LAW AND GRACE
The wonder of the present age is that we are no longer under the law but under grace. How this transition from law to grace came about is explained in the following few pages. We will start with the giving of the law in the Book of Exodus.
Exodus 24:12 - And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
The word law here is #8451 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and as used throughout the Old Testament is from the Hebrew word torah, meaning law, “especially the Decalogue” (The Ten Commandments).
The New Testament counterpart for the word law is #3551 in Strong’s Concordance and is translated from the Greek word nomos, meaning “law”, “specifically of Moses.” Paul uses this word nomos some 118 times in his epistles, always with the meaning of the law of Moses. He is not describing other laws, called tradition that were added to Moses’ law by the Scribes or Pharisees: Matthew 15: 3…Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Christ described those additional traditions here with the Greek word parodosis.
In Paul’s writings, the word nomos always means specifically the law of Moses. This is proved, not only by Greek scholars, but also by the occurrences where the words law (nomos) and Moses are used together. A few examples follow:
Luke 2:22 …according to the law (nomos) of Moses
Luke 24:44…written in the law (nomos) of Moses John 1:17 For the law (nomos) was given by Moses
John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law (nomos)
Acts 13:39…ye could not be justified by the law (nomos) of Moses
Acts 15:5 …to keep the law (nomos) of Moses
I Cor. 9:9 For it is written in the law (nomos) of Moses
The purpose of the law is given in: Romans 3:19 - Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The purpose of the law then is clear: it is to show us the sinfulness of sin. Once a sinner is convinced that he is a sinner, he is free to obtain salvation through faith in Christ: Romans 3:21 - But now the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.
Being witnessed by the law and prophets in verse 21 means the law and prophets look on with approval at salvation by faith. Paul continues with:
Romans 3:26 - To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Paul next gives the example of Abraham being justified by faith. Romans 4:13 - For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.
In Romans chapter 6 we are told that we have victory over sin because we are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
In chapter 7 we are told: Romans 7:4 - Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Chapter 8 continues: Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh:
In Romans 9 the law becomes a stumbling stone to Israel: Romans 9:31 - But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
We conclude Romans with chapter 10 where we see that the law is of works (the man which doeth), whereas, salvation today is by faith: Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
The primary reason for the writing of the Book of Galatians was to warn believers of the dangers of the Judaizers. They were following Paul, after he had established his churches, with the intent to have his converts circumcised and put back under the law of Moses. We will identify these Judaizers in a moment but first let us get Paul’s intense displeasure at these imposters who were trying to destroy his churches: Galatians 1:6 - I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto, you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
It is difficult to grasp Paul’s intense displeasure at these Judaizers. An understanding of the word accursed may help. The Greek word translated here accursed is anathema and means doomed to destruction. Who these men were is described in:
Acts 15:1 - And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
These men were members of the assembly in Jerusalem, which was headed by James, the brother of the Lord. Paul and Barnabas met them at their conference in Jerusalem. They are described again in: Acts 15:5 - But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. After the conference James admitted that the Judaizers came from his assembly but said they did it without his authority:
Acts 15:24 - Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Although Paul and the Gentile believers were delivered from the rite of circumcision and the law of Moses at the Jerusalem conference, James and the Jews continued in the practice of both. Some eight years after the conference we read in:
Acts 21:20 - …Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
So we see in: Galatians 2:7 - But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This dual ministry continued until the end of the Book of Acts where Paul brought the curtain of blindness to the nation of Israel and the great Mystery of the Body of Christ and the Gospel of the Grace of God to the Gentiles was fully revealed:
Acts 28:25 - And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Paul explains Israel’s blinding further in: Romans 11: 25 - For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. After leaving Jerusalem, Paul had to lecture Peter about the law in Antioch: Galatians 2:16 - Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live ujnto God.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Paul is adamant here that Christ’s death on the cross was useless if the law could have saved mankind. He cries out to those whom he has led to Christ: Galatians 3:1 - O Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
The words "are ye now made perfect by the flesh" here means are ye now made perfect by law observance? The obvious answer being, No. Paul continues in verse 10: Galatians 3:10 - For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed in everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
The contrast between law and grace in this age is here fully manifested: Law is of works. It is do and doeth and ends in failure. Grace is not of works. It is of faith and ends in eternal life.
Fortunately, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). The superiority of Abraham’s covenant of promise over the law of Moses is given next in Gal. 3:14-29. It is summarized in verses 19 and 24: Galatians 3:19 - Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of trangressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made…
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Paul never said that the law was bad. The trouble with the law was that it was too good. No one was ever able to live up to its standards. That’s why Christ had to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That is explained in the next chapter:
Galatians 4:4 - But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Paul illustrates the difference between law and grace in chapter 4 by showing the difference between Hagar, the bondwoman with her son, Ishmael and Sarah, the freewoman and her son, Isaac. The passage starts and ends as follows:
Galatians 4:21 - Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Chapter 5 sums it all up with the ringing words: Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage (the law).
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
In Ephesians and Colossians Paul explains how Christ’s death on the cross abolished the ordinances of the law: Ephesians 2:13 - But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.
Colossians 2:14 - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
Many were brought up in a strict legalistic church and were always very fearful of losing their salvation. They rather enjoyed some of the blessings of the law, but the curses were terrifying:
Deuteronomy 28:15 - But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shall thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20 The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
The curses continue through verse 68 and then are finally concluded in:
Deuteronomy 29:1 - These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel…
The biggest problem with trying to keep from sinning against the law is that Solomon said, “there is no man which sinneth not.” And James said: James 2:10 - For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Believers never forget the joy they receive when they first learned that they were not saved by their works or law obedience but by God’s grace through faith in the perfect redemption wrought by Christ on the Cross of Calvary. They continually give God praise that they stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free.
The wonder of the present age is that we are no longer under the law but under grace. How this transition from law to grace came about is explained in the following few pages. We will start with the giving of the law in the Book of Exodus.
Exodus 24:12 - And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
The word law here is #8451 in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and as used throughout the Old Testament is from the Hebrew word torah, meaning law, “especially the Decalogue” (The Ten Commandments).
The New Testament counterpart for the word law is #3551 in Strong’s Concordance and is translated from the Greek word nomos, meaning “law”, “specifically of Moses.” Paul uses this word nomos some 118 times in his epistles, always with the meaning of the law of Moses. He is not describing other laws, called tradition that were added to Moses’ law by the Scribes or Pharisees: Matthew 15: 3…Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Christ described those additional traditions here with the Greek word parodosis.
In Paul’s writings, the word nomos always means specifically the law of Moses. This is proved, not only by Greek scholars, but also by the occurrences where the words law (nomos) and Moses are used together. A few examples follow:
Luke 2:22 …according to the law (nomos) of Moses
Luke 24:44…written in the law (nomos) of Moses John 1:17 For the law (nomos) was given by Moses
John 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law (nomos)
Acts 13:39…ye could not be justified by the law (nomos) of Moses
Acts 15:5 …to keep the law (nomos) of Moses
I Cor. 9:9 For it is written in the law (nomos) of Moses
The purpose of the law is given in: Romans 3:19 - Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The purpose of the law then is clear: it is to show us the sinfulness of sin. Once a sinner is convinced that he is a sinner, he is free to obtain salvation through faith in Christ: Romans 3:21 - But now the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.
Being witnessed by the law and prophets in verse 21 means the law and prophets look on with approval at salvation by faith. Paul continues with:
Romans 3:26 - To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Paul next gives the example of Abraham being justified by faith. Romans 4:13 - For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.
In Romans chapter 6 we are told that we have victory over sin because we are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
In chapter 7 we are told: Romans 7:4 - Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Chapter 8 continues: Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh:
In Romans 9 the law becomes a stumbling stone to Israel: Romans 9:31 - But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
We conclude Romans with chapter 10 where we see that the law is of works (the man which doeth), whereas, salvation today is by faith: Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
The primary reason for the writing of the Book of Galatians was to warn believers of the dangers of the Judaizers. They were following Paul, after he had established his churches, with the intent to have his converts circumcised and put back under the law of Moses. We will identify these Judaizers in a moment but first let us get Paul’s intense displeasure at these imposters who were trying to destroy his churches: Galatians 1:6 - I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto, you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
It is difficult to grasp Paul’s intense displeasure at these Judaizers. An understanding of the word accursed may help. The Greek word translated here accursed is anathema and means doomed to destruction. Who these men were is described in:
Acts 15:1 - And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
These men were members of the assembly in Jerusalem, which was headed by James, the brother of the Lord. Paul and Barnabas met them at their conference in Jerusalem. They are described again in: Acts 15:5 - But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. After the conference James admitted that the Judaizers came from his assembly but said they did it without his authority:
Acts 15:24 - Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Although Paul and the Gentile believers were delivered from the rite of circumcision and the law of Moses at the Jerusalem conference, James and the Jews continued in the practice of both. Some eight years after the conference we read in:
Acts 21:20 - …Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
So we see in: Galatians 2:7 - But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This dual ministry continued until the end of the Book of Acts where Paul brought the curtain of blindness to the nation of Israel and the great Mystery of the Body of Christ and the Gospel of the Grace of God to the Gentiles was fully revealed:
Acts 28:25 - And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Paul explains Israel’s blinding further in: Romans 11: 25 - For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. After leaving Jerusalem, Paul had to lecture Peter about the law in Antioch: Galatians 2:16 - Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live ujnto God.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Paul is adamant here that Christ’s death on the cross was useless if the law could have saved mankind. He cries out to those whom he has led to Christ: Galatians 3:1 - O Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
The words "are ye now made perfect by the flesh" here means are ye now made perfect by law observance? The obvious answer being, No. Paul continues in verse 10: Galatians 3:10 - For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed in everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
The contrast between law and grace in this age is here fully manifested: Law is of works. It is do and doeth and ends in failure. Grace is not of works. It is of faith and ends in eternal life.
Fortunately, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). The superiority of Abraham’s covenant of promise over the law of Moses is given next in Gal. 3:14-29. It is summarized in verses 19 and 24: Galatians 3:19 - Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of trangressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made…
24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Paul never said that the law was bad. The trouble with the law was that it was too good. No one was ever able to live up to its standards. That’s why Christ had to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That is explained in the next chapter:
Galatians 4:4 - But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Paul illustrates the difference between law and grace in chapter 4 by showing the difference between Hagar, the bondwoman with her son, Ishmael and Sarah, the freewoman and her son, Isaac. The passage starts and ends as follows:
Galatians 4:21 - Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Chapter 5 sums it all up with the ringing words: Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage (the law).
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
In Ephesians and Colossians Paul explains how Christ’s death on the cross abolished the ordinances of the law: Ephesians 2:13 - But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.
Colossians 2:14 - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
Many were brought up in a strict legalistic church and were always very fearful of losing their salvation. They rather enjoyed some of the blessings of the law, but the curses were terrifying:
Deuteronomy 28:15 - But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shall thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20 The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
The curses continue through verse 68 and then are finally concluded in:
Deuteronomy 29:1 - These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel…
The biggest problem with trying to keep from sinning against the law is that Solomon said, “there is no man which sinneth not.” And James said: James 2:10 - For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Believers never forget the joy they receive when they first learned that they were not saved by their works or law obedience but by God’s grace through faith in the perfect redemption wrought by Christ on the Cross of Calvary. They continually give God praise that they stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free.