Let's think about this amazing miracle that happened at the cross, by way of an illustration.
If a police officer pulls an individual over for speeding, it will not work for them to say, "But officer, I'm not under the law, I'm under grace!" No, we are clearly under the laws of the land and must obey them or suffer the consequences (Romans 13:1, Proverbs 28:4,7 NLT).
But let’s change the illustration: let's say someone is pulled over by law enforcement; however, just as the officer gets out of the car to write the citation, the person speeds off in a desperate attempt to escape and avoid the ticket. Unfortunately, because of their high speed, the person loses control, crashes into a tree, and dies.
Would the police officer remove the body from the car and take it into court to pay the fine for breaking the law? No, obviously not. The law only applies to those who are living! “Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?” Romans 7:1 (NLT)
The individual who had the car accident has died and therefore is no longer under the law.
Friend, when Jesus went to the cross, He took your old self with Him. You died with Jesus, and therefore you are not under the Law. This frees you from the penalty of the Law, but it also frees you from the demands and bondage and burden of the Law, as well as the curse and condemnation of the Law! Now God looks at the perfect Law-keeping of Jesus and attributes His obedience to your account as if you had lived perfectly and never sinned! Let this good news wash you and rejoice your heart!
When Jesus died, He purchased God’s grace for you by shedding His blood for your sin. He rescued you from the Law, which is the power of sin, and put you under grace, which sets you free! This is why the Bible says that the message of the cross and the resurrection is "of first importance" (1 Corinthians 15:1-6). It is not the life of Jesus, His wonderful teachings and powerful miracles that are of first importance, it is not even Christ living in us that is of first importance; it is the death of Jesus for our sins and His resurrection from the dead. Get used to making this gospel of the death of Christ for your sins, and His resurrection from the dead, that which is "of first importance" to you.
Think of it: for the rest of your life and all eternity, God will only deal with you according to grace, and this is because you and Jesus died together, you and Jesus rose together, and you are no longer under the burden and condemnation of the Law, you are under grace.
Think of the practical benefit of this teaching: when I’m tempted to indulge my flesh with food, picturing in my mind all the sinful pleasures of gratifying my flesh, I remember that Jesus died for me and released me from the Law which is the power of sin. I see Jesus hanging limp on the cross, and I see the Law, which gave power to sin, nailed to the cross with Jesus (Colossians 2:14). I see myself hanging there with Jesus, dead to the world, dead to the Law, and dead to these temptations. This is of first importance!
In other words, I can resist temptation now because Jesus died for me, and I died with Jesus; sin has no power over me. Sin no longer masters me because I’m not under the law nor the power of sin anymore.
Oh, friend, wash at the cross just now, as you see the power of sin is broken, the Law nailed to the cross, and your old self dead to sin. Now you are able to resist. What you could not do under the law, you can do under grace. By the power of the Spirit, you can say no to ungodliness and the lusts of your flesh. Christ lives in you now and makes different choices in your life. He chooses the cross so that you die to those temptations that used to overpower you.
This is how sin will not master you, for you are not under law but grace:
“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 (NIV)
Question 6. How does being under grace set you free from the power of sin?
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.
I really appreciate Sue's answer to the above question:
"Grace teaches me to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live a life of self control. It frees me from sin and the law with its demands and burdens. Because I died w/ Christ and was crucified with Him, I am free to live a life of freedom, I am no longer bound to temptation. It shall no longer be my master. The rest of my life and for all eternity God will only deal with me according to grace."
Molly shows the practical application of believing in the cross, as she answers the above question:
"My old sinful self was crucified with Christ so that sin lost its power in my life. I am no longer a slave to sin, when I died with Christ I was set free from it once and for all! I no longer want to do things to gratify my flesh like I once did, and because of this I can make the choice to walk in newness of life today."