Another of my well-meaning
friends has written to me, trying to persuade me that, though I am redeemed by
Christ, justified by his blood and saved by his grace, I am still under the
law. Will proud, sinful flesh never cease to seek righteousness by the law?
What a proud, self-righteous fool that man must be who says, "I live by
the law"! The law demands, perfection, not sincerity, not good intentions,
not moral uprightness, not pious actions, but perfection! "Tell me, ye that
desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?" "It is written,
cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the
book of the law to do them." "The soul that sinneth, it shall
die." To live under the law is to live in damnation!
It is my heart’s great joy to know that in Christ
every believer is free from the law. What does the Scripture say? "We are not under the law,
but under grace." "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to
everyone that believeth." Paul could not have used more emphatic language.
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. If we are in Christ, we are free from the
law!
Free from the law,
O happy condition!
Jesus hath bled and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace hath redeemed us once for all.
Not only are we free from the law; but in Christ we
are dead to the law. "My brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by
the body of Christ." The law of God demanded death upon every
transgressor. And the sentence of the law has been executed upon all of God's
elect in Christ, our Substitute. When our Lord was crucified, we were crucified
in him. The law and justice of God demanded death; and our great Substitute has
satisfied that demand for us. When Christ died, we died. The law has no more claim upon us! We are dead to the law! It cannot demand
anything from us, because we are dead to it. It cannot execute any punishment
upon us, because we are dead to it. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free."