Many people become confused when Paul teaches us that Yeshua sets us free from the law. They mistakenly choose to use that as a means to excuse not obeying all of God’s law and instructions. The key question is, however… “which law, Paul?”
Perhaps it is worth highlighting here as a reminder that Paul was accused of not following the law throughout his ministry and argued in his defense that it was not true. Further, Yeshua was judged righteous and without sin by living out His earthly life as our example in full compliance with the law of God.
The answer to the question above is that the grace and life we find in discipling ourselves after Yeshua sets us free not from God’s commandments or instructions, but from the law of sin and death. This law of sin and death put simply is as follows. “We all sin. The penalty for sin is death.”
23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God’s law (e.g. commandments and teaching of the prophets) can not save us, but neither do we need to be set free from it. God’s law is not bondage. It is a guide to help us identify and reject sin. It is sin that holds us in bondage. It is sin from which we need to be set free. But we are unable on our own to stop sinning. How then can we be set free?
We are set free from the law of sin and death only through accepting Yeshua as Lord.
Deliverance from Bondage
1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Take care to study God’s word carefully. The sacrifice of Christ does not set us free from God’s word, from God’s law… that would be foolish since Jesus lived and taught God’s law. In fact Jesus is the Word made flesh to dwell among us. How could He come to set us free from Himself!?
14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”
Jesus came to set us free from the law of sin and death. Though we sin and deserve death, we have an offer of forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We must choose to disciple ourselves after Him, turn from our sins and wrong ways, and turn toward God’s ways of doing things. It is not sufficient to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord… even Satan knows that! Truly believing Jesus is Lord will transform our lives and will be evident in our actions as well as our attitudes and thoughts.
Praise to Yahweh, who provided a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled with Him through Jesus Christ!
Learn more about the Law of God and what it means today. Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?
I invite you to pray with me:
Father, thank You for sending Yeshua to set us free from the law of sin and death. Though we sin, we can be forgiven and reconciled to You! It is not through our actions or obeying Your law that we are saved, but through grace by faith in Yeshua. Please help us have discernment and wisdom and faith in living according to Your instructions! Amen.
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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.