The Law and Grace

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4 ESV). In our reading today the Apostle Paul says that there are two laws. One is the law of the Spirit and life, the other the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death says that if you trust in the law for your goodness, you had better be very, very good. In other words, the law is the law and you are going to be measured by that law. Because no one has ever lived up to the law, except Jesus Christ, you are in trouble, your sin will be revealed and you will die eternally. On the other hand, the law of the spirit says that Jesus Christ obeyed the law perfectly and became your sacrifice. If you trust in that sacrifice, it will be sufficient. There’s a good story that illustrates this truth well. There was a man who went to the gates of heaven. Peter told him that he needed a thousand points in order to get into heaven and asked, "What have you done to earn a thousand points?" The man thought a long time. He was a good man and had certainly earned a lot of points. He made a list: "Well, I was raised in the church, my father was a pastor and I never rebelled. I was president of my youth group. I went to a Bible college and then to a Christian graduate school. I have been active in the church. I don't just talk religion either . . . I live it. I give over 30 percent of my income to the work of the kingdom. I have never had a drink of whiskey, I have never lied that I can remember and I have always witnessed for Christ in every situation in which I found myself. I have been married to the same woman for over 40 years. I have never cheated on her and I was always sensitive to her needs. We had three children, two girls and a boy. One girl is married to a preacher, the other is serving on the mission field with her husband and my son is now studying for the ministry at a solid seminary. I have always supported my pastor. I have been an elder in the church for over 20 years and have been regular in my attendance at Sunday school, Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening worship services. I have supported missionaries and have often visited them on the field to support and encourage them. I'm a bank president and I've tried to be a good citizen in my community sup porting the poor, working the prison ministry and offering low interest loans to minorities." Then, pausing, the man looked up at Peter and said, "How am I doing?" Peter answered, "Well, that's about one and a half points." The man cried out, "Good Lord, have mercy!" Peter laughed and said, "You've got it, come on in." The law of the Spirit says that when you trust in Christ, He is sufficient to free you from the law of sin and death. That is the premise to the conclusion: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”