Are we saved by grace or the keeping of the law?

LESSON 4

ARE WE SAVED BY GRACE OR THE KEEPING OF THE LAW?

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on The Law of God. The topic for this study is: Are we saved by grace or the keeping of the law? In this study I want us to consider some Pauline passages that deal with law and grace. Particularly, we are going to ascertain from Scripture whether we are saved by grace or the keeping of the law.

Beloved, the simple teaching of Scripture is that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. From the epistle of the apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus, we read the following clear words: "8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The apostle Paul also makes it clear in his letter to the Romans that no one will be justified by the keeping of the law. Romans 3:20 brings out this clear point: "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."

Beloved, the keeping of the law of God does not save us. It does not even justify us before the Father. All our righteousness, we are told by the prophet Isaiah, are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). With this background, the million dollar question which now begs for an answer is this: If the law of God does not save or justify us, what is its use then in the life of the Christian?

Friends, even though the keeping of the Ten Commandment law does not save or justify us, it nevertheless plays an important role in the life of the believer in Christ. From Romans 3:20, we are told clearly that even though the law does not justify us, yet by it is the knowledge of sin. From Romans 7:7, 12, the apostle Paul illustrates this purpose of the law as follows: "7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."

Friends, Paul's point in the above passage is clear. The law serves as a mirror, revealing unto us our miserable sinful nature. But just as the mirror is unable to remove any defects after revealing them, so does the law is not able to help us after revealing unto us our negative sinful situation. The work the law does however help us to know that we have a problem and that we need external help. Friends, this external help that we need after we have known our miserable sinful condition through the law is Jesus. After we have come to know our sinful condition through the law, we run to the One who can show us grace by forgiving us, cleansing us and saving us from the condemnation of the law, even the Man, Christ Jesus. From John 1:29, we read the assuring words: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Beloved, there is nothing we can do about our sinful condition ourselves. How many of us have not struggled over and over again, trying to overcome the sin in our lives, but worked in vain? It is the strength given to us from above that enables us to overcome sin in our lives. It is not by works, lest any of us could boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Friends, even though it is clear from Scripture that it is faith in Christ that saves us, the Bible is quick to also add that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). In respect to this same point, the apostle Paul asks the rhetorical question: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Romans 3:31).

Beloved, this is Paul's basic message concerning the law of God. Even though the law does not save, it plays an important role in the life of the believer. The law helps us to run to Christ, the One who can save us from our wretched condition. The Bible wants us to view God's law in this positive light. Unlike the Pharisees in ancient Israel, we do not keep the law to justify ourselves. However, we keep it in loving obedience to the will of God. In fact, Christ plainly told His disciples: "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

It is interesting to learn that the people of God who will be living at the close of this world's history will not only have faith in God, but they will also keep His commandments. Here is the scriptural evidence:

i) "And the dragon was wroth with the woman (God's church), and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:17).

ii) "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12).

Beloved, great heroes of the gospel in history agreed to the biblical fact that even though we are saved by grace, God's Ten Commandment law is still relevant and binding upon His children. Let's consider one quote from John Wesley: "The handwriting of ordinances our Lord did blot out, take away, and nail to His cross (Colossians 2:14). But the moral law contained in the ten commandments, and enforced by the prophets, He did not take away...The moral law stands on an entirely different foundation from the ceremonial or ritual law...Every part of this law must remain in force upon mankind in all ages" (JOHN WESLEY, "SERMONS ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS, 2ND EDITION, VOL 1 PAGES 221-222).

Beloved, from what we have studied from Scripture and also from John Wesley's insight from God's Word, it is very clear that every part of the Ten Commandment law will remain in force upon mankind in all ages. And beloved, this includes the keeping of the Seventh - day Sabbath, the memorial of the creative power of God.

Exhortation: "11 FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS" (Titus 2:11-14; Capital Emphasis Added).

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put MY LAWS into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them" (Hebrews 10:16; Capital Emphasis Added).

In our subsequent studies, we are going to consider some difficult and often misinterpreted Pauline passages in relation to the Law of God. By the time we are through with these passages, I believe we will be clear in our minds about the perpetuity of God's holy moral precepts. Our next topic is captioned: "... Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law ...": an exposition on Paul's words in Galatians 3:10-14. The Bible Study references for this study are Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 3:10-14, Deuteronomy 10:5, Deuteronomy 31:24-26 and Deuteronomy 21:23. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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