LAW versus GRACE

The law was GIVEN by Moses.

Grace and Truth CAME from Jesus Christ.

(John 1:17)

The law was given by Moses and this giving can be done even from a distance.

The truth came from Jesus Christ and the coming had to be done in person.

The Law was given through a servant - Moses.

But Grace came with the Son of God – Jesus Christ.

In the above passage, we can clearly notice the personal nature and superiority of Grace over the Law.

Grace teaches about who God is. 

Grace reveals the love and mercy of God towards man.

Grace is unmerited favor.

Grace is free and not earned.

Grace makes us the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinth 5:21).

Grace condemns sin (Rom 8:3).

Under grace our sins are forgotten and remembered no more.

The Law teaches what man should do. 

The Law is a rule book of do’s and don’ts.

The Law reveals the penalty for not keeping it.

The Law expects man to keep ALL the commandments to become righteous. 

The Law says – break one, broke all.

The Law condemns the sinner.

Under the law, sin is remembered until the third and fourth generations.

But in today’s church we see a mixture of law and grace being taught and preached.

We preach grace in order to get people saved and then apply the law to keep them saved. 

Paul admonishes in Gal 3:3 – “Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

Remember, new wine (Grace) cannot be put in old wineskins (Law).  The new wine will ferment and swell; it will inflate the old wineskin which is already hard and brittle and then burst open.  The wine and the wineskin will go to waste.

If the law could save us then there is no need for Jesus Christ to die for us.  The law reveals sin but grace rescues from sin.  Jesus Christ FULFILLED the law by taking the full punishment for transgression of the law.

We are saved by grace (unmerited favor) through faith;  Not by works.