Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall no longerbe your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”(NIV) If ever there was a statement of Paul’s to cling to,friend, it is this one. For what is more important in the Christian life thansin not being your master? Many people can write books on how to overcome sin,but Paul tells us in eighteen words. And who would know better than Paul? Whenhe lived under the law he was the chief of sinners, a blasphemer, and a violentman. He was so zealous to protect the Pharisaic religion – a religion thatpinned its hopes of Heaven on strict obedience to the law − that he wasresponsible for families being thrown into prison for being Christians. Haveyou ever read Romans chapter seven, friend? Much of it is a tale of despair, ofanguish, and of sin being Paul’s master, for he is recalling his time as aPharisee before his conversion to Christianity. After his conversion, however,this same Paul became just as zealous to defend the need for righteous livingas a Christian. For at that point, he was not living under the law, but undergrace.
Now what does Paul mean exactly by theChristian not being under the law? Well he states in Romans 10:4, “For Christis the end of the law for righteousnessto every one that believeth.” (KJV, emphasis mine)
So we see, when Paul says we are not underthe law, he means the Christian is not under a law of righteousness before God.So Paul is not saying Christ is the end of the law full stop. No! He saysChrist is the end of the law forrighteousness. The law remains, therefore, but the penalty attached to itfor breaking the law (sin) is removed. Yousee, if you are not under a law of righteousness before God, you cannot be madeunrighteous in His sight for your imperfections concerning those laws, can you?It is not possible. You cannot be condemned, therefore, foryour imperfections where those laws are concerned. You are off the hook. Thisis what so many find so hard to reconcile, however. They find it so hard toaccept the Christian is not under a righteousness of obedience to the lawbefore God. They know that must mean you cannot be condemned for your sin, thepenalty, for it must have been removed, and to them, that gives a person alicence to sin. You see, however, it is much easier to understand Paul’scomments about us not being under the law if we accept the core terms of beingunder the New Covenant. I would place them before you again, if I may, inHebrews 10:16-17:
Thisis the covenant I will make with them after that time,says the Lord. ‘I will put my laws intheir hearts,and I will write them ontheir minds.’ Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless actsI willremember no more.’” (NIV, emphasis mine)
As I have previously mentioned, the NewCovenant hinges on not one, but two core points. At the point of conversion,the Holy Spirit writes the law on our minds and places it on our hearts. Wehave then been born again. We have been changed into people who want to obey inour hearts the law God desires us to keep. At the very moment this happens, weare not under law but under grace, for we have a Saviour from our sin. Our sinsand lawless acts will be remembered no more. You see, friend, Jesus cannot beyour Saviour from sin unless you are born again. For He will not be anyone’sSaviour from sin unless they desire in their heart to live as His Father wantsthem to. You see, God is not stupid. He didn’t make a covenant that would giveanyone a license to sin if the penalty for sin were removed. Born again peoplecannot view this covenant that way, for they want to obey from their hearts.That is the whole point of being born again. If you want to obey God from yourheart, as I have previously mentioned, it is impossible for you then towilfully − without conscience − seek to break God’s laws. It cannot happen,friend. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye mustbe born again.” (emphasis mine) It is not an option; it is pivotal. Withoutthat happening, you cannot be saved.