The Law vs. Grace

Galations 5:1, 4-6 says: “It is FOR freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery…You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by FAITH we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

The past couple of months, God has revealed me in greater depths the meaning of true grace. Legalism is enslaving; grace is freeing. Legalism is rooted in performance; grace is rooted in justification. Legalism has no hope in it, because you will fail; grace has every hope in it, because Christ did not fail on the Cross. Allowing the Gospel to inform my thoughts, words, and actions hasn’t been easy every day. But knowing that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” ( GAL 3:13) has filled me with faith in my sanctification, because I know that it is only through HIS spirit that I will receive the righteousness ‘for which I hope’. And what are we called to do? We are called to have a heart of faith in God, which expresses itself through love. But then I got stuck on the word “love”: how do I obey God according to His word, and allow something as simple as “love” to be the basis of my obedience to Him? God has shown me that it means loving HIM, being satisfied in Him, applying of all the “Love is…” from 1 Cor 13…and being SO motivated by His worthiness that we begin to think of holiness as happiness. We have heard a sweeter song at Calvary. Therefore, we love Christ SO much, that we will forsake every fleshly desire and indulgence in order that we might be “for the praise of His glory.” Isn’t it incredible that no matter how many times we sin, God’s grace and forgiveness stands firm?! We ARE free. We ARE loved. We WILL change.