Does Grace replace the law?

[Soyeong]

I was baptized in water in 1970, Jesus baptized me and saved me 2015. Of course I hate sin. Everything (almost) I do in my life goes thru the word of God. When I do wrong, I hate it. I acknowledge it to him and He is faithful to CLEANSE me. I'm nowhere near the same man I was 10 years ago. But that has NOTHING to do with my works or the law. I'm saved by His grace and mercy. Jesus is the author and finisher, I'm just the clay. I'm saved by grace. And yes, Jesus saves us from our sin. If you struggle with it, He can and will help. Am I cleaner than I was 10 years ago? Yes Did I do it? No, Jesus did it. I'm just the clay, not a very good one, but none the less.

We need to be careful, Jesus saves. We are better off teaching faith in Jesus, not do this, don't do this. That said, there is a place for doctrine.

It is by the Law of Moses that we have knowledge of what sin is (Romans 3:20) so everyone who hates sin is in favor of obeying the Law of Moses.

In Psalm 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey the Law of Moses, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.

The Bible repeatedly connects our faith in God with our obedience to him because that is the way to have faith in Him, such as with Revelation 14:12 where those who kept faith in Jesus are the same as those who kept God's commandments.

God graciously teaching us to experience being a doer of the Law of Moses is something that God does as part of His gift of salvation to us.

 

[Yahshua]

I would guess that you have the wrong commandments.

Romans 12:8-10
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,”
and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Deuteronomy 6:5
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

Leviticus 19:17-18
17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

^ You mean these ones, which were given at Mt. Sinai?

 

[Yahshua]

Lord Jesus did not look at the external obedience to the law. He looked at their heart attitudes. They tithed even the herbs that they grew.

Incorrect. They did not obey the law at all, but rather obeyed their traditions.

Mark 7:13
Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.


The Pharisees had a nasty habit of changing the law to suit them, which was/is an act of breaking The law of Yah. This act of changing the law is called the "takanot" and "ma'asim" of the Pharisees or "oral law," which is a man-made fiction.


Deuteronomy 4:2
2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you


Matthew 15:2-3 [brackets mine]
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3 But [Messiah] answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?


The Pharisees did NOT obey the law. The Messiah kept calling them out on it and turning people BACK to obedience to what was given by Moses at the Mount.

 

[Sipsey]

Does Grace replace the law?

There is a message many people love to hear today. It is called “the gospel of grace.” It sounds comforting. It says God forgives, God accepts, and nothing more is required. But we must ask one honest question: is this the same message Jesus preached?

Jesus did preach grace. He showed mercy again and again. He welcomed sinners, ate with them, and called them near. But every time He gave grace, He also called for change. When He met the woman caught in sin, He said,
“Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.” (John 8:11, ASV)

Grace forgives, but it does not leave a person in sin.
Now we must understand something deeper. Grace did not begin when we believed. Grace began with God.
God saw the world in sin, and He did not leave us there. In His mercy, He sent His Son so that we might live.
Jesus did not come for His own comfort. He came to save. He knew the suffering that was ahead, yet He still came.
In the garden, He said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42, ASV)

This is grace in its clearest form. Jesus gave His life for us. He suffered, He was rejected, and He died so that we could be brought back to God. This was not easy. This was not light. This was love that cost everything. So we can say this plainly: Jesus is grace made visible. But if grace cost Him everything, how can it mean nothing for us?
If He gave His life to free us from sin, how can we say we are free to remain in sin?
Grace is not permission. Grace is a rescue.

Look at another example. There was a tax collector named Zacchaeus. He was a dishonest man, taking more than he should. When Jesus came to him, He did not first give a long teaching. He simply came near to him. That is grace. But what happened next?
In Luke 19:8 (ASV), Zacchaeus says: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.” Grace touched his heart, and his life changed immediately. He did not say, “I believe,” and continue cheating people. He turned from his sin.
And Jesus answered, “Today is salvation come to this house.” (Luke 19:9, ASV)

Salvation came where there was both faith and a changed life. A man once came to Jesus asking about eternal life. Jesus did not say, “Just believe and you are done.” He said, “If thou wouldest enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17, ASV)

Grace does not remove obedience. It leads into it.

Jesus also gave a warning that many ignore.
In Matthew 7:21 (ASV):
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father.”
These are people who speak His name, but do not follow His ways.

And He asks in Luke 6:46 (ASV): “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

This question reveals the truth. Words are not enough. Faith must be lived.
Jesus made it simple with a picture.

Two men built houses. One on rock, one on sand.
Both heard His words.
But only one obeyed.
The one who obeyed stood firm. The one who did not fell.
So the difference is not hearing. It is doing.

Think again about what many say today.

They say grace means no obedience.
They say nothing is required.
They say a changed life is not necessary.

But if that were true, why did Jesus call people to repent? Why did He command obedience? Why did He warn of judgment?
The truth is clear.

Grace calls you out of sin, not into comfort with sin.

Think of it this way.
A man is drowning, and someone jumps into the water to save him, at great cost. That is grace.
But once he is pulled out, will he jump back in and say, “I am safe no matter what”? No. If he understands what was done for him, he will stay out of the water.

Jesus did not suffer so we could stay the same.He suffered so we could be changed.

So what is the truth?

Grace begins with God’s love.
Grace is seen in Jesus giving His life.
Grace forgives.
Grace calls.
Grace transforms.

Faith is not just words. It is a life that follows Him. As He said,
“If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15, ASV)

Do not accept a weak message that leaves you unchanged. Do not hold to a grace that asks nothing from you.
Come to the grace that Jesus gives. The grace that lifts you, cleans you, and leads you into a new life.

Turn from sin. Walk in His ways. Follow Him with your whole life. This is the grace that leads to life.

If one starts with a false premise, the truth will always elude them.

 

[Yahshua]

Did the Lord make the covenant of the law at Mt Sinai with Israel or with the Gentile nations?

Are ye a wild branch grafted in...or are ye not?

Leviticus 19:34
34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and kyou shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Exodus 12:49
49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Numbers 15:16
16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

Romans 2:12,14
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

 

[Inquisitor]

Can you quote where the Bible states that the New Covenant fulfills the Mosaic Covenant? Or where the Bible speaks about the Mosaic Covenant as something that can be fulfilled? Or where the Bible states that the New Covenant is an unconditional covenant?

Ever heard of the word "Grace".

Grace means nothing is required from you in order to accept His Grace.

Saved by grace through faith...

The Lord came to save sinners, law breakers, the unrighteous (Soyeong).

Your post also lacks the big boss of us now; the Holy Spirit!

I hope you understand that we are led by the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit as often as we can be.

Jesus told the old covenant people, the Jews, how they treat others will fulfill the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Even better was Paul's understanding of what Jesus said to the Jews above.

Galatians 5:14
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Mosaic covenant was a conditional covenant centered on obedience to the whole law.

The New Covenant is a free gift given to those that trust Jesus.

Here is what Paul spoke to the Jews in Rome.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I told you that the New Covenant was a free gift and that is not a conditional gift.

 

[Soyeong]

Ever heard of the word "Grace".

Grace means nothing is required from you in order to accept His Grace.

Saved by grace through faith...

The Lord came to save sinners, law breakers, the unrighteous (Soyeong).

Your post also lacks the big boss of us now; the Holy Spirit!

I hope you understand that we are led by the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Spirit as often as we can be.

Jesus told the old covenant people, the Jews, how they treat others will fulfill the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Even better was Paul's understanding of what Jesus said to the Jews above.

Galatians 5:14
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Mosaic covenant was a conditional covenant centered on obedience to the whole law.

The New Covenant is a free gift given to those that trust Jesus.

Here is what Paul spoke to the Jews in Rome.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I told you that the New Covenant was a free gift and that is not a conditional gift.

You notably neglected to quote where the Bible says those things, so until you do those will be considered to be positions that you have made up that are unrelated to what is taught by the Bible.

In Psalm 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.

The Holy Spirit also has the role of leading us to obey the Mosaic Law under the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Love fulfills the Law of Moses because the goal of everything in it is to teach us how to love God and our neighbor.

In Romans 6:19-23, we are no longer to present ourselves as slaves to impurity, lawlessness, and sin but are now to present ourselves as slaves to God and to righteousness leading to sanctification, and the goal of sanctification is eternal life in Christ, which is the gift of God, so being a doer of the Mosaic Law is God's free gift of eternal life.

 

[dkontner]

It is by the Law of Moses that we have knowledge of what sin is (Romans 3:20) so everyone who hates sin is in favor of obeying the Law of Moses.

In Psalm 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey the Law of Moses, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.

The Bible repeatedly connects our faith in God with our obedience to him because that is the way to have faith in Him, such as with Revelation 14:12 where those who kept faith in Jesus are the same as those who kept God's commandments.

God graciously teaching us to experience being a doer of the Law of Moses is something that God does as part of His gift of salvation to us.

Good luck

 

[Soyeong]

Good luck

Why would I need good luck?

 

[Inquisitor]

Leviticus 19:34
34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and kyou shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Exodus 12:49
49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Numbers 15:16
16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

You quoted the verses I was referring to, thanks Yahshua.

To join the old covenant of Mt Sinai you need to be living in Israel.

Leviticus 19:34
34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and kyou shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Exodus 12:49
49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

Numbers 15:16
16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

You must be living with the Jews and you also need to be circumcised.

That is what the Lord spoke and we will not contradict what He said, will we Yeshua.

 

[Inquisitor]

The Holy Spirit also has the role of leading us to obey the Mosaic Law under the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

Now let's read that verse (Ezekiel 36:26-27) together and see what God is saying about Grace.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone
from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk
in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

And I will give you a new heart

And I will remove the heart of stone

And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules

Who is the one doing this Soyeong?

Are you giving yourself a new heart?

Are you removing your heart of stone?

Who will cause you to obey Christ's law; is that you doing that?

 

[Inquisitor]

You notably neglected to quote where the Bible says those things, so until you do those will be considered to be positions that you have made up that are unrelated to what is taught by the Bible.

In Psalm 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.

The Holy Spirit also has the role of leading us to obey the Mosaic Law under the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Love fulfills the Law of Moses because the goal of everything in it is to teach us how to love God and our neighbor.

In Romans 6:19-23, we are no longer to present ourselves as slaves to impurity, lawlessness, and sin but are now to present ourselves as slaves to God and to righteousness leading to sanctification, and the goal of sanctification is eternal life in Christ, which is the gift of God, so being a doer of the Mosaic Law is God's free gift of eternal life.

Love is a gift of the Holy Spirit a fruit that the Lord produces in you.

Soyeong, it's not your gardening that develops the fruit.

This is the Lord's work through the Holy Spirit not ours.

 

[Inquisitor]

Deuteronomy 6:5
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

Leviticus 19:17-18
17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

^ You mean these ones, which were given at Mt. Sinai?

No the law that was the fulfillment of the written law.

1 John 2:8
On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because
the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.

The true light and not that dull lamp of the law.

The dull lamp said; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself

The true light is shining now and for ever more.

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you
also love one another.

That's the fulfillment, we don't try to love others as we love ourselves but agape love towards
everyone. That agape love is poured into our hearts and that love is produced by the Holy Spirit.
It's not from us.

All things are new now in Jesus Christ.

 

[Gideon300]

It is by the Law of Moses that we have knowledge of what sin is (Romans 3:20) so everyone who hates sin is in favor of obeying the Law of Moses.

In Psalm 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey the Law of Moses, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith.

The Bible repeatedly connects our faith in God with our obedience to him because that is the way to have faith in Him, such as with Revelation 14:12 where those who kept faith in Jesus are the same as those who kept God's commandments.

God graciously teaching us to experience being a doer of the Law of Moses is something that God does as part of His gift of salvation to us.

You have no idea what the true gospel is.

 

[Gideon300]

I was baptized in water in 1970, Jesus baptized me and saved me 2015. Of course I hate sin. Everything (almost) I do in my life goes thru the word of God. When I do wrong, I hate it. I acknowledge it to him and He is faithful to CLEANSE me. I'm nowhere near the same man I was 10 years ago. But that has NOTHING to do with my works or the law. I'm saved by His grace and mercy. Jesus is the author and finisher, I'm just the clay. I'm saved by grace. And yes, Jesus saves us from our sin. If you struggle with it, He can and will help. Am I cleaner than I was 10 years ago? Yes Did I do it? No, Jesus did it. I'm just the clay, not a very good one, but none the less.

We need to be careful, Jesus saves. We are better off teaching faith in Jesus, not do this, don't do this. That said, there is a place for doctrine.

Sound doctrine tells us the function of the law is to lead us to Christ. False doctrine says that we must obey the Law, which was given to Israel, not to gentiles. Acts 15 makes it clear that the Judaisers were wrong to try and impose the law on gentiles.

 

[LeeLoving]

I think we can take from Paul's example that it is no longer necessary to follow the law, since he did not always follow it when spending time with people. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 that he changed his behavior depending on who he was spending time with, in order that he might win some. When he was spending time with those "not under the law" he did not follow it. When he was spending time with those "under the law" he observed it. He writes that he himself is not under the law, though this is not present in every translation.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV​

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

 

[LeeLoving]

I think we can take from Paul's example that it is no longer necessary to follow the law, since he did not always follow it when spending time with people. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 that he changed his behavior depending on who he was spending time with, in order that he might win some. When he was spending time with those "not under the law" he did not follow it. When he was spending time with those "under the law" he observed it. He writes that he himself is not under the law, though this is not present in every translation.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV​

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

I think though it is necessary to follow Jesus' teachings if we are to have eternal life. I agree with OP that it doesn't seem to be Jesus' teaching that eternal life is as simple as "believing in him" given what it says in Matthew 7. I take believing in Jesus as believing in his full revelation as the Messiah which includes believing he was given his words by God to speak which necessitates that we follow his teachings.

Consider what Jesus says here in John 8 (the same gospel as John 3, where Jesus says all those who believe in him will have eternal life):

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

[UnoiAmarah]

Most are blind and cannot distinguish the profound difference in these two covenants.

I agree, there is a profound difference.

17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. Lev 19:17-18

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself:

You must be living with the Jews and you also need to be circumcised.

You might want to reconsider who needs to be circumcised.

Circumcision was the law placed upon Abram and his seed for perpetual generations. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. Gen 17:12

Seeing you are bought for a price according to Paul, Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of them all who are heirs to the promise ... Rom 4:16

You reveal your ignorance by reverting to the Old Testament. If the OT was enough, Jesus died for nothing. If the OT was enough, we would not need the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Rom 13:1-2

 

[Suze]

The law was given to natural Israel , physical descendants of Jacob , the law was not given to gentiles , gentiles r not and have never been under the law . Natural Israel r still under that covenant of the law . We Christians r in the new covenant of grace , through Jesus Christ . It really is that simple .

 

[UnoiAmarah]

the law was not given to gentiles , gentiles r not and have never been under the law

If the gentiles were not under the law of God then why do you think he destroyed them with a flood?