Sermon Tone Analysis

Two dangerous paths that God wants believers to avoid.

Paul helps us carefully steer a safe course between the errors of legalism on the one side and licentiousness on the other.

Legalism- earn or maintain God’s favor by means of my ability to keep his law (vv.

14-15).

These kinds of people like to use the necessity of God’s law as a means of force, as a club.

To their eyes the law is mandatory in order to restrain sin in the life of a Christian.

License- presuming on the grace of God in order to live in sin.

Paul’s message is that we have received “freedom from sin, is not freedom to sin.” —Moo (vv.

16-23).

These kinds of people pervert our new freedom in Christ into an excuse for sinning.

How do we steer clear of these two potential dangers?

This morning we are going to look at Paul’s answer to the first danger.

How do we steer clear of the dangerous path of legalism?

And He gives us His answer in v. 14:

If we are going to avoid the danger of legalism there are several truths we must understand:

“Believers today are not under law, either as a way of salvation or as a rule of life.”

—Myron Houghton

I. Christians are not under law as a way of salvation

All true Christians understand and agree with this statement.

“Our salvation, from start to finish, is based upon God’s promise, and not upon our performance.”

—Myron Houghton

There is one place and one place only for the law in salvation.

The only use of the law in our salvation is bringing to light the knowledge of sin, to stop every mouth, and to bring guilt and condemnation.

The law cannot save us.

We are not under the law as a way of salvation.

II.

Christians are not under law as a rule of life

Here is where some Christians struggle in their understanding.

Yes, they will say, the law has no part in our salvation.

Our salvation is all a work of God’s grace.

But, as soon as the sinner is saved by God’s grace, they want to put the believer back under law as a rule of life.

Your ability or inability to keep the law is what determines the kind of Christian you are- either you are mature, based on your ability to keep the law, or you are immature (or possibly not a Christian at all), based on your inability to keep the law.

This kind of thinking, that once I am saved I must live under law, has led to some disastrous consequences.

1. Fear and doubts concerning our salvation

If you believe that once saved you must put yourself back under law instead of living under grace it may lead to a lack of assurance of your salvation.

If my sanctification is based upon my ability to keep God’s laws this leads to doubts and worries.

“What if I didn’t DO ENOUGH at the time of my salvation?”

“If I sin, will I lose my salvation?”

“How many times can I sin before I should begin doubting my salvation?”

These statements come from someone that does not adequately understand what it means that the Christian is no longer under law, but rather under grace.

Not only does the belief that Christians are still under law lead to fear and doubts about their salvation, but it also leads to the idea that:

2. Obedience that is primarily motivated by fear

Do you remember the purpose of the law?

The purpose of the law is to make you feel guilt.

It is to show you your inability to measure up to God’s standards.

It is to lead you to repentance.

If you place yourself back under law as your rule of life it will lead to an obedience that is primarily motivated by fear.

“What if I step out of line.”

“I am so worthless!

I keep on making the same mistakes!

God has every right to destroy me!”

These thoughts come from a fundamental misunderstanding of theology!

As believers we are no longer under law as a rule of life.

Why?

Romans 6:14 (ESV)

14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Some might argue and say, well we are no longer under the civil or the ceremonial law, but we are still under the moral law.

But, that is not the testimony of the Scriptures.

God canceled all of the record of our debt consisting of decrees against us.

He abolished the law of commandments expressed in ordinances.

When God did all this He abolished all of the law, including the moral, civil, and ceremonial aspects.

Many Christians get heartburn when you talk like this! Why?

Well, if the Christian is not under law, at least not under the moral aspects of the law, then what is there keeping them from sin?

And that is the exact point Paul is addressing.

That is exactly what Paul’s opponents leveled against him.

What then?

Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace?

Paul if you are going to tell us all these things about grace there is a glaring problem.

If we are no longer under law at all, any of it, but instead we are only under grace, doesn’t that open the door for the opportunity to sin?

Paul’s answer?

Absolutely not!

By no means!

In fact Paul has already given us the answer in v. 14.

Why is the door for sin not open?

You said Paul that we are no longer under law!

Surely the door for sin is open then.

Not at all! Yes it is true, if you are in Christ you are no longer under law, BUT you are under grace!

Romans 6:14 (ESV)

14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

III.

Christians are under grace as a way of salvation

How is it that as Christians we are now under grace?

It flows out of the primary benefit of our salvation which is justification.

When we were justified at the moment of our salvation do you remember what God did for you because of Jesus Christ?

Romans 4:6 (ESV)

6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

Romans 4:8 (ESV)

8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Two aspects of justification:

God no longer counts / imputes / credits our sin in His records; they are blotted out and forgiven.

God credits righteousness apart from works to your account.

You entered into this new position as a Christian, the position of being under grace, at the moment of your salvation.

And what makes it possible for you to be under grace is your justification.

How can God cause grace upon grace to overflow to you? Do you have to merit it by means of you own ability?

NO!

You have been justified.

God has blotted out all your sins and he has credited your account with His own perfect righteousness.

God is now free to lavish you with grace upon grace!

How is this possible?

You were made righteous by the obedience of one man Jesus Christ, when he became obedient unto death even the death of a cross.

Being under grace is possible only because of what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross.

Here is the only job of the law- to increase the trespass.