The understanding about the difference between Mosaic law and Christian Grace being of the utmost importance, the devil has made sure this subject has been thoroughly mixed up and darkened behind a mist of religiosity. The bible teaches clearly that Christ has fulfilled the law. But through the backdoor it's been brought in again. Others, on another hand, abuse grace as a pretense for their very own aims.
Scripture itself states: "You are saved by grace through faith and that not out of you; it is the gift of God." Luther unearthed that clearly. We cannot save ourselves through our good works. One sin is enough to precipitate you into hell, for God is absolutely holy and cannot have anything to do with sin. It is therefore never a concern of the good outweighing the bad. We're sinners to the bone and need the grace of Christ. We can only be saved by virtue of His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.
Abraham was not underneath the law of Sinai. He was under God's mercy, a grace within view of Grace following the Cross. David understood that there's a greater law, the one of grace, when he pronounced that "blessed is anyone whose sins have now been forgiven, whose transgressions have now been atoned for." He was twice guilty of death under Mosaic law, but the Spirit of God gave him a vision of God's Love. Motorcycle accidents
Israel was underneath the law by their very own choice. "All that God demands, we shall do." Mosaic law was never imposed upon the heathen. In case a gentile wished to approach God, he had to become Jewish. The temple was meant to be always a light for the nations, but the Jews--certainly in the time of Jesus--wanted to keep it for themselves.
The negative side of what the law states was that it only exposed sin such as for instance a light uncovers vermin. Mosaic law does not save. All the sacrifices brought in ancient times were but pictures of Christ's sacrifice. "The blood of goats and rams does not atone." The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, calls the things of what the law states simply "the principles of the world" ;.All philosophies and man-made theologies are kinds of law. And the proponents themselves could not keep them in a consequent fashion.
The positive side of Mosaic law was that it gave one wisdom, knowledge and insight and up till today, somewhat, the moral laws of for example Leviticus 18 are still binding; with no punishment of death of course on adultery, homosexual practices and other sins.
The apostle Paul writes in chapter 8 of the epistle to the Romans: "What the law states of the spirit of the life span in Christ Jesus has saved me from what the law states of sin and death." Grace, then, is its law, what the law states of Christ. For "What the law states came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ" ;.What the law states of Moses may be the harbinger of sin and death. It provokes to sin and its judgment is death. It proclaims: "Cursed is he that doesn't stay in most that's written in the law." Certainly, so far as Mosaic law is worried, we are all accursed and doomed for eternity. Alone already due to the tenth commandment. The world thinks: "It's OK to consider the menu, as long as you eat at home." But when you are angry along with your fellow man, then you have murdered him in your heart, as Jesus explains in the Sermon on the Mount.
As far as the theory is worried that certain must first become recognized to oneself through what the law states of Moses and then, hopefully, find grace; that goes too far. The murderer on the cross got converted simply by witnessing Christ Himself. One must go straight to Christ as soon as possible, not via a (long) method of gloom and doom. That is obviously the message to the Galatians. Actually, Paul states, if you want to keep what the law states (also in addition to grace) then you preach another gospel and you bring yourself not just underneath the curse of what the law states, but also underneath the curse of Christ. (That does however not show that everybody that believes this, is lost. But definitely are, because their theology prevents them from true conversion ((which in ways they confirm themselves))... )
Christ is the same Person, both in the O.T. as in the N.T. So He was for Abraham and Enoch before that. Abraham, Jesus said, looked for His glorious Day and for the City built without hands and he found it. Nevertheless the Israelites, inside their pride and false self-assurance, boldly proclaimed that they'd fulfill God's holy demands. They fell from grace, as it were. Paul warns and convicts the Galatians of an identical thing. He points them how you can the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, forbearing with emotions, usefulness, goodness, faith, humbleness, temperance. Against such things there is no law, but those of Christ have crucified the flesh (that may be the 'old man, the initial Adam') with the passions and (wrong) desires." Elsewhere he states: "Love may be the bond of laws" ;.Combined this holds out for us that after we have the love of Christ in our hearts we fulfill all laws and nothing may be held against us. Obviously this was primarily true of Jesus Himself, but we can learn from Him.
