One of the greatest fears in religious circles is that if you remove the Law, people will descend into a lifestyle of chaos and sin. This fear is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of Grace. The Law was a demand for fruit from a dead tree, but Grace is the supply of life that makes the tree fruitful.
While the Law could only demand behavior, Grace produces nature. Here are five ways that the Finished Work of Christ achieves a level of holiness and authority that the Ten Commandments could never produce.
1. Grace Changes the “Want To,” Not Just the “Have To”
The Law operates on external coercion; it tells you what you must do under the threat of punishment. This can manage behavior for a season, but it never changes the heart. Grace, however, is a heart-transforming power.
- The Internal Shift: Under Grace, God writes His laws on your heart and your mind. You don’t avoid sin because you are afraid of getting caught; you avoid it because your new nature finds it repulsive.
- A New Appetite: When you are filled with the Spirit, your “wants” align with God’s “wants.” Grace produces a sincere desire for holiness that no legalistic rule could ever manufacture.
2. Grace Establishes Righteousness as a Gift
The Law demanded that you become righteous through perfect performance, a task at which every human being failed. Grace, however, bestows righteousness as a free gift through the Finished Work.
- The Power of Standing: When you know you are the righteousness of God in Christ, you have the boldness to stand before God without guilt.
- Victory Over Sin: Romans 6-14 (NKJV) declares: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” It is the security of your righteous standing that actually breaks the back of habitual sin.
3. Grace Activates the “Spirit of Life”
The Law is called the “ministry of death” because it only has the power to condemn. It points out the problem but offers no solution. Grace is the “ministry of the Spirit” that provides the actual power to live the life God requires.
- Divine Enablement: Grace is not just a “get out of jail free” card; it is the active, empowering presence of God in your life.
- Effortless Fruit: Galatians 5-22,23 (NKJV) describes the fruit of the Spirit. Notice it is the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of your willpower. Grace produces love, joy, and peace naturally as you abide in the Vine.
4. Grace Provides an Unshakable Identity
The Law keeps you in a “slave mindset” where you are only as good as your last performance. This creates a “yo-yo” spiritual life. Grace, however, establishes you as a son who abides in the house forever.
- The Security of Sonship: A son doesn’t work to become a part of the family; he works because he is a part of the family.
- Authority to Rule: You cannot reign in life as a king if you are always worried about being fired as a servant. Grace provides the security needed to exercise your ruler anointing and command the resources of the Kingdom.
5. Grace Focuses on the Savior, Not the Self
The Law is inherently self-centered; it asks, “How am I doing? Have I kept the rules today?” Grace is Christ-centered; it asks, “How great is Jesus and what has He finished for me?”
- Transformation by Beholding: 2 Corinthians 3-18 (NKJV) teaches that we are transformed as we behold His glory. The Law makes you look in the mirror at your flaws; Grace makes you look at the Cross at your Savior.
- The End of Toiling: When your focus shifts from your effort to His Finished Work, you enter into the “rest” of God. From this place of rest, you achieve more for the Kingdom than you ever did through religious toiling.
Conclusion
If you want to see true holiness, stop looking at the Law and start looking at Grace. The Law was a mirror that showed the dirt, but Grace is the water that washes it away and the Spirit that keeps you clean. You are not a slave to the “letter,” but a son of the Spirit. Trust the New Nature God has given you, and you will find yourself living a life that exceeds the demands of the Law without the pressure of the Law.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I’m under Grace, can I do whatever I want?
Yes, because your “wants” have changed! A son of God doesn’t want to live in the pigpen of sin; he wants to walk in the glory of his Father’s house. Grace empowers that desire.
Does Grace make people lazy?
The opposite is true. Paul said he labored “more abundantly than them all,” yet it was not him, but the “grace of God which was with him” (1 Corinthians 15-10). Grace is the greatest motivator for Kingdom service.
How do I “stay” under Grace?
By refusing to return to a performance-based mindset. When you fail, you don’t run from God; you run to Him, declaring your righteousness in Christ and receiving the strength to move forward.
Why is the Law so attractive to some believers?
Because the flesh loves to take credit for its progress. The Law gives you a checklist you can be proud of; Grace gives all the glory to Jesus.
This article is part of a series answering difficult questions about grace and the New Covenant.