The Law on stone has no power to save, only to convict.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The speed limit sign indicates the maximum speed allowed. If you go over the speed limit, you become a law breaker. When you stand before the court the speed limit is presented along with your speed, which leads to a guilty verdict. You can tell the judge that, from that moment on you will obey the speed limit if he finds you not guilty, but obedience to a law does not justify a past violation, only grace can.
When we stand before the Law of God we are all pronounced guilty.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Through Jesus we receive grace. Grace disarms the Law's power to convict of sin because Jesus removes our guilty verdict when we're in Christ.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Sin is still active in our lives but, through grace, it no longer has power in itself to separate us from God.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The sting or consequence of sin is death but the strength of sin is the convicting power of the Law.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin comes from the Law.
When we're in Christ we are not under the Law's convicting power because the Law is for sinners.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.
The moment we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior He cleanses us of all sin and we stand righteouse and clean before God's Law. This takes away all the power of the Law to convict of sin and bring death. But this state of being clean is NOT a one time act of God, but rather, a continued work in our lives.
Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
When we receive that first cleansing we become a new creation. God wipes our slate clean but it's up to us to keep it clean.
1 John 3:2-7 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Whoever has the hope purifies himself just as Jesus is pure. Whoever is born of God practices righteousness. When we fail to practice righteousness, for whatever reason, we put ourselves back under the condemning power of the Law until we confess it to God and allow God to cleans us again.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
There is a death process that takes place in our lives when we sin, death is not instantaneous. Listen closely...
Jmes 1:14-15 Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted just like we are and yet He never sinned. But when we begin to nurture and feed that temptation in our imagination it will give birth and that birth will be a sin, but we're not dead yet. When we continue in that new born sin and it begins to mature and grow into something that over powers God's conviction it will bring death.
The important thing to understand is that from the time the desire is conceived to the time it brings death, God is working in us to deliver us from it.
Remember, the warning of sin is not really to stop sinning. Who can? But rather, the warning of sin is not to let it harden your heart. A hard heart is one that has stopped hearing from God.
Hebrews 3:12-15 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today,'' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.''
It's all about relationships built on truth and love.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The speed limit sign indicates the maximum speed allowed. If you go over the speed limit, you become a law breaker. When you stand before the court the speed limit is presented along with your speed, which leads to a guilty verdict. You can tell the judge that, from that moment on you will obey the speed limit if he finds you not guilty, but obedience to a law does not justify a past violation, only grace can.
When we stand before the Law of God we are all pronounced guilty.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Through Jesus we receive grace. Grace disarms the Law's power to convict of sin because Jesus removes our guilty verdict when we're in Christ.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Sin is still active in our lives but, through grace, it no longer has power in itself to separate us from God.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
The sting or consequence of sin is death but the strength of sin is the convicting power of the Law.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin comes from the Law.
When we're in Christ we are not under the Law's convicting power because the Law is for sinners.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.
The moment we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior He cleanses us of all sin and we stand righteouse and clean before God's Law. This takes away all the power of the Law to convict of sin and bring death. But this state of being clean is NOT a one time act of God, but rather, a continued work in our lives.
Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
When we receive that first cleansing we become a new creation. God wipes our slate clean but it's up to us to keep it clean.
1 John 3:2-7 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Whoever has the hope purifies himself just as Jesus is pure. Whoever is born of God practices righteousness. When we fail to practice righteousness, for whatever reason, we put ourselves back under the condemning power of the Law until we confess it to God and allow God to cleans us again.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
There is a death process that takes place in our lives when we sin, death is not instantaneous. Listen closely...
Jmes 1:14-15 Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted just like we are and yet He never sinned. But when we begin to nurture and feed that temptation in our imagination it will give birth and that birth will be a sin, but we're not dead yet. When we continue in that new born sin and it begins to mature and grow into something that over powers God's conviction it will bring death.
The important thing to understand is that from the time the desire is conceived to the time it brings death, God is working in us to deliver us from it.
Remember, the warning of sin is not really to stop sinning. Who can? But rather, the warning of sin is not to let it harden your heart. A hard heart is one that has stopped hearing from God.
Hebrews 3:12-15 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today,'' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.''
It's all about relationships built on truth and love.
Last edited:
