Bible Basics

Forgiveness In Christ

In an attempt to impress upon Christians in Rome that they were no longer amenable to the Law of Moses, Paul writes, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:4). From this statement some have concluded that the Old Testament consisted wholly of law, but no grace; while the New Testament consists wholly of grace, but no law. But since law is “a rule of action,” to suggest that no law exists under the New Testament is to allege that there is no rule by which we are to walk today. This would make Christians a lawless people. But law does exist today under the New Testament.  It is the “law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:21); “the law of faith” (Rom. 3:27); the “law of the Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2); the “law of love” (Rom. 13:10); and that which James calls “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25). Under the Law of Moses there was no redemption from sin, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). Hence, sin had dominion over all under it. But now since Christ died bringing sufficient propitiation for sin (Rom. 3:24-26), we “are not under law” (i.e., no longer under the Law of Moses), but in Christ are able to find forgiveness of our sins and are, therefore, “under grace.”

                                                                                                               -- Clark Dugger

Bible Basics