Law & Grace equals Liberation.

Someone on FB asked me how I reconcile Law and Grace and how does the two (working hand in hand) lead me to liberation. Here is my answer:- 

"I note your point. I understand Salvation is a free gift. 

Thru His grace and sacrifice at the Cross, it is done. We are thus counted or deemed as righteous by faith and belief, by proclamation and acceptance. 

But, when we are talking about law (not ceremonial ones), we are talking about the ten commandments (TC) too right?

Now, It is NOT thru obedience to TC that we are saved, (which is impossible as it implies human effort and belief), but by faith and only by faith through the finished work of Christ that we are saved, right? 

Thus far, I supposed, we are on the same page?

Yet, TC is not the cause of sin, right? 

Paul mentioned that the coming of the law makes us sin more. But surely, the law of sin (and death) differs from sin of the law right? 

The law of sin is about the First Adam for whom we are bound until the Last Adam came to set us free for good, for all time. 

But that (that is, the law of sin) does not mean the sin of the law right? The law is not sin, TC is not sin, OT/OC (Old Covenant) is not sin. For there is no human agency involved. 

They are all imperfect instruments trying in earnest to bridge the "graceless" gap.

Paul said: "What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Sin is sin, and the power of sin is the law (by breaking it and not its mere existence mandated by God Himself) does not mean that the law gives one the power to sin. It is still our choices from our fallen nature that we break the law (or are disobedient to it). 

Take out the human agency factor and the law is nothing more than a divine normative template.

For it is illogical (even unfair) to say that our secular law, for example, (like "Do Not Litter Fine 500" or "Please Flush Fine 1000") is the cause of me littering or not flushing. 

Law makes us aware of sin, but it does not make us sin. Our sinful nature from First Adam entices is to sin by the awareness of the law and then breaking it.

So, the liberation I talk about is not just to know the law, that is, TC, but to know Christ and His unfailing Grace. 

The knowledge of the law without Grace is helplessness and the proclivity to sin by dint of our fallen unredeemed nature. 

But the knowledge of the law and its obedience through the power of Grace is liberation. 

The perfection of His Grace is in the Grace of His Perfection that we proclaim through faith in vicarious wholeness. 

The law is thus not redundant. Just as OT is not redundant. They are a purposeful interlude (or backdrop) to herald the perfect sacrifice made perfect in the Amazing Grace of the Last Adam. 

For to rely solely on Grace without the historical and soteriological background of the law is like putting a child near the warm fire against the cold outside, but leaving no boundaries for the child and thus risking him to touch the fire. 

With Grace, the law makes sense to me to remind me of what is good and what is not, and to allow me to claim freedom from it not through disowning it (or by disassociation), but fulfilling it through the unmerited favour demonstrated in the finished work of Christ. Not by might or power, but by His Spirit in positional righteousness. 

So, therein lies my freedom from the awareness of the law and the empowerment of Grace, working hand in hand, heart to heart and soul to soul."

Alas, in this endless debate about Law and Grace, it is supposedly "endless" for a reason, that is, we each have our own opinion and it is better to live and let live, to believe in a way that we are still able to grow in our own way because there are other more pressing issues in life that calls out to us, and trust me, this Law and/or Grace "schism" will not break the unity of faith if we learn from and respect the differences of views and then, march forward to transform ourselves and others, one lighted step at a time.

What breaks the seemingly fragile unity of late however is when we polarise faith with such hostility and antagonism arising from such distracting differences that we lose sight of how each of us can impact lives by coming to Christ with the simplicity and innocence of a child, that is, no preconceived bias, no presuppositions that elevate oneself above others, no contention of who is more right than the other, and no boasting of doctrinal superiority. Because in our infinite ignorance, we are all equal. 

Christ has called us to join our faith in one spirit, one soul, and one body to make a difference in one life, one hope and one passion, not to create differences over one stubbornly held belief that will not count much (if at all) for unity, eternity and charity. 

That's my view this morning (and for all mornings until I heave my last breath - for that I know I am sure). Amen. Cheerz.