It would appear from reading the threads about the Law (the Ten Commandments) and its application to Christians, that quite a few are confused about what the Bible says in this regard, and quite a few are simply Antinomians.
In a nutshell justification is by grace through faith, but sanctification is by the application of the Law of Christ to our lives. The problem which many Christians have is seeing that the Law of Christ is the Ten Commandments (generally called “the Law”) distilled into the Law of Love. So focusing strictly on what is revealed in the book of Romans here is what we find:
1. The Law renders the world guilty before God
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Rom 3:19)
2. None can be justified by the works of the Law
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Rom 3:20)
3. Justification is purely by God’s grace through faith
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Rom 3:21-24)
4. Sanctification means reckoning ourselves dead to sin and alive to God
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof... For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid (Rom 6:11,12,14,15)
5. Sanctification is “obedience unto righteousness”
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Rom 6:16-18)
6. The Law is holy, just, good, and spiritual
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good... For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (Rom 7:12,14)
7. But the Law can only be applied by the power of the Holy Spirit
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom 8:1-4)
Please note the last verse. The righteousness of the Law must be fulfilled in every Christian as he or she walks in the Spirit. So God has not set aside the Ten Commandments at all. Rather He has said that the Holy Spirit will apply those commandments to us, and through us, as we mortify the flesh and walk in the Spirit. This is called “sanctification”.
In a nutshell justification is by grace through faith, but sanctification is by the application of the Law of Christ to our lives. The problem which many Christians have is seeing that the Law of Christ is the Ten Commandments (generally called “the Law”) distilled into the Law of Love. So focusing strictly on what is revealed in the book of Romans here is what we find:
1. The Law renders the world guilty before God
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Rom 3:19)
2. None can be justified by the works of the Law
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Rom 3:20)
3. Justification is purely by God’s grace through faith
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Rom 3:21-24)
4. Sanctification means reckoning ourselves dead to sin and alive to God
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof... For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid (Rom 6:11,12,14,15)
5. Sanctification is “obedience unto righteousness”
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Rom 6:16-18)
6. The Law is holy, just, good, and spiritual
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good... For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (Rom 7:12,14)
7. But the Law can only be applied by the power of the Holy Spirit
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom 8:1-4)
Please note the last verse. The righteousness of the Law must be fulfilled in every Christian as he or she walks in the Spirit. So God has not set aside the Ten Commandments at all. Rather He has said that the Holy Spirit will apply those commandments to us, and through us, as we mortify the flesh and walk in the Spirit. This is called “sanctification”.