The understanding about the difference between Mosaic law and Christian Grace being of the most importance, the devil has ensured this subject has been thoroughly confused and darkened behind a mist of religiosity. The bible teaches clearly that Christ has fulfilled the law. But through the backdoor it's been earned again. Others, on another hand, abuse grace as a pretense for their particular aims. Real estate law
Scripture itself states: "You are saved by grace through faith and that not out of you; it's the gift of God." Luther learned that clearly. We cannot save ourselves through our good works. One sin is enough to precipitate you into hell, for God is absolutely holy and cannot have anything regarding sin. So it will be never a concern of the good outweighing the bad. We're sinners to the bone and need the grace of Christ. We are able to only be saved by virtue of His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.
Abraham wasn't underneath the law of Sinai. He was under God's mercy, a grace within view of Grace following the Cross. David understood that there is a greater law, the main one of grace, when he pronounced that "blessed is the individual whose sins have now been forgiven, whose transgressions have now been atoned for." He was twice guilty of death under Mosaic law, however the Spirit of God gave him a vision of God's Love.
Israel was underneath the law by their particular choice. "All that God demands, we will do." Mosaic law was never imposed upon the heathen. If a gentile wanted to approach God, he'd to become Jewish. The temple was meant to be always a light for the nations, however the Jews--certainly in the full time of Jesus--wanted to help keep it for themselves.
The negative side of what the law states was so it only exposed sin such as a light uncovers vermin. Mosaic law doesn't save. All of the sacrifices earned ancient times were but pictures of Christ's sacrifice. "The blood of goats and rams doesn't atone." The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, calls the things of what the law states simply "the principles of the world" ;.All philosophies and man-made theologies are forms of law. And the proponents themselves couldn't keep them in a consequent fashion.
The positive side of Mosaic law was so it gave one wisdom, knowledge and insight and up till today, to some degree, the moral laws of for example Leviticus 18 are still binding; without the punishment of death obviously on adultery, homosexual practices and other sins.
The apostle Paul writes in chapter 8 of the epistle to the Romans: "The law of the spirit of living in Christ Jesus has saved me from what the law states of sin and death." Grace, then, is a unique law, what the law states of Christ. For "The law came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ" ;.The law of Moses may be the harbinger of sin and death. It provokes to sin and its judgment is death. It proclaims: "Cursed is he that doesn't stay in all that's written in the law." Certainly, in terms of Mosaic law is concerned, we are all accursed and doomed for eternity. Alone already because of the tenth commandment. The entire world thinks: "It is OK to consider the menu, as long as you eat at home." But when you're angry with your fellow man, then you have already murdered him in your heart, as Jesus explains in the Sermon on the Mount.
As far as the concept is concerned any particular one must first become proven to oneself through what the law states of Moses and then, hopefully, find grace; that goes too far. The murderer on the cross got converted by simply witnessing Christ Himself. One must go right to Christ the moment possible, not with a (long) method of gloom and doom. That is clearly the message to the Galatians. Actually, Paul states, if you wish to help keep what the law states (also in addition to grace) then you preach another gospel and you bring yourself not just underneath the curse of what the law states, but in addition underneath the curse of Christ. (That does however not mean that everybody that believes this, is lost. But most certainly are, because their theology prevents them from true conversion ((which in a way they confirm themselves))... )
Christ is the exact same Person, both in the O.T. as in the N.T. So He was for Abraham and Enoch before that. Abraham, Jesus said, looked for His glorious Day and for the City built without hands and he found it. Nevertheless the Israelites, in their pride and false self-assurance, boldly proclaimed that they would fulfill God's holy demands. They fell from grace, as it were. Paul warns and convicts the Galatians of an identical thing. He points them the way to the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, forbearing with emotions, usefulness, goodness, faith, humbleness, temperance. Against such things there's no law, but those of Christ have crucified the flesh (that may be the 'old man, the initial Adam') alongside the passions and (wrong) desires." Elsewhere he states: "Love may be the bond of all laws" ;.Combined this holds out for us that whenever we have the love of Christ inside our hearts we fulfill all laws and nothing could be held against us. Obviously this was primarily true of Jesus Himself, but we can study on Him.
