace exclude it?
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