Bible Studies

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The Bible is very clear that once a believer comes to Christ, we are no longer under the entire Old Covenant law. Numerous verses state this truth. This includes not being under the Ten Commandments for our righteousness standing before God. 

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Rom 10:4 NAS

The Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Covenant that began after Jesus death on the cross. The book of Hebrews offers the best explanation of the New Covenant. As believers, under the New Covenant we are placed under grace for our protection, so Sin no longer has dominion over us. So Sin is no longer our master. The Sin the Bible speaks of in context, is not our acts of sin, it is our inherited Sin nature from Adam – Rom 5:19. Sin, not having dominion over us, means that our inherited Sin nature can no longer condemn or kill us AS Jesus promised to all who believe the gospel. Not being under the law is the only place a believer wants to be according to scripture. It is the only place that our inherited Sin nature lies dead.

But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. Rom 7:7 NAS

This is because the law is what gave our the power to condemn and kill us.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 1 Cor 15:56 NAS

for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. Rom 7:11 NAS

It is the Old Covenant law, and not grace, that arouses the rebellious Sin nature we inherited from Adam. 

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Rom 7:5 NAS

It is not grace that increases sin according to God. The law is what increased sin. The point was to make our Sin nature apparent to us so we would seek God for help. 

The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, Rom 5:20 NAS

Under the law, we were under the curse the law brings due to our weakness. Jesus set us free from the curse that came upon us when we failed to perfectly keep the law.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "-- Gal 3:13 NAS

God set all believers free from all condemnation and death the law brings by placing us under grace where our inherited Sin nature is no longer our master, no longer has dominion over us. 

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Rom 6:14 NAS

Yet, some argue against this truth and claim the following about abundant grace.  

1. Believers who embrace grace alone and let go of the law completely, do so as an excuse to sin freely.


2. Embracing the New Covenant fully and letting go of the Old Covenant that contained all of God’s written laws, including the Ten Commandments, leads a person to fall headlong into sin.


3. Too much grace arouses sin and is a license to sin.


4. You need to balance grace with the law, or you will fall deep into sin, fall away from grace.
   

The Truth of the Matter

From scripture, I can clearly show you that the four points I have just listed are all lies from the enemy. I have listed several other studies at the end of this study that refute these objections. Satan uses fear and thoughts like those listed above to keep us doing things man’s way, doing things in the flesh. He does not want us to do things God’s way, in the Spirit, embracing God’s abundant grace, because he knows if we do, we will reign in this life.

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Rom 5:17 NAS

I can tell you from experience that my reason for letting go of the law and fully embracing God’s abundant grace, was not so I could freely sin. If a desire to sin is why a person wants to let go of the Old Covenant law and embrace grace alone, they are not saved and just fooling themselves.

Believers who let go fully of the Old Covenant law of Moses, no longer mix the Old Covenant of law with the New Covenant of grace and truth. Instead, they heartily embrace the New Covenant's abundant grace alone that Jesus died to place in effect. We do not do so to have an excuse to sin. We do it because the Bible teaches that the New Covenant of grace and truth Jesus shed His precious blood for, totally replaced the now obsolete Old Covenant of Moses. 

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20 NAS

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he (God) finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel  and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:6-13

We do it because the Bible teaches God did not qualify us to minister the letter of the law found in the Old Covenant that brings condemnation and death. We are qualified by Jesus to minister the Spirit of the law that brings life.

And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor 3:6 BSB

We do it because we desire to obey God’s word and do things God’s way. We do it to be obedient. If we hang on to the Old Covenant or mix the New with the Old, we would be in disobedience.  In other words. we would be in sin. We do it to honor Jesus sacrifice and the New Covenant of grace and truth He died to bring us. We do it because the Bible is clear that God’s ways are much higher than man’s ways. The Spirit is much higher than the letter of the law. God calls us to walk in the Spirit.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isa 55:8-9 NAS

We do not mix the New Covenant of abundant grace and truth with even a leaven (pinch) of the Old Covenant of law, because the Bible teaches just a little leaven, ruins the whole loaf. Even just a pinch of law makes grace of no effect. Jesus tells us to beware of the teaching of the Pharisee's and we listen to Jesus and obey Him. The Pharisee's were teachers of the Old Covenant law and ways.

And Jesus said to them, "Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Matt 16:6 NAS 

A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. Gal 5:9 NAS

You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Gal 5:4 NAS

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Gal 5:4 KJV

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. Rom 11:6 NAS

When I look around churches, I do not see people who are looking for a way to sin, even though many may be caught up in sin. I see people who are looking for a way out of sin but do not know how to do it. Maybe that is you. Maybe all of the big obvious sins are gone from your life but the enemy, the accuser of the bretheran, is tormenting and beating you up with the smaller ones that hang on. In which case, God would say the same thing to you as He said to Paul. My grace has got you, don't doubt, fear or worry. 

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 cOR 12:9 NAS

I see people who mix the law with grace and wonder why they do not have any victory in their life, why they do not see the power of the gospel in their lives. I see preachers who walk in fear and claim we must balance grace with the law and wonder why they see so much sin in their church. I see what the Bible warns will happen if we mix grace with the law. Any amount of law added to grace makes grace of no effect. Adding the law to grace is what removes the power of the gospel from the believer's life. This is what Satan wants, a powerless Christian.

Not being under the written law of the Old Covenant, does not mean we run out and look for ways to sin. This is actually what Paul’s detractors were claiming when he had to address this issue four times in the following manner. If those who embrace the New Covenant fully and grace alone are being charged with the same error as Paul by detractors, we know we are preaching the same radical grace that Paul preached.

For sin shall not be master (have dominion) over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!  Rom 6:14-15 NAS (emphasis mine)

In this exclusive statement, Paul is clearly saying in those verses that we are no longer under the law; we are under grace. He is also saying that this is not an excuse to sin. We do not use our freedom to offend and intentionally help the enemy. Think of it this way, as a believer we are children of the King; we are not subject to the laws of the kingdom like those who are strangers to the King. We have freedom as the Kings sons, just as Jesus states. But we walk as to not offend those who are still strangers. 

When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?”  He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. “However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.” Matt 17:24-27 NAS

Paul is also telling us in Rom 6:14-15 that we are free from the law and the condemnation and death it brings when we do fail, and we all fail in thought, word, and deed at times. Even fear and worry are sins. Anything not of faith is a sin according to scripture, and the law itself is not of faith according to God.

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. Rom 14:23 NAS

However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." Gal 3:12 NAS

Faith is what God is looking for in us.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Heb 11:6 NAS

"I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 NAS

God’s way in the New Covenant is the way to true freedom from Sin. I can tell you from experience that Satan uses fear to keep believers from walking by faith in God’s word that we are right with God in Christ alone, from letting go of the letter of the law and living fully under grace alone. He knows that if a believer fully embraces the New Covenant and lets go of the Old, as God wants us to, they will reign in this life in all areas including over our inherited Sin nature that still dwells in our unredeemed flesh that will die.

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Rom 5:17 NAS

When the Jews were set free from Egypt by God through Moses, they were saved and set free from the enemy by the blood of the lamb placed on the doorposts at Passover. They were free to go into the promised land, but only two out of the millions wanted to go in. The two were Joshua and Caleb. God said that Caleb had a different Spirit. The only reason the others did not want to go was fear. They trusted their fears more than they trusted God. In other words, they trusted themselves more than they trusted God. Today, believers do the same thing. Truly letting go of the law and fully embracing the New Covenant of grace and truth is not easy to do when we listen to Satan’s lie that we are still under the law or that you must balance grace with the law. He knows that the law is not of faith and is not the way to please God. Satan battles against this freedom using great fear. This is the tormenting fear that is not of God. Satan’s fear in truth is nothing more than false evidence appearing real.

God is the one holding onto us. I promise you that if you love the Lord and want to walk in the power of the gospel, letting go of the law will not make you fall headlong into sin. Jesus has you in His grip. He is holding onto you; you are not holding on to Him. No one can snatch you out of His hand.

 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30 NAS

You do not need to fear letting go of the Old Covenant letter of the law. Believers are actually under a higher standard. Believers are qualified and called to walk by and minister the Spirit of God’s law. We are not qualified to minister the letter of the law found in the Old Covenant. The Spirit of all of God’s laws in “love.” Love comes with no condemnation or death. Love is the only thing that fulfills God’s intent for writing the letter of the law. If you love your neighbor, you will never even think about stealing from them or bringing them harm in any way.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Rom 13:8-10 NAS

Being the Spirit of all of God’s laws, “love” is what God is talking about when He tells us we are qualified to minister the Spirit and not the letter.

And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor 3:6 BSB

Under the New Covenant, living under abundant grace and truth, free from the law, it is the love of Christ that controls us. By default, His love is what stops us from acting out sinfully (thought, word or deed) in our daily life. This transformation is a natural fruit of being fixed on Jesus, abiding in the vine 1,000 percent. This transformation is all about Jesus working in us and zero about our ability. The New Covenant allows Jesus power to freely flow through our lives.  

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 2 Cor 5:14 NAS

Additional studies that apply:

The New Covenant of Grace and Truth Replaced the Old Covenant of Law

Jesus is The End of The Law for Believers

A Christian is Dead to the Law, Freed from the Law and Dead to Sin

Christians Are Released from The Ten Commandments

Christians are Blessed Because God is Not Imputing our Sins

How Grace Defeated Sin in My Life

Satan Will Always Point You Back to the Law 

Fallen From Grace,

How Much Law Does it Take to Make Grace of No Effect?

Holy Spirit Does Not Convict a Believer of Their Sins

Believers are Never Called Sinners in the New Testament

God Sees A Believers Faith Not Their Sins

God is Looking for Our Faith Not Our Holiness

Sin Does Not Make a Christian a Hypocrite

There is No Condemnation for You Christian

God Said a Believer Can Never be Considered Unholy

Why Don't I look Like a New Creation in Christ in the Mirror?

Do You Know the Spirit of All of God's Laws?

Christians Are Not Qualified to be Ministers of the Letter of the Law

Letter Kills, Spirit Gives Life

Christians Are Not Under the Law of Moses, Our Standard is Much Higher

How to Fulfill the Law of Christ

What is Maturity? Knowing God's Holiness or God's Love and Grace?

How Christians Dilute the Power of the Gospel in Their Lives

If Sin Has Dominion in Your Life, You are Living Under the Law, Not Grace 

Doubting Your Complete and Total Forgiveness is What Keeps You Sinning, Christian

What is The One Thing That Keeps a Believer in Sin? 

How to Stop Sin

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross. 

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20

 

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