(Galatians 5:18 NLT) But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to look at The Law given under Moses vs. the Grace provided by Jesus. In our last message I told you that you are graced to win the war within. While you may have old desires that pull you away from God, God has given you His Spirit, to live in you, He empowers you to be changed into the very image and likeness of Christ Jesus Himself. After teaching us about the war within the Apostle Paul goes right back to a driving home the fact that we are not under the Law of Moses. Paul said, “But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.” This is not to say that we are free to live like hellions. All it means is that we are not under external rules. Remember, grace is not a license to sin.
To be clear, there was nothing wrong with the Law God gave Moses on tablets of stone. The 10 Commandments were perfect. The only problem is that they are impossible to comply with. For a human being to live their entire life without breaking any of the 10 Commandments is not difficult, it is literally impossible. The only human to ever do it was Jesus. So what God did was give us Laws that we can fulfill, by His grace. One of the Laws of God we are required to comply with today is the Law of Love.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. The Law of Moses (the 10 Commandments) was perfect, but we are not. The Law of Moses was so perfect that no human could ever live without breaking any of the commandments. For a human to be sinless, to perfectly comply with the Law of Moses, is not difficult, it is impossible. The only human to ever do it was Jesus Himself. We are not perfect, but Jesus was perfect for us.
2. When you are led of the Spirit you are not under the obligation to the Law of Moses. Paul teaches us the difference between being driven by the Law of Moses (externally) and being led of the Holy Spirit (internally). Jesus did not die to redeem us back to external rites, rituals or rules. Jesus died to redeem us all the way back to Adam, to the relationship Adam had with God in the Garden, where he walked with God in the cool of the day and he had Kingdom dominion, power and authority. That is how we are able to live when we are led of the Holy Spirit.
3. Being free from the Law of Moses does not mean we have NO LAW. In this series I will address some of the laws we are still required to comply with. For this morning I will highlight the most important: The Law of Love! Earlier in this letter Paul said, “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). In his letter to Rome Paul said, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). Jesus Himself said, “?Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). James said, “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right” (James 2:8). John said, “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another” (1 John 3:11). The Apostle John also said, “And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:21). While we are not under the Law of Moses, we are certainly under the Law of Love!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for loving me when I had nothing to do with You. While humans were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. You sent Your Son Jesus to die in my place because You love me. Jesus willingly took the punishment of the cross, because He loves me. And the Holy Spirit now lives in me, inspite of my flaws, because He loves me. You loved me enough to plan for me before the foundations of the world, to save me by Your grace, and to now use me, even though I am far from perfect. Your love is amazing. You put Your Spirit inside me and I now do not have to live my life based on external rules or laws. But I am not free from all laws. Your Word teaches me that I am required to comply with the Law of Love. I attempt to love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength, and I seek to love my neighbor as I do myself. You poured out Your love in my heart, through Your Holy Spirit, and I now have the grace to walk in love with You and with man. Saying I love You is easy. But I prove my Love for my God, whom I cannot see, by loving those I see every day. Your love has come TO me, it now flows THROUGH me, and just like it changed me, I believe it will change others. I am able to love others because You first loved me. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
