Introduction to: understanding how to live under grace

Series Introduction:

This is the first lesson in a series called Understanding how to live under Grace

By the end of this series you will have a working knowledge of both law and grace

You will understand the primary purpose of the law and the way grace corresponds to that purpose

As the title suggest, the series will equip you to live under grace

Intro to the Law vs Grace debate

Have you every heard a variation of this statement: “we are not under law but under grace”?

Three Questions

What do people mean by the statement?

Where does the concept come from?

How are we to biblically interpret the statement?

Question #1: What do people mean by the statement?

Three incorrect views

View #1: that we are no longer bound by the rules of the Old Testament

View #2: that in the O.T. salvation was obtained by keeping the law of Moses, but in the N.T. salvation is obtained by faith in Jesus

View #3: that Christians who sin are not punished because we are “under grace”

Question #2: Where does this concept come from?

The Bible (Apostle Paul)

Romans 6:14 AV

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:15 AV

15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Question #3: How do we biblically interpret this statement?

This is the big question. Since the statement comes from the Bible it is vital to interpret it biblically

The remainder of this series will seek to give a biblically correct interpretation of Paul’s meaning that we are under grace.

Law vs Grace

Has grace replaced law? NO (see John 1:17 in connection to next question)

John 1:17 AV

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Has Christ replaced law? NO (see Matthew 5:17)

Matthew 5:17 AV

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

If Christ did not come to replace the law what role does the law have in His coming?

Matthew 5:17 AV

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Christ came to fulfill the law

Before we can understand how to live under grace we must learn what it means to live under the law!

(True/False): man was not governed by any law until Moses gave the ten commandments? False

Genesis 2:17 AV

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Three Things:

Command

Choice

Consequence

NOTE: the consequence is severe

Man has always lived under a law of God

God’s law always follows Command, Choice, Consequence

What is the law of Moses?

John 1:17 AV

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Just for our study, Law is going to refer to God’s commands for Israel’s conduct

In our next lesson we are going to examine the law of Moses