Law and Grace
Law and Grace, there has been a great controversy in Christendom over this subject, and if Christians should keep the Laws of God, the Ten Commandments, as they say, we are not under the law, but under grace, (Romans 6:14).
Why was grace needed, and what is the purpose of grace—saving grace? When did God’s holy law originate, and for what purpose in His divine plan for man? Is there any relationship between God’s moral law and His saving grace? Do they work together, or, as taught by many, the law has been done away with and “nailed to the cross,” (Colossians 2:14)? Does our acceptance of God’s saving grace make null and void God’s moral laws?
First, let us establish the facts from the Bible that there were two separate laws given at Mt. Sinai in the days of Moses. The Law of Moses that was written in a book, and the Ten Commandment laws written on two tables of stone, (Deuteronomy 4:13). These ten precepts were a complete law; God added no more, (Deuteronomy 5:22), and God calls them, a law which I haven written,” (Exodus 24:12).
Moses himself places this law, written on two tables of stone by the finger of God, “in the Ark,” (Deuteronomy 10:1-5). But there was a second law. Yes, we are ready to give Bible proof that “the law of Moses” is a separate and distinct law added “because of transgression, (or sin),” breaking the Ten Commandments, (Galatians 3:10, 19). For the law was given by Moses, but the truth came by Jesus Christ,” (John 1:17).
The book of the law, (written by Moses), contain, “precepts, statutes, and ordinances,” (Nehemiah 9:13-14; Exodus 24:3-8; Deuteronomy 31:9, 24-26)). Now, the book of the law regulated the Priesthood and offering of animal sacrifices for sin an offering under the old covenant. That law, with the sacrifices, was a type and shadow of the one sacrifice, or death of Jesus, that does take away sin. When Jesus died that system of animal sacrifice had to end, or was abolished at the cross, (Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:15). There were two laws recognized back in the day of Moses, the one having fulfilled its purpose ended at the death of Christ, while the other one is still “holy, just and good” (Romans 7:12) that give “knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). This one is a perfect law by which we are “judged by”(James 2:10-12) “a law of liberty” (James 1:23-25). The other is called a yoke of bondage, (Galatians 5:1-5).
Now the other law, the Ten Commandments that were written by God Himself on two tables of stone, was from the time of Mt. Sinai when Moses received the law, this law is perpetual, but this law was enforced from the beginning of creation, not only the 4th Commandment, the Sabbath, but all ten, (Genesis 2:2-3).
Moses was the mediator of the old covenant, (Exodus 24:1-12), and Israel was commanded to keep both laws, the Leviticus Priesthood Laws and the Moral Laws, the Ten Commandments whom Moses was the mediator, but we are under the new covenant, so we no longer have to obey the Laws of Moses, but we do have to obey the laws of our Mediator, Jesus Christ. We do have two laws to observe, the “Ten Commandments and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,” (Revelation 12:17).
You will find in the Scripture that there were Laws, as well as Statutes and Judgments given. God’s covenant with Israel was the Ten Commandments. ”If ye will obey My voice indeed and keep my covenant, then you will be a peculiar treasure unto Me,” (Exodus 19:5). “He that turneth away his ears from the Law even his prayers shall be an abomination,” (Proverbs 28:9). There are many more Scriptures telling us the need for Christians to keep God’s Commandments in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish anything from it, that ye keep my Commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you, (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19). “I am the Lord, I change not,” (Malachi 3:6). And the Scriptures says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever,” (Hebrews 13:8).
God speaks of a “foundation, a path for generation to dwell in” and says of His Sabbath being a very important Commandment of His Ten Commandment Laws, and emphasizing the blessing He bestows for keeping His Sabbath by saying, “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My Holy Day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the Holy of the Lord, honorable and shalt Honor Him, not doing thine own way, nor finding thine own pleasure, or speaking thine own words; then shall thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon high places of the earth,” (Isaiah 58:13-14), because “God blessed and sanctified the Seventh Day Sabbath and made it Holy,” (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11).
God’s desire for human creation to remember Him and His creation of the world and all people and all else therein, He created the Sabbath on the Seventh Day, (Genesis 2:2-3). And He said “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy, (Genesis 20:8-10), the Seventh Day is the day of the Lord, the “Lord’s day. And He said that His weekly “Seventh Day Sabbath shall be for a Perpetual, (forever), covenant,” (Exodus 31:15-17), and all through God’s Scriptures it was kept by God’s followers. Notice, the Sabbath was a part of creation and the Sabbath belonged to God, it is not the Jewish Sabbath, but God’s Sabbath, God who created it for man. Christ said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” (Mark 2:27). “The seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” (Exodus 20:10). ”The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). It was the custom of Christ to keep Gods' Ten Commandment Laws and God‘s Seventh Day Sabbath, (Luke 4:16). He taught that all people should keep Gods' Commandments forever, including the Christian Seventh Day Sabbath commandment. The Apostle Peter said that Christ left us an example that ye should follow in His steps,” (1 Peter 2:21).
Christ and Christ followers and all the early Christians long after Christ’s ascension, and the Apostles had passed on (Died), and many Christians the world over have kept God’s Seventh Day Sabbath, and says that in the Eternal and perfect life, we will continue to keep God’s Sabbath Day throughout the one thousand years reign with Christ. Paradise lost, paradise gained. “From one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, said the Lord,” (Isaiah 66:23). “All thy Commandments are Righteous, Faithful, True, Forever O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven,” (Psalm 119:72, 86, 89, 142, 151, 168).
Although God gave the Ten Commandments to His people through Moses at Mt. Sinai more than 4000 years ago, they are still relevant today. They have an abiding significance, for God’s Character is unchangeable. These laws originated from God and from His Eternal Character; therefore, moral value cannot be changed, (Malachi 3:6). The moral laws had its beginning at creation, (Genesis 2:4).
There were two special trees in the garden of Eden, a Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, a special tree in the garden, set apart by the Lord as an instrument to test the obedience of Adam and Eve. It was a real tree since the test was real, by real people, and with real results. The sin in eating its fruit did not lie in the tree but in the disobedience, (breaking God’s laws), of the person who ate the fruit that brought sin and death.
God told Adam and Eve that they could eat of every tree in the garden, except one, “The tree of knowledge of good and evil.” In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, (Genesis 2:17), “Wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23).
God made Adam and Eve upright, (Ecclesiastes 7:29), mortal, but with the right to the tree of life—a gift of God, if they obey His law, but death for disobedience, or transgression of the laws of God. Jesus taught the same, “Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and enter in through gates into the city,” (Revelation 22:14).
Then there was another special tree in the garden, (Genesis 2:9; 3:22) this tree was “the tree of life” and if Adam and Eve had taken and did eat of this fruit there would be no sin because the fruits of this tree would lead to eternal life. This tree appears again as a fruit-bearing tree with leaves. It will have healing power in it leaves, (Revelation 22:2). The phrase “tree of life” is figurative as being thrill and happy, (Proverbs 3:13), by keeping God’s laws, (Proverbs 3:18; 11:30; 12:12; 15:4).
With Adam’s sin the whole human race lost that gift of eternal life provided by the tree of life, and death passed upon all men; by sin that entered the world. “Wherefore, as one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,” (Romans 5:12). Adam was the father of all the human race, and by this “one man’s disobedience many (all) were made sinners, (Romans 5:19). Adam sinned, so all were made sinners. As in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). The promise of a redeemer was repeated through the Old Testament, with details about His birth, death and resurrection so that there could be no mistake about His time of birth, and His identity as God’s only begotten Son and the promised Redeemer, (Luke 24:27).
Paul makes it plain that God’s law was in the Garden of Eden. Why? First, what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law,” (1 John 3:4), “by the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 3:20), “for without the law sin was dead,” (Romans 7:7-8), "for where there is no law, there is no transgression," (Romans 4:15), God had a perfect law that He gave to man in Eden, and without it being there it could not have been any sin or transgression.
What laws were being enforced in the Garden? The Ten Commandments were part of creation, when man entered, the law begun: first, the giving of the day of rest, the Sabbath Day, the 4th Commandment, (Genesis 2:2-4); then when Adam and Eve ate the fruit (Genesis 3:6), have no others gods before me, 1st Commandment, (Exodus 20:3); Cain slays Able, (Genesis 4:8), murder the 6th Commandment, (Exodus 20:13); the wife of Potiphar desire to have an affair with Joseph’s, (Genesis 39:7-10); Adultery the 7th Commandment, (Exodus 20:14), and the rest of the ten can be proven that they existed before Moses reached Mt. Sinai.
“The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth,” (Romans 1:16). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, (Colossians 3:16). The importance of Jesus words cannot be overemphasized. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me,” (John 14:6). There is no other way! Jesus came to redeem men from their fallen state, by His words and Life. He pointed the way. It is the way of the cross. “He said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me,” (Luke 9:23). “Whoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple,” (Luke 14:27).
The Joy of the gospel is our relationship with God and is not in daily jeopardy based on our performance of works. The message of the New Covenant is that we have a right to be in God’s household because we were born to Him. He called us. He brought us to a spiritual New Birth and placed us into His Family. He made us heirs of His kingdom through Jesus Christ His Son. “Wherefore my brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall,” (2 Peter 1:10). Why? Because Salvation is not free, it is conditional.
We must do and teach all of the Ten Commandments as part of the Gospel. It must be emphasized the importance of these Commandments often loud and clear to those who will hear. This is a message, which seldom is uttered among the Christian Clergy, allegedly because the majority does not want to hear it. Too many people object to the idea of obligation of requirement in order to please God. They demanded free salvation, free grace, freedom from the law, freedom from restraint, freedom to do as one wishes, and still maintain citizenship in the kingdom of God.
God, after this, said of His salvation for bringing people from this fallen world into eternal and perfect life with God. Here is Jesus statement about our love for Him. “If you love me keep My Commandments,” (John 14:15). “ If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s Commandments, (John 15:10). “He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me,” (John 14:21a). “Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates of the city,” (Revelation 22:14).
The great commission should forever be sufficient cause for anyone to recognize the importance of obeying the Commandments, which Jesus gave to His disciples, irrespective of any other portion of the Holy writ anywhere else in the Bible. This does not override nor contradict the doctrine of Grace through Faith, but that does not relieve us of the obligation of obeying whatsoever Jesus commanded His people to do. Grace is the empowerment needed to observe, (obey, keep, do), His Commandments.
God, after this, said of His salvation for bringing people from this fallen world into Eternal and Perfect life with God. “My salvation is gone forth…My salvation shall be forever, that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My Laws,” (Isaiah 51:5-7).
In sum, growing Christians not only maintain Faith in Jesus, but also strive daily to follow in His steps. It is inappropriate to claim Christ and not be willing to do what He says. “He that rejects Me, and received not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days,” (John12:48). This includes our obedience, not just the moral standard of the Ten Commandments, but to all that Christ commanded concerning attitudes, lifestyle, and concern for others. We must not only talk like Christian, but we must walk like Christians, dress like Christians. Anything less is mere lip service. Why should we be so concerned about God’s Commandments, because we will be judged, by the law of Liberty (commandments), “without mercy” on God’s judgment day, (James 2:12-13)?
A Bible study about “the origin and purpose of the Sabbath Day,” shows that it was made for man, when man was pure and holy, and was enjoying the perfect Kingdom created for him on earth. Review the text in Chapter 3 and 4 of the book of Hebrews. “There remaineth therefore a rest, (Sabbath), to the people of God,” (Hebrews 4:8-9).
Remember that we had law before sin enter and made grace needful. The entrance of Grace did not annul God’s law, but both “Law and Grace” worked together; the law giving a knowledge of Sin, (Romans 3:19- 20), and grace given the remedy, and restoring us to the “adoption of the sons,” or children of God as Adam and Eve were before sin entered, (Galatians 4:4-5; 3:26-28).
When did sin enter the Garden of Eden? Long before the tree of life and the tree of good and evil was planted there. Before Adam and Eve, when God created the heavens and earth, (Isaiah 45:18), but did He create this earth originally in a state without form, and void, in a chaotic condition? No! “And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold it was good,” (Genesis 1:31). The garden was planted with trees, beautiful flowers, shrubs, lakes, and most gorgeous view beyond our finite mind can imagine, perfect. The sin that caused this physical destruction to the earth was not sins caused by humanity, because there had been no one of the present human family on the earth until God recreation of a new earth. What kind of life could it have been? Then what kind of life had populated the earth prior to Adam, prior to the week called “creation week”?
The earth was created perfect and then God placed a great cherub, Lucifer, the chief of all angels, the bright and morning star was in charge to rule the earth with one third of all the angels that was created, to carry out his government on the earth. Lucifer refused to carry out God’s will, God’s commands, and God’s government on the earth. He wanted to substitute his own ways of ruling. He rebelled and made “war in heaven,” (Revelation 12:7-9). “For if God spared not the angels that sinned” (2 Peter 2:4). Here is the sin of angels mentioned, God’s laws. It was his beauty and pride that caused Lucifer to fall, (Isaiah 14:12-14).
The Bible reveals that Satan was once a powerful angel whose name was Lucifer the bringer of light. He became perverted, wrapped up in his own power and beauty. In an outburst of envy and jealousy, he led one third of the angels rebelling against the authority of God. The rebellion was repulsed, and Lucifer became Satan and his angelic angels became demons, (Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:4).
Lucifer and his angels had an estate, which they did not keep. “For unto the angels hath God not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak,” (Hebrews 2:5). Not again will future kingdom of God will be under subjection to angels but to His Son Jesus Christ.
The demons, and the devil (Satan) who is their head, ruling this present earth and sway its inhabitants of the earth to worship him, (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9). So, Lucifer was no longer “light-bringer” but now an adversary, an aggressor, a competitor, and an enemy. His new name is Satan, “adversary.” His angels now become demons, (1 Peter 5:8).
Christians beware, we are now entering an awesome period of time, the time when Satan and his army of evil spirits will wage their supreme battle on you and to overthrow God’s people. “Satan is the god of this world,” (2 Corinthians 4:4), he is the “prince of the power of the air,” (Ephesians 2:2). Because Satan is such a master of deception we often do not realize how he does what he does. He likes to deceive you by becoming the angel of light, (2 Corinthians 11:14).
There are two things Christians must do “have faith in God” and then “put on the whole “armor of God so as to be able to resist the devil ways,” (Ephesians 6:10-17).
We cannot blame Satan for all of our sins. Even if Satan was not around, you would still slip and fall occasionally, because you still have weakness in human nature that we are born with, which is not naturally obedient to God’s laws, (Romans 8:7; Galatians 5:17). “For all have sin, and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). “Anyone who sins at all breaks the law, because to sin is to break the laws of God,” (1 John 3:4).
So, let us make some points clear about being saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, or the Law of Moses. We cannot be justified by keeping the Law. Why? Because, “We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23), “what then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that are under sin,” (Romans 3:9). Now we know that what things so ever the law said, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may become subject to the Judgment of God. Therefore, by the deed of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 3:19-20).
One law condemns the entire world. “For by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” The law that condemns us, as transgressors cannot give us pardon of our past sins. Our turning and obeying it will not erase the past and remove the death penalty. That law remains holy and good for the purpose that it was given to show us what is sin.
“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment come upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law enter, that the offence might abound. But where sin abound, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:18-21).
“When sin entered, then grace abound to take care of the sin that brought death to the human race. All mankind was sold into sin and death, only God’s divine plan of grace could save him from sin and death,” (Romans 3:22-25). The effect of Grace on mankind could not possibly allow man to continue in sin for the very reason that we are “not under the law but under grace,” (Romans 6:14). Grace removed sin! It cleanses our heart, giving us a new outlook on life.
But before grace comes to cover one’s sin, there is something we must do, salvation is not free, each one of us must put our “life on the altar as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service,” (Romans 12:1-2).
We must “believe,” “The jailer asked, what must I do to be saved?” And Paul said, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:30-31). We have to believe; the Bible says that when we believe in Jesus Christ, we are made right with God, being brought into this relationship that will bring piece with God. Believing in Christ means placing our full confidence in Him. It is resting the entire weight of our hope on Him, that He is the only Saviour who can release us from the depth of sin.
After believing, we must have unwavering Faith in Christ as our Savior (Acts 8:37-38). Faith is a trusting God to be in control of our lives and all that we do. It is trusting God to be in control of every condition in which we find ourselves. So, true faith is a belief in or having confidence in our attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life (Hebrews 11:6).
Jesus place repentance in front of, or with belief of the gospel, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel” (Mark 1,15). And the great commission was given that they (the disciples) were to preach “repentance and remission of sin in the name of Jesus” (Luke 24:47).
Repentance is a deliberate act of the will. It is a recognition of and confession of the sins of the past and present, with all due remorse for said sins, and it includes a promise and determination that those sins will never be repeated. True repentance is an absolute necessity in order to obtain salvation (Acts 17:30; 2 Corinthians 7:10). The sorry leads us to confess our sins to God with the assurance that He will forgive and purify us. (1 John 1:9).
After repentance we must have baptism in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism is the act of faith required to seal our part of the new covenant with God (Romans 6:3-4). Baptism is the step in becoming a new Christian (Romans 6:3-4) or a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we repent and are baptized, we enter into a covenant with God.
“Be ye holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Holiness means obedience, obedience from the heart of all of the Holy Law. Without obedience to this holy law, no man will see God, or be saved. The gospel teaches obedience to all of God’s law, the Ten Commandments. “Do not imagine that I come to abolish the law or what the prophets says. I have come not to abolish but complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one stroke, shall disappear from the law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of these commandments and teach others to the same will be considered the least (lost) in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great (saved) in the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19).
In sum, growing Christian not only maintain faith in Jesus, but strive daily to follow in His steps. It is inappropriate to claim Christ and not willing to do what He says. “He that rejected me, and received not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days” (John 12:48).
“You must be born again” (John 3:3). My excepting Jesus as your personable Saviour you become a new baby in Christ, “born again.” There are prerequisite to being born again, or saved. Believing, baptism, and repentance are the first steps towards being born of the spirit.
It may come as a surprise to some that Salvation and being born again are not synonymous. As we all know, a child’s birth is an event that happens to him once at the beginning of life. Jesus told Nicodemus, “you must be born again” (John 3:7). He then explained that He was speaking of a spiritual birth. As with a physical birth, the spiritual birth also is the beginning of life, “born again.” It is often referred to being saved, but unlike being “born again” to be “saved” is an ongoing rather than a once only event. In brief, being “born again” is an event, once in a lifetime. Being saved is a process (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). The babe in Christ was forgiven and saved from sin, from then on we are “being saved,” and as long as we walk upright and we who ”endure until the end, he shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
We must believe and repent, and then be baptized, into the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way to be born into the family of God. We are not only a new baby into the family, but now, most of all, we have a new relationship with God. It is plain that God desires a relationship, not mere obedience to His Commandments. Like a Father He wants a loving trust, not fear. When any person exercise that faith in Christ, the resulting life can only be described as having come from being born over again, to a new birth.
As hard as we try to keep God Commandments, we are not perfect, we will fail, but that is when grace comes in, “if we confess our sins, He is willing to forgive us of our transgressions, and if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His words are not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). This makes peace with God (Romans 8:1-4). “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to His riches of His grace” (Romans 3:24-25).
The scripture teach that the gospel of grace instructs those who receive salvation from past sins and are given a new life in Christ, must live holy, obedience lives thereafter, working out their own salvation (Philippians 2:12-13). We cannot work out our own salvation by obeying God’s laws to save us, Jesus Christ blood on the cross accomplished that (John 3:16), but we must keep the law (Ten Commandments) to obtain salvation (Titus 1:14-15; 1 John 2:4-6).
The gospel of salvation by grace through faith, gives to us free pardon of all the sins of the past, and with a new heart and mind, so that we may serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him (Luke 1:74-75). Our salvation comes through our justification, purification and sanctification by grace through faith.
God has saved us in order that He may display through ages to come His surpassing wealth of Grace and goodness toward us in Jesus Christ. The new life begun will endure forever, so the manifestation of God’s grace will be always renewing itself. With a like purpose, He heaps up words to describe the magnitude of the divine goodness and declare once more, “For by grace you have been saved, by faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). This time Paul dwells on the condition of faith, which is necessary on our part before the grace can have an effect. It is faith only that can avail, for salvation is not your doing but the gift of God.
First let us look at the definition of grace when used in theology as it is define by Webster’s 20th Century Dictionary: “grace,” (1) “the free unmerited love and favor of God; (2) divine influence of the Spirit in renewing the heart and restraining from sin; (3) a state of reconciliation to God (Romans 5:10).
It was God’s grace that sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for our sins, the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18). “Much more then, being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:6-11). We must believe that Jesus died for our sins and that God raised Him from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25). Beyond the effecting of our salvation, Grace becomes an instrument in God’s hand to help mold and reshape us gradually, into the image of Christ.
Law and Grace, there has been a great controversy in Christendom over this subject, and if Christians should keep the Laws of God, the Ten Commandments, as they say, we are not under the law, but under grace, (Romans 6:14).
Why was grace needed, and what is the purpose of grace—saving grace? When did God’s holy law originate, and for what purpose in His divine plan for man? Is there any relationship between God’s moral law and His saving grace? Do they work together, or, as taught by many, the law has been done away with and “nailed to the cross,” (Colossians 2:14)? Does our acceptance of God’s saving grace make null and void God’s moral laws?
First, let us establish the facts from the Bible that there were two separate laws given at Mt. Sinai in the days of Moses. The Law of Moses that was written in a book, and the Ten Commandment laws written on two tables of stone, (Deuteronomy 4:13). These ten precepts were a complete law; God added no more, (Deuteronomy 5:22), and God calls them, a law which I haven written,” (Exodus 24:12).
Moses himself places this law, written on two tables of stone by the finger of God, “in the Ark,” (Deuteronomy 10:1-5). But there was a second law. Yes, we are ready to give Bible proof that “the law of Moses” is a separate and distinct law added “because of transgression, (or sin),” breaking the Ten Commandments, (Galatians 3:10, 19). For the law was given by Moses, but the truth came by Jesus Christ,” (John 1:17).
The book of the law, (written by Moses), contain, “precepts, statutes, and ordinances,” (Nehemiah 9:13-14; Exodus 24:3-8; Deuteronomy 31:9, 24-26)). Now, the book of the law regulated the Priesthood and offering of animal sacrifices for sin an offering under the old covenant. That law, with the sacrifices, was a type and shadow of the one sacrifice, or death of Jesus, that does take away sin. When Jesus died that system of animal sacrifice had to end, or was abolished at the cross, (Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:15). There were two laws recognized back in the day of Moses, the one having fulfilled its purpose ended at the death of Christ, while the other one is still “holy, just and good” (Romans 7:12) that give “knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). This one is a perfect law by which we are “judged by”(James 2:10-12) “a law of liberty” (James 1:23-25). The other is called a yoke of bondage, (Galatians 5:1-5).
Now the other law, the Ten Commandments that were written by God Himself on two tables of stone, was from the time of Mt. Sinai when Moses received the law, this law is perpetual, but this law was enforced from the beginning of creation, not only the 4th Commandment, the Sabbath, but all ten, (Genesis 2:2-3).
Moses was the mediator of the old covenant, (Exodus 24:1-12), and Israel was commanded to keep both laws, the Leviticus Priesthood Laws and the Moral Laws, the Ten Commandments whom Moses was the mediator, but we are under the new covenant, so we no longer have to obey the Laws of Moses, but we do have to obey the laws of our Mediator, Jesus Christ. We do have two laws to observe, the “Ten Commandments and the Testimony of Jesus Christ,” (Revelation 12:17).
You will find in the Scripture that there were Laws, as well as Statutes and Judgments given. God’s covenant with Israel was the Ten Commandments. ”If ye will obey My voice indeed and keep my covenant, then you will be a peculiar treasure unto Me,” (Exodus 19:5). “He that turneth away his ears from the Law even his prayers shall be an abomination,” (Proverbs 28:9). There are many more Scriptures telling us the need for Christians to keep God’s Commandments in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish anything from it, that ye keep my Commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you, (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19). “I am the Lord, I change not,” (Malachi 3:6). And the Scriptures says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever,” (Hebrews 13:8).
God speaks of a “foundation, a path for generation to dwell in” and says of His Sabbath being a very important Commandment of His Ten Commandment Laws, and emphasizing the blessing He bestows for keeping His Sabbath by saying, “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My Holy Day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the Holy of the Lord, honorable and shalt Honor Him, not doing thine own way, nor finding thine own pleasure, or speaking thine own words; then shall thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon high places of the earth,” (Isaiah 58:13-14), because “God blessed and sanctified the Seventh Day Sabbath and made it Holy,” (Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:11).
God’s desire for human creation to remember Him and His creation of the world and all people and all else therein, He created the Sabbath on the Seventh Day, (Genesis 2:2-3). And He said “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy, (Genesis 20:8-10), the Seventh Day is the day of the Lord, the “Lord’s day. And He said that His weekly “Seventh Day Sabbath shall be for a Perpetual, (forever), covenant,” (Exodus 31:15-17), and all through God’s Scriptures it was kept by God’s followers. Notice, the Sabbath was a part of creation and the Sabbath belonged to God, it is not the Jewish Sabbath, but God’s Sabbath, God who created it for man. Christ said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” (Mark 2:27). “The seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,” (Exodus 20:10). ”The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28). It was the custom of Christ to keep Gods' Ten Commandment Laws and God‘s Seventh Day Sabbath, (Luke 4:16). He taught that all people should keep Gods' Commandments forever, including the Christian Seventh Day Sabbath commandment. The Apostle Peter said that Christ left us an example that ye should follow in His steps,” (1 Peter 2:21).
Christ and Christ followers and all the early Christians long after Christ’s ascension, and the Apostles had passed on (Died), and many Christians the world over have kept God’s Seventh Day Sabbath, and says that in the Eternal and perfect life, we will continue to keep God’s Sabbath Day throughout the one thousand years reign with Christ. Paradise lost, paradise gained. “From one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, said the Lord,” (Isaiah 66:23). “All thy Commandments are Righteous, Faithful, True, Forever O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven,” (Psalm 119:72, 86, 89, 142, 151, 168).
Although God gave the Ten Commandments to His people through Moses at Mt. Sinai more than 4000 years ago, they are still relevant today. They have an abiding significance, for God’s Character is unchangeable. These laws originated from God and from His Eternal Character; therefore, moral value cannot be changed, (Malachi 3:6). The moral laws had its beginning at creation, (Genesis 2:4).
There were two special trees in the garden of Eden, a Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, a special tree in the garden, set apart by the Lord as an instrument to test the obedience of Adam and Eve. It was a real tree since the test was real, by real people, and with real results. The sin in eating its fruit did not lie in the tree but in the disobedience, (breaking God’s laws), of the person who ate the fruit that brought sin and death.
God told Adam and Eve that they could eat of every tree in the garden, except one, “The tree of knowledge of good and evil.” In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, (Genesis 2:17), “Wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23).
God made Adam and Eve upright, (Ecclesiastes 7:29), mortal, but with the right to the tree of life—a gift of God, if they obey His law, but death for disobedience, or transgression of the laws of God. Jesus taught the same, “Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and enter in through gates into the city,” (Revelation 22:14).
Then there was another special tree in the garden, (Genesis 2:9; 3:22) this tree was “the tree of life” and if Adam and Eve had taken and did eat of this fruit there would be no sin because the fruits of this tree would lead to eternal life. This tree appears again as a fruit-bearing tree with leaves. It will have healing power in it leaves, (Revelation 22:2). The phrase “tree of life” is figurative as being thrill and happy, (Proverbs 3:13), by keeping God’s laws, (Proverbs 3:18; 11:30; 12:12; 15:4).
With Adam’s sin the whole human race lost that gift of eternal life provided by the tree of life, and death passed upon all men; by sin that entered the world. “Wherefore, as one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,” (Romans 5:12). Adam was the father of all the human race, and by this “one man’s disobedience many (all) were made sinners, (Romans 5:19). Adam sinned, so all were made sinners. As in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). The promise of a redeemer was repeated through the Old Testament, with details about His birth, death and resurrection so that there could be no mistake about His time of birth, and His identity as God’s only begotten Son and the promised Redeemer, (Luke 24:27).
Paul makes it plain that God’s law was in the Garden of Eden. Why? First, what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law,” (1 John 3:4), “by the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 3:20), “for without the law sin was dead,” (Romans 7:7-8), "for where there is no law, there is no transgression," (Romans 4:15), God had a perfect law that He gave to man in Eden, and without it being there it could not have been any sin or transgression.
What laws were being enforced in the Garden? The Ten Commandments were part of creation, when man entered, the law begun: first, the giving of the day of rest, the Sabbath Day, the 4th Commandment, (Genesis 2:2-4); then when Adam and Eve ate the fruit (Genesis 3:6), have no others gods before me, 1st Commandment, (Exodus 20:3); Cain slays Able, (Genesis 4:8), murder the 6th Commandment, (Exodus 20:13); the wife of Potiphar desire to have an affair with Joseph’s, (Genesis 39:7-10); Adultery the 7th Commandment, (Exodus 20:14), and the rest of the ten can be proven that they existed before Moses reached Mt. Sinai.
“The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth,” (Romans 1:16). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, (Colossians 3:16). The importance of Jesus words cannot be overemphasized. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me,” (John 14:6). There is no other way! Jesus came to redeem men from their fallen state, by His words and Life. He pointed the way. It is the way of the cross. “He said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me,” (Luke 9:23). “Whoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple,” (Luke 14:27).
The Joy of the gospel is our relationship with God and is not in daily jeopardy based on our performance of works. The message of the New Covenant is that we have a right to be in God’s household because we were born to Him. He called us. He brought us to a spiritual New Birth and placed us into His Family. He made us heirs of His kingdom through Jesus Christ His Son. “Wherefore my brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall,” (2 Peter 1:10). Why? Because Salvation is not free, it is conditional.
We must do and teach all of the Ten Commandments as part of the Gospel. It must be emphasized the importance of these Commandments often loud and clear to those who will hear. This is a message, which seldom is uttered among the Christian Clergy, allegedly because the majority does not want to hear it. Too many people object to the idea of obligation of requirement in order to please God. They demanded free salvation, free grace, freedom from the law, freedom from restraint, freedom to do as one wishes, and still maintain citizenship in the kingdom of God.
God, after this, said of His salvation for bringing people from this fallen world into eternal and perfect life with God. Here is Jesus statement about our love for Him. “If you love me keep My Commandments,” (John 14:15). “ If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s Commandments, (John 15:10). “He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me,” (John 14:21a). “Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates of the city,” (Revelation 22:14).
The great commission should forever be sufficient cause for anyone to recognize the importance of obeying the Commandments, which Jesus gave to His disciples, irrespective of any other portion of the Holy writ anywhere else in the Bible. This does not override nor contradict the doctrine of Grace through Faith, but that does not relieve us of the obligation of obeying whatsoever Jesus commanded His people to do. Grace is the empowerment needed to observe, (obey, keep, do), His Commandments.
God, after this, said of His salvation for bringing people from this fallen world into Eternal and Perfect life with God. “My salvation is gone forth…My salvation shall be forever, that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My Laws,” (Isaiah 51:5-7).
In sum, growing Christians not only maintain Faith in Jesus, but also strive daily to follow in His steps. It is inappropriate to claim Christ and not be willing to do what He says. “He that rejects Me, and received not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days,” (John12:48). This includes our obedience, not just the moral standard of the Ten Commandments, but to all that Christ commanded concerning attitudes, lifestyle, and concern for others. We must not only talk like Christian, but we must walk like Christians, dress like Christians. Anything less is mere lip service. Why should we be so concerned about God’s Commandments, because we will be judged, by the law of Liberty (commandments), “without mercy” on God’s judgment day, (James 2:12-13)?
A Bible study about “the origin and purpose of the Sabbath Day,” shows that it was made for man, when man was pure and holy, and was enjoying the perfect Kingdom created for him on earth. Review the text in Chapter 3 and 4 of the book of Hebrews. “There remaineth therefore a rest, (Sabbath), to the people of God,” (Hebrews 4:8-9).
Remember that we had law before sin enter and made grace needful. The entrance of Grace did not annul God’s law, but both “Law and Grace” worked together; the law giving a knowledge of Sin, (Romans 3:19- 20), and grace given the remedy, and restoring us to the “adoption of the sons,” or children of God as Adam and Eve were before sin entered, (Galatians 4:4-5; 3:26-28).
When did sin enter the Garden of Eden? Long before the tree of life and the tree of good and evil was planted there. Before Adam and Eve, when God created the heavens and earth, (Isaiah 45:18), but did He create this earth originally in a state without form, and void, in a chaotic condition? No! “And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold it was good,” (Genesis 1:31). The garden was planted with trees, beautiful flowers, shrubs, lakes, and most gorgeous view beyond our finite mind can imagine, perfect. The sin that caused this physical destruction to the earth was not sins caused by humanity, because there had been no one of the present human family on the earth until God recreation of a new earth. What kind of life could it have been? Then what kind of life had populated the earth prior to Adam, prior to the week called “creation week”?
The earth was created perfect and then God placed a great cherub, Lucifer, the chief of all angels, the bright and morning star was in charge to rule the earth with one third of all the angels that was created, to carry out his government on the earth. Lucifer refused to carry out God’s will, God’s commands, and God’s government on the earth. He wanted to substitute his own ways of ruling. He rebelled and made “war in heaven,” (Revelation 12:7-9). “For if God spared not the angels that sinned” (2 Peter 2:4). Here is the sin of angels mentioned, God’s laws. It was his beauty and pride that caused Lucifer to fall, (Isaiah 14:12-14).
The Bible reveals that Satan was once a powerful angel whose name was Lucifer the bringer of light. He became perverted, wrapped up in his own power and beauty. In an outburst of envy and jealousy, he led one third of the angels rebelling against the authority of God. The rebellion was repulsed, and Lucifer became Satan and his angelic angels became demons, (Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:4).
Lucifer and his angels had an estate, which they did not keep. “For unto the angels hath God not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak,” (Hebrews 2:5). Not again will future kingdom of God will be under subjection to angels but to His Son Jesus Christ.
The demons, and the devil (Satan) who is their head, ruling this present earth and sway its inhabitants of the earth to worship him, (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9). So, Lucifer was no longer “light-bringer” but now an adversary, an aggressor, a competitor, and an enemy. His new name is Satan, “adversary.” His angels now become demons, (1 Peter 5:8).
Christians beware, we are now entering an awesome period of time, the time when Satan and his army of evil spirits will wage their supreme battle on you and to overthrow God’s people. “Satan is the god of this world,” (2 Corinthians 4:4), he is the “prince of the power of the air,” (Ephesians 2:2). Because Satan is such a master of deception we often do not realize how he does what he does. He likes to deceive you by becoming the angel of light, (2 Corinthians 11:14).
There are two things Christians must do “have faith in God” and then “put on the whole “armor of God so as to be able to resist the devil ways,” (Ephesians 6:10-17).
We cannot blame Satan for all of our sins. Even if Satan was not around, you would still slip and fall occasionally, because you still have weakness in human nature that we are born with, which is not naturally obedient to God’s laws, (Romans 8:7; Galatians 5:17). “For all have sin, and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). “Anyone who sins at all breaks the law, because to sin is to break the laws of God,” (1 John 3:4).
So, let us make some points clear about being saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, or the Law of Moses. We cannot be justified by keeping the Law. Why? Because, “We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23), “what then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that are under sin,” (Romans 3:9). Now we know that what things so ever the law said, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may become subject to the Judgment of God. Therefore, by the deed of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 3:19-20).
One law condemns the entire world. “For by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” The law that condemns us, as transgressors cannot give us pardon of our past sins. Our turning and obeying it will not erase the past and remove the death penalty. That law remains holy and good for the purpose that it was given to show us what is sin.
“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment come upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law enter, that the offence might abound. But where sin abound, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:18-21).
“When sin entered, then grace abound to take care of the sin that brought death to the human race. All mankind was sold into sin and death, only God’s divine plan of grace could save him from sin and death,” (Romans 3:22-25). The effect of Grace on mankind could not possibly allow man to continue in sin for the very reason that we are “not under the law but under grace,” (Romans 6:14). Grace removed sin! It cleanses our heart, giving us a new outlook on life.
But before grace comes to cover one’s sin, there is something we must do, salvation is not free, each one of us must put our “life on the altar as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service,” (Romans 12:1-2).
We must “believe,” “The jailer asked, what must I do to be saved?” And Paul said, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:30-31). We have to believe; the Bible says that when we believe in Jesus Christ, we are made right with God, being brought into this relationship that will bring piece with God. Believing in Christ means placing our full confidence in Him. It is resting the entire weight of our hope on Him, that He is the only Saviour who can release us from the depth of sin.
After believing, we must have unwavering Faith in Christ as our Savior (Acts 8:37-38). Faith is a trusting God to be in control of our lives and all that we do. It is trusting God to be in control of every condition in which we find ourselves. So, true faith is a belief in or having confidence in our attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life (Hebrews 11:6).
Jesus place repentance in front of, or with belief of the gospel, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel” (Mark 1,15). And the great commission was given that they (the disciples) were to preach “repentance and remission of sin in the name of Jesus” (Luke 24:47).
Repentance is a deliberate act of the will. It is a recognition of and confession of the sins of the past and present, with all due remorse for said sins, and it includes a promise and determination that those sins will never be repeated. True repentance is an absolute necessity in order to obtain salvation (Acts 17:30; 2 Corinthians 7:10). The sorry leads us to confess our sins to God with the assurance that He will forgive and purify us. (1 John 1:9).
After repentance we must have baptism in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism is the act of faith required to seal our part of the new covenant with God (Romans 6:3-4). Baptism is the step in becoming a new Christian (Romans 6:3-4) or a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we repent and are baptized, we enter into a covenant with God.
“Be ye holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Holiness means obedience, obedience from the heart of all of the Holy Law. Without obedience to this holy law, no man will see God, or be saved. The gospel teaches obedience to all of God’s law, the Ten Commandments. “Do not imagine that I come to abolish the law or what the prophets says. I have come not to abolish but complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one stroke, shall disappear from the law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of these commandments and teach others to the same will be considered the least (lost) in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great (saved) in the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19).
In sum, growing Christian not only maintain faith in Jesus, but strive daily to follow in His steps. It is inappropriate to claim Christ and not willing to do what He says. “He that rejected me, and received not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days” (John 12:48).
“You must be born again” (John 3:3). My excepting Jesus as your personable Saviour you become a new baby in Christ, “born again.” There are prerequisite to being born again, or saved. Believing, baptism, and repentance are the first steps towards being born of the spirit.
It may come as a surprise to some that Salvation and being born again are not synonymous. As we all know, a child’s birth is an event that happens to him once at the beginning of life. Jesus told Nicodemus, “you must be born again” (John 3:7). He then explained that He was speaking of a spiritual birth. As with a physical birth, the spiritual birth also is the beginning of life, “born again.” It is often referred to being saved, but unlike being “born again” to be “saved” is an ongoing rather than a once only event. In brief, being “born again” is an event, once in a lifetime. Being saved is a process (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). The babe in Christ was forgiven and saved from sin, from then on we are “being saved,” and as long as we walk upright and we who ”endure until the end, he shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).
We must believe and repent, and then be baptized, into the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way to be born into the family of God. We are not only a new baby into the family, but now, most of all, we have a new relationship with God. It is plain that God desires a relationship, not mere obedience to His Commandments. Like a Father He wants a loving trust, not fear. When any person exercise that faith in Christ, the resulting life can only be described as having come from being born over again, to a new birth.
As hard as we try to keep God Commandments, we are not perfect, we will fail, but that is when grace comes in, “if we confess our sins, He is willing to forgive us of our transgressions, and if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His words are not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). This makes peace with God (Romans 8:1-4). “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to His riches of His grace” (Romans 3:24-25).
The scripture teach that the gospel of grace instructs those who receive salvation from past sins and are given a new life in Christ, must live holy, obedience lives thereafter, working out their own salvation (Philippians 2:12-13). We cannot work out our own salvation by obeying God’s laws to save us, Jesus Christ blood on the cross accomplished that (John 3:16), but we must keep the law (Ten Commandments) to obtain salvation (Titus 1:14-15; 1 John 2:4-6).
The gospel of salvation by grace through faith, gives to us free pardon of all the sins of the past, and with a new heart and mind, so that we may serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him (Luke 1:74-75). Our salvation comes through our justification, purification and sanctification by grace through faith.
God has saved us in order that He may display through ages to come His surpassing wealth of Grace and goodness toward us in Jesus Christ. The new life begun will endure forever, so the manifestation of God’s grace will be always renewing itself. With a like purpose, He heaps up words to describe the magnitude of the divine goodness and declare once more, “For by grace you have been saved, by faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). This time Paul dwells on the condition of faith, which is necessary on our part before the grace can have an effect. It is faith only that can avail, for salvation is not your doing but the gift of God.
First let us look at the definition of grace when used in theology as it is define by Webster’s 20th Century Dictionary: “grace,” (1) “the free unmerited love and favor of God; (2) divine influence of the Spirit in renewing the heart and restraining from sin; (3) a state of reconciliation to God (Romans 5:10).
It was God’s grace that sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for our sins, the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18). “Much more then, being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:6-11). We must believe that Jesus died for our sins and that God raised Him from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25). Beyond the effecting of our salvation, Grace becomes an instrument in God’s hand to help mold and reshape us gradually, into the image of Christ.