01.04

Under Grace, Not Law "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law
but under grace. (Romans 6:14)"

Sin dominates all of our lives, unless we are learning of God's solution. Grace is God's
sufficient remedy that sin will no longer dominate our lives.

Before we came to faith in Jesus Christ, we were under the dominion of sin. We were
condemned before God because of our sin. Others may not have been aware of our truly
sinful condition. Still, we were so controlled by sin that God called us "slaves of sin"
(Romans 6:6).

The law brought us no hope of escape. In fact, the law condemned us. "Now we know that
whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Romans 3:19). We could never
have found freedom from sin's condemnation by attempting to perform better under the law
of God. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus
Christ for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified" (Galatians 2:16).

On the other hand, the grace of God is our effective hope. There is forgiveness of sins by
His grace: "The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians
1:7). There is justification through faith by the grace of God. "Even we have believed in
Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the
law" (Galatians 2:16). There is growth in spiritual life by the grace of God. "But grow in
the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). None of these
heavenly blessings become ours through our ability to live up to the holy standards of
God's law.

Our relationship with the Lord is based upon grace, not upon law. We began a walk with the
Lord by His grace at work for us. We continue walking with Him by His grace working in our
lives.

"O Lord, my God, I rejoice greatly that I am under Your grace and not under Your law. Your
holy law rightly condemned me for my trespasses against You. I thank You for forgiving my
sins by Your glorious grace. I praise You for justifying me, declaring me not guilty in
Your sight, by Your rich grace. I magnify You for continuing to touch and shape my life by
Your inexhaustible grace, in the name of Christ Jesus, my Lord, Amen."