The greatest deception in the religious world is the belief that the Law is the remedy for sin. We are told that if we want to live holy, we must put ourselves under the “ten suggestions” or a set of religious rules to keep our flesh in check. However, the Scripture reveals a shocking spiritual reality: the Law was never designed to stop sin; it was designed to provoke it.
To reign in life, you must understand that the Law is the strength of sin. When you move away from the Law and into the purity of Grace, the power of sin is naturally broken. Here are ten ways the Law actually revives sin in your life.
1. The Law Gives Sin Its Strength
Many believe the Law weakens sin, but the Word of God says the opposite. 1 Corinthians 15-56 (NKJV) declares: “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.”
- A Spiritual Catalyst: The Law act as a catalyst that gives sin the legal and spiritual energy to dominate your members.
- The Power Shift: When you remove the Law, you remove the power source that sin uses to control you.
2. The Commandment Awakens Forbidden Desires
The human nature possesses a built-in rebellion against “Thou shalt not.” The moment a rule is introduced, the flesh begins to crave exactly what is forbidden.
- The Forbidden Fruit Effect: Just as in the garden, the restriction creates a fascination with the transgression.
- Internal Friction: The Law creates a friction in your soul that awakens desires that were previously dormant.
3. Sin Was Dead Until the Law Came
This is a profound revelation from the Apostle Paul. Romans 7-9 (NKJV) says: “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.”
- The Resurrection of Sin: Sin lies dead and powerless in the absence of Law; it is the introduction of the rule that brings sin back to life.
- The Death of Peace: Where there is no Law, there is life and peace; where the Law arrives, sin “revives” and your peace dies.
4. It Produces a “Sin-Consciousness”
The Law keeps your eyes fixed on your failures. This constant awareness of sin actually ensures that you will continue to commit it.
- Focus Determines Direction: If you focus on not sinning, you are still focusing on sin.
- The Solution: Righteousness-consciousness is the only thing that empowers you to walk above the pull of the flesh.
5. The Law Arouses Sinful Passions
The Law does not just identify sin; it actively stirs it up within your physical body. Romans 7-5 (NKJV) teaches: “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.”
- Biological Reaction: Your flesh reacts to the “letter” of the Law by producing the very fruit the Law forbids.
- The Fruit of Death: The end result of Law-based living is always a harvest of failure and spiritual exhaustion.
6. It Creates an “Occasion” for the Enemy
The enemy cannot find a legal entry point into your life through Grace; he must find a “Law” to work through. Romans 7-8 (NKJV) says: “But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire.”
- The Legal Doorway: Sin uses the commandment as a “base of operations” to produce evil desires in your heart.
- Removing the Opportunity: By staying under Grace, you give the enemy no occasion to stir up your passions.
7. The Law Strengthens the Old Man’s Identity
The Law addresses the “old man,” the version of you that was a slave to sin. By following the Law, you are attempting to improve a nature that God has already crucified.
- Identity Crisis: You cannot govern a “New Creation” with the rules of the “Old Man.”
- Resurrecting the Dead: Every time you go back to the Law, you are trying to give life to a version of yourself that died with Christ.
8. It Produces Frustration and Performance Anxiety
Legalism creates a high-pressure environment where you are always “one mistake away” from disqualification. This anxiety creates the stress that leads back to habitual sin.
- The Cycle of Failure: Stress leads to sin; sin leads to guilt; guilt leads to more Law; and the cycle repeats.
- Grace Provides Rest: Only in the rest of the Finished Work can the soul find the stability to remain pure.
9. It Multiplies the Offense
The Law was not given to make people better; it was given so that the offense might abound. Romans 5-20 (NKJV) says: “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound.”
- Exposing the Depth: God used the Law to show exactly how sinful sin really is, not to provide the way out.
- The Scale of Grace: Where sin abounded because of the Law, Grace abounded much more.
10. The Law Blocks the Flow of Empowering Grace
You cannot have both. If you are trying to be justified or kept by the Law, you have fallen from Grace.
- Disconnected from Power: Galatians 5-4 (NKJV) warns: “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
- The Power Source: Grace is the divine enablement to live holy. If you choose the Law, you disconnect from the only power that can actually stop sin.
Conclusion
The Law is holy, but it cannot make you holy; it can only make you guilty. If you want to stop sinning, you must stop trying to keep the Law and start reckoning yourself dead to it. You are not under Law but under Grace, and that is the only reason sin shall not have dominion over you. Stop trying to “fix” your flesh with rules and start abiding in the Finished Work of the Son.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this mean the Law is bad?
No; the Law is holy and good, but it was given for a specific purpose: to stop every mouth and make the world guilty before God. It was never intended to be the “instruction manual” for the New Creation.
How do I live holy without the Law?
You live holy by the “Spirit of Life” in Christ Jesus. When you focus on your identity as a son, the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in you automatically, without the need for external rules.
If I ignore the Law, won’t I just go out and sin?
No; the “New Nature” inside of you hates sin. When you understand Grace, you gain a greater desire for holiness than you ever had under the Law, because you are motivated by love rather than fear.
Why do churches still preach the Law?
Because it is a powerful tool for behavior management and control. It is easier to tell people “don’t do this” than it is to lead them into a deep revelation of their identity in Christ.
This article is part of a series answering difficult questions about grace and the New Covenant.