Study Guide #2
Grace / Law
Study Guide
In this study series, we present the concepts and evidence for what we have been studying, then pose questions we hope will emphasize helpful ideas, sparking discussion.
This study series focuses on our marriage with God, the wedding rehearsal events, and how our free will is preserved while being God’s partner. We believe that all of the appointed times (God’s festivals listed in Leviticus 23) have meaning and great significance for today and at the end of the age. We believe that the times listed in Daniel 9 all have a meaning at the end of the age. These studies lay the foundation for why we believe this.
Please visit our website, servantsvoice.com, for a link to each of our studies and study guides.
In “Study Guide #1 – God’s Appointed Times,” we explored the Leviticus 23 list of commands to observe the seventh-day Sabbath and multiple annual special days. Those commands are part of the law of God. To many, these sound very legalistic and no longer relevant. Doesn’t Paul, in his letters to the Romans and the Galatians, say that we are now under grace rather than the law?
What is the law?
What is the law? When we open our Bibles and look at the law, what do we think of?
Let’s start with our own perception of the law of God. This first set of questions is to establish what we currently think before looking at what the Bible says. These are your current opinions. Perhaps that might change some as we explore what the Bible says.
Please answer these questions before proceeding. These are just your opinion rather than a quiz reflecting your knowledge of the Bible.
?? List four adjectives to describe your perception of God’s law.
?? Is the law of God good?
?? Is it necessary to keep the law in order to enter Heaven?
?? What is the law?
?? Are the 10 commandments God’s law?
?? Are the appointed times of Leviticus 23 God’s law?
?? Are the sacrifices of lambs, bulls, and doves God’s law?
?? Are the sanitation regulations God’s law?
?? Are the dietary regulations God’s law?
?? Did the law end with the death and resurrection of Jesus?
Definition of the “Law”
Now, let’s see what the Bible has to say about the law.
We start with Paul’s letters while noting apostle Peter’s comments about Paul. We do not want to be one of those who twists things to our own destruction.
?? What does the apostle Peter have to say about what Paul writes? 2 Peter 3:16
Romans 4:15 NET “For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression either.”
?? If there is no law, can there be sinners?
We know that there are sinners. We are sinners ourselves. We know that there are sinners who die the second death. Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NET “But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”
It will be great to have a universe where there is no sin, no disease, no suffering, and no death. According to Paul, it is the law that identifies the sins that cause suffering and death. Here, we show three translations – all saying the same thing, but using different words.
Rom 7:7 NLT – “Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet.’”
Rom 7:7 NIV – “What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”
Romans 7:7 TLV “What shall we say then? Is the Torah sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the Torah. For I would not have known about coveting if the Torah had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”
According to the Bible, the “law of God” can refer to several things, often interconnected. These include the Torah and what is known as the ten commandments, that are a summary of God’s fundamental moral requirements that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20 through 34 and Deuteronomy 5). Jesus further summarized the law when saying the greatest commandments are loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).
The Hebrew word for law is (תּוֹרָה) tôrâ, which we spell as “Torah.” The Torah/Pentateuch refers to the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). In a broad sense, it encompasses the teachings, instructions, and laws given by God to Israel through Moses. The Hebrew word “Torah” is often translated as “law,” but it also means “teaching” or “instruction.”
If you look up the Strong’s reference of H8451, you will find how the King James Version and the lexicons use and define the word. Note that your translation may use different adjectives. The point of this exercise is to compare God and the Law and to note that the same adjectives are used for both.
?? What are the three things that Paul calls the law in Romans 7:12?
?? What adjective is used to describe God in Isaiah 6:3?
Holy
?? What adjective is used to describe God in Psalms 145:17?
Righteous
?? What adjective is used to describe God in Luke 18:19?
Good
?? How is the law described in Psalms 119:75?
Just
?? How is the law described in Psalms 119:129?
Upright
?? What adjectives are used to describe God in Deuteronomy 32:4?
Just Upright
?? How is God described in John 14:6?
Way Truth Life
?? How is the law described in Psalms 119:142 and 151?
True
?? What does Deuteronomy 30:15-16 as the result of walking in the ways of the law?
Life and prosperity
?? How is the law described in Psalms 19:7?
Perfect
?? How is God described in Matthew 5:48?
Perfect
?? How is the law described in 1 John 5:3?
Not grievous
?? How is God described in Matthew 11:30?
Easy
?? How is the law described in Romans 13:8, 10?
Kept by loving
?? How is God described in 1 John 4:8?
Known by loving
?? How is the law described in Psalms 19:8?
Pure
?? How is God described in 1 John 3:3?
Pure
?? How is the law described in Romans 7:14?
Spiritual
?? How is God described in John 4:24?
Spiritual
?? How is the law described in Matthew 5:18?
Unchanging
?? How is God described in Malachi 3:6?
Unchanging
?? How is the law described in Psalms 111:7-8?
Eternal
?? How is God described in Genesis 21:33?
Eternal
?? How is the law described in Psalms 119:105?
Light
?? How is God described in John 8:12?
Light
Consider the idea that the law is an expression of who God is.
The law is a set of ideas that protect from the consequences of sin; here are the boundaries within which there is safety. Step over this edge, and the law of physics says you will fall. The law of inertia says that the sudden stop at the bottom will cause death. God seems to have given us the law not to assert His authority but to, instead, protect us from actions that will have dire consequences.
Why did God give His chosen people laws about diet, sanitation, and rest? Were those laws given to protect against disease, or just because God likes to make rules?
In Eden, God told Adam and Eve that eating of the tree in the center of the orchard would cause death when they did. Genesis 2:16-17, 3:3.
When they ate the forbidden fruit, they stepped over the edge. It has been a long fall. At the bottom of the long fall is the second death. The trajectory they entered that day resulted in not just their own deaths but the deaths of billions, and many of them in the most horrible of ways. Ignoring God’s simple commands can have consequences that we cannot fathom.
The law was simple. Don’t eat of the featured tree in the middle of the garden. The consequences of that action affect us today.
Now, we look at what the apostle Paul has to say about the law.
Paul and the Law
Keep in mind what Peter says about Paul. 2 Peter 3:16.
It is important to look at Romans 6:14 in context, else we may be swayed by those who would twist the Scriptures.
Romans 6:14 NET “For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.”
While referencing the verses we have already looked at and Romans 6:1-23, find the answers to the following questions.
?? Does Paul tell us we are to remain in sin? v1-2
?? Can we know what sin is without knowing the law? Romans 7:7
?? Who is the old man that Paul is referencing in v6?
?? Is it the old man or the new man that is no longer under the law?
?? Who or what are the righteous obedient to in v16?
?? What happens to the person who breaks the law? v16
?? Is the person obedient to sin saved by grace? v16
Now, look at Romans 7:
?? How long is the law relevant to the person who knows the law? v1
?? Do you know the law?
?? What have we died to that allows us to be released from the law? v6
Trying to earn salvation by works will always result in failure because it is impossible to obey the law – unless God lives in us. If we allow our sinful nature to die, then our old selfish self dies and we are born anew with God living in us. The new us, the ones who have God living in us, are no longer under the law because we are in harmony with the law. We are one with God. Embracing the law is embracing God. Our relationship with God is a relationship with the law that protects us and gives us life. The law is no longer a curse for us even as it is our guardian.
This same idea is repeated by Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Paul emphasizes that we are not saved by obedience but rather by faith. What is the definition of faith that Paul is using?
In Galatians 3:23, 25, Paul is defining ‘faith’ as accepting the transformation that happens within us when we heed the Spirit of God. Jesus set the example. Jesus invites us to be led by the Spirit.
To make this clear, we will paraphrase what Paul says.
Galatians 3:23-26 NET Now before faith (our acceptance of God into our lives) came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith (of Jesus transforming us) would be revealed. (24) Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith (by believing that we have been forgiven and cleansed). (25) But now that faith (our acceptance of and obedience to God in our lives) has come, we are no longer under a guardian (the protection of the law). (26) For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith (Jesus living in us).
Here in Galatians, Paul is using the word “faith” as something that transforms us, washing away our unrighteousness and bringing us into harmony with God. How do we know that this is what Paul means? We need to compare this passage with Paul’s other letters to get the full picture of how Paul describes faith, grace, and the law.
?? Does Paul negate the law in Romans 3:31?
?? Does Paul negate the law in Romans 2:13?
?? Does Paul negate the law in Romans 7:12?
?? Has Paul negated the law in his own life? Romans 7:22
?? Does Paul negate the law in 1 Corinthians 7:19?
The key to understanding Paul is found in 1 Timothy where he clarifies who he is saying is free from the law. In his letter to Timothy, Paul makes a very important clarification about the law and grace. When we understand the caveat that Paul includes here, then we can understand what he means when he talks about faith, law, and grace.
?? Does Paul negate the law in 1 Timothy 1:8-11?
?? Are sinners righteous?
This obviously raises the question of who is righteous and if it is even possible to be righteous?
Romans 3:23 NET “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We need to look to 1 John for clarification.
1 John 1:8-10 NET “If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.”
?? What does verse 9 say we should do?
?? And according to verse 9, if we do this, what will God do in response?
This idea of confessing sins is found in multiple places in the Bible. We have a specific example of how this is done in Daniel 9:4-20. It is the longest prayer in the Bible. It is what 1 John says needs to happen and that, if we do, God will cleanse us from all sin. Paul says that this will make us free from the consequences of the law. And, we trust that God will forgive us and accept our confession.
Jesus and the Law
Jesus also addresses the law.
Matthew 5:17-20 NET “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. (18) I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. (19) So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (20) For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!”
?? What did Jesus say he did not come to do? v17
Jesus came to fulfill the law. What does “fulfill” mean? In English, we often use the word “fulfill” to mean “complete” or “to end.” Yet, that cannot be what “fulfill” means here, as it would contradict the first half of the sentence. So, we look at the Greek. Using the skills we learned in Study Guide #1, we look at an interlinear Bible to see what we can learn.
Look in BlueLetterBible.org for Matthew 5:17. Click “Tools,” then “Interlinear,” then scroll down to the word for “fulfill.” Click on the Strong’s reference number G4137.
Strong’s shows the root Greek word of (πληρόω) plēroō. The actual word is (πληρωσαι) plēroō-say, which is the past tense of plēroō.
“Show All” on the Thayer lexicon section where you can find this as one of the definitions of fulfill:
(You should review the lexicons and dictionaries for the word to decide for yourself what the best definition that does not contradict the first half of the sentence said by Jesus.)
Thus, verse 17 would read:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to [perform my duty as appointed by God].
Jesus goes on to say that every part of the law is still applicable and relevant to us today and that the law will not go away.
?? In verse 18, what does Jesus say will disappear before the law does?
There are also laws in Heaven. Lucifer’s pride would not have been a sin without a law to violate. Once evil is terminated, the law will still exist. Free will continues to exist. The freedom to sin continues to exist. If free will is lost when we go to Heaven, then God could have skipped 100 billion deaths and the whole sin thing. The law is there to inform all about what the boundaries of life are. Even in Heaven, there are boundaries. Embracing the limitations brings us life. Embracing the limitations is embracing God. Do not fear; the yoke is easy. Matthew 11:30.
Grace
Now, let’s consider what the role of grace is and if grace does away with the law. In 1 Timothy 1:8-11 we see that the consequences of the law are of no concern to the righteous. In Romans 6:14-23, Paul tells us that those who are slaves to God are no longer slaves to sin (verse 18).
?? Why are the consequences of violating the law of no concern for the righteous?
?? Does the law condemn the person who does not break the law?
?? Will sinners die the second death?
?? What is the difference between the righteous and the sinner?
?? We have all sinned. Does the law require our death for our prior sins?
We have all sinned. Anyone who denies that they have sinned is a liar. 1 John 1:8-10
Sinners will die the second death. Revelation 21:8.
If we confess our sins and seek forgiveness for our sins, God will forgive us and cleanse us from all sin. 1 John 1:9
Why are we not held accountable for our confessed and forgiven sins? Because of grace.
Grace does not save the sinner who will not confess their sins, who will not accept the Spirit who transforms them into an obedient slave of God. Rather, grace saves those who choose to allow God to inhabit them and make them obedient. Romans 6:12, 16. If we only read Romans 6:14 while ignoring the surrounding verses, the other parts of the Bible, and Jesus, then we twist what Paul is saying to our own destruction.
Jesus wants us to be like Him. That is, to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. Galatians 5:22-23
?? If we allow the Spirit of God to live within us, then do we worry about dying the second death? Galatians 5:18
It is by God’s grace that the righteous do not die the second death because of their sins. By God’s grace, Jesus lived as a human, setting the example of what we become when we are led by the Spirit. By God’s grace, all things are possible, including God’s transformation of a sinner into a righteous person. God gives us a new heart when we choose to let God live within us and refuse to allow sin to rule within us. Your salvation is assured when you choose to allow God to transform you.
It is impossible for us to comply with the law by our own effort. However, when you choose God – accept God, not only in words but in deed – you are assured salvation.
?? Does the grace described by Paul save all who profess the name of Jesus?
Titus 1:16; Matthew 7:21-23
Grace does not eliminate or replace the law. Rather, grace allows those who are led by the Spirit to escape the consequences of their past sins. The law still condemns those who are obedient to sin. Romans 6:21. Also, consider: Jude 1:4; 2 Timothy 3:5-8; Hosea 8:2-3; Isaiah 29:13.
Read 1 John 3:18-24.
?? What do we have if our conscience does not condemn us? v21
?? What do we receive from God? v22
?? Why do we receive these things? v22
?? What does the person whom God resides in do? v24
Conclusion
I am under grace, not the law. This is true if I am righteous. This is not true if I am an unrepentant sinner. If I confess my sins and seek forgiveness I am righteous. I am righteous if I obey God’s commandments in deed. I cannot obey the commandments on my own. However, if I choose to be led by His Spirit, then I am righteous and I am assured that God’s grace will free me from the law that condemns my sins.
Jesus tells us that the law is not a burden. The law is the guardian who is there to protect us from evil. When all of my thoughts and actions are based on loving God and loving my neighbor, when all of my thoughts and actions are in harmony with His commandments, and when I consider the dietary and sanitary regulations as there to protect my health and well being, then I love what the law is and what it does. When I consider the law to be who God is and all of the law to be there to enhance my relationship with God, then I, like David, delight in the law.
Grace is God’s gift to those who are led by the Spirit. God offers this gift of grace to all sinners.
?? Do you accept the grace of God, knowing that, when you do, it will transform you and bring you into harmony with the law? Do you accept and uphold His values, knowing that by your deeds, you will know if you have the truth within you and will be righteous and assured of salvation?
Please visit our website servantsvoice.com for a link to each of our studies and study guides.