"Now we have been released from the law, having died to that which we were bound, in order to serve in the newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of letter."1
Paul writes that the very commandments that promised life brought death to him. The Law is not sin nor death, no, it is good, just, but sin took occasion to produce death, through the Law it abounded. The Law exposed transgression, but now we have been released from the law... in order to serve in the newness of Spirit. Jesus came to release us from sin and the Law, this is the dispensation of Grace. The Law gave no power to overcome sin, the Law was a launch pad for sin.
Paul writes, he was alive but, "sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead."3 This word for opportunity is aphormḗ ("away from" and "a violent rush") – properly, a pretext ("launching point") to assert an idea. Sin literally used the Law as a "launch pad." What was this idea it launched? that one will find life outside of God. This is the nature of lawlessness, no one rebels because it is just something to do, no, people rebel against rules and regulations that seem to bring death, they seek freedom. Then add hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and judgment which is what the Law produced in the Pharisees, and this idea is then launched. Sin now becomes a powerful energy, using the Law as a "launching pad," produceing the "idea" that freedom and life is elsewhere.
"Indeed, while we are in the flesh, the strong feelings of sin, that were through the Law energized, in the members of us, to bear fruit for death."8 This word for energized is usually translated as "at work" it is energeó from which we get the English word energy. We use it to explain electrical current energizing through a wire, the energy we need to do work, the energy needed to launch a rocket into orbit. This same analogy explains how the Law is an energizer for sin and how Grace is for righteousness. The solution to "rule over sin" is not the Law, no, as Paul writes, "You are inactive from Christ, whoever in the Law are being justified, from Grace you have fallen away."9 The Law became like an energizer for sin, causing sin to abound, thus Grace can not work. In Christ we die to the energy or dominion of sin and are released from not only this, but from the Law which gives sin its "launch pad." So By Grace, faith is working in us through love.10 Energizing us to rule over evil.
No Longer Slaves
Paul writes, he was alive but, "sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead."3 This word for opportunity is aphormḗ ("away from" and "a violent rush") – properly, a pretext ("launching point") to assert an idea. Sin literally used the Law as a "launch pad." What was this idea it launched? that one will find life outside of God. This is the nature of lawlessness, no one rebels because it is just something to do, no, people rebel against rules and regulations that seem to bring death, they seek freedom. Then add hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and judgment which is what the Law produced in the Pharisees, and this idea is then launched. Sin now becomes a powerful energy, using the Law as a "launching pad," produceing the "idea" that freedom and life is elsewhere.
The Law caused sin to abound, when we are in Christ we are dead to sin and released from the Law so that sin will not have any power. The Law and Grace are incompatible as Christ "has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two..."3 Contrary to the teaching of some, Grace gives one the ability to master or rule over sin, something the Law can never do. And is not this the idea? to rule over sin. "Sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."5
"For sin shall not rule over you, for you are not under law but under grace."4 Sin took opportunity and was energized through the Law. Grace works to deflate this idea, to take out the energy, it points us to Christ, that life is in Christ alone. Grace at its foundation is unmerited favor, unconditional love, a powerful energy. Fear is never a true motivator of people, this is the power that the Law gave sin, the fear of death.
"For sin shall not rule over you, for you are not under law but under grace."4 Sin took opportunity and was energized through the Law. Grace works to deflate this idea, to take out the energy, it points us to Christ, that life is in Christ alone. Grace at its foundation is unmerited favor, unconditional love, a powerful energy. Fear is never a true motivator of people, this is the power that the Law gave sin, the fear of death.
Freedom is a great force and this is what Grace produces. "For you were called to Freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."6 We can learn to follow the Law in the flesh, but agape Love is a true indicator of walking in the Spirit. So how do I not let sin have this opportunity, this "launching point" causing it to abound? "The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."7 Grace abounds, it reigns through righteousness found in Jesus.
"Moreover, the Law entered that transgression might abound, however, where sin abounded, Grace super-abounded, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness into eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord of us."11
Where sin abounds, Grace super-abounds.12 While sin took opportunity through the Law, Christ takes opportunity through Grace. Grace becomes the "launching pad," energizing, creating passion to do good work in Christ Jesus. It is not works that trust in the flesh but in the Spirit thus Grace works in us to rule over sin. In this we abide hope, faith, and love, the greatest of these is Love. "released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." I am baptized into His death and raised into His Life, so that sin no longer has dominion, in such I am married to another, being released from the Law. Where sin reigned to death, grace might reign through righteousness into life. Oh, I hope you see, grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life through Christ Jesus.
No Longer Slaves