Being under God’s grace and not under the law does NOT give us the go-ahead to sin. We have seen this in the last two days as Paul warns his readers. But this grace does give us freedom from the bondage of sin and the propensity to sin. We are given a new beginning, a fresh slate, and we can now be mindful of our sinfulness.
When we follow Jesus and emulate his example for our own lives, we are less likely to sin. When we let our minds be filled with goodness rather than darkness, we are able to stand strong against the temptation of sin. With evil all around us, to be protected we must arm ourselves with the light of Christ. It is then that any sin inside us is revealed.
Many of us may be oblivious to the power of sin in our lives. If we have not accepted Jesus as our Savior and put our trust in him, it’s like we have the blinders on. There are others of us who are so focused on rules and following the “law,” we miss out on the beauty and simplicity of grace.
Following the law is not a bad thing, but it will not save us from permanent death. That is the beautiful perk of a life filled with grace and obedience. We will die, but because we have already died with Christ, we will be able to live forever with him. Our new life will be glorious. To try and describe it in terms our human minds can fathom would be ludicrous. It’s going to be fantastic!
We cannot earn our way into God’s presence by following the law. The only way to God is through Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Let the Holy Spirit take hold of your heart and help you become more and more like Jesus. Starting today.
Take some time to really digest what Paul is telling us in verse 6. “But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.” Enjoy your new way of life!
Let’s pray. Lord, I want to be more and more like you every day. Help me to trust and obey. Thank you that I am free from the law and covered in your grace. May I never take that for granted. Help me to understand and truly grasp the magnificence of this promised inheritance. May my light, your light inside me, shine brightly for the world to see. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
