The Law is Dead

“Is it not wonderful news to believe that salvation lies outside ourselves?”- Martin Luther

            Throughout the history of the church, there has been somewhat of a dispute between believers as to the true nature of an individual’s salvation in Christ, and ultimate route to the eternal kingdom in Heaven. There are those who claim that, while Christ sacrificed himself for us, it is still up to us to live good and pleasing lives here on earth in order to gain our salvation. This legalistic approach to the Gospel causes people to drive themselves crazy ensuring that at the appointed time when they go before of their Savior, He will tell them that they lived good enough lives to join Him in eternity forever. This point of view places salvation primarily on the individual, instead of on the Savior who already sacrificed His life for all mankind. The individual, therefore, takes away from the sacrifice of Christ by implying that Christ’s death only did half the job, the real task of salvation is up to each individual person pursuing it. This is an idea that Dietrich Bonheoffer, in The Cost of Discipleship, refers to as ‘Cheap Grace,’ because we ultimately take away from the costliness of Christ’s sacrifice.

            Opposite this view is one that places the salvation and sanctification of all who believe on the sacrifice that Christ made for all mankind. This view is one in which humans ultimately place all of their hope and faith in Christ, that through His death and resurrection we ultimately have no bonds or chains to sin, evil, or any ill-contempt that worldliness can throw our way. We are freed, wholly and completely, through Christ, and we have no need for anything else but Him. Christ died for us on the cross so that the weight upon our shoulders would be lifted, and the cup of wrath, which was meant for US, was poured out upon Him on Golgotha. Dietrich Bonheoffer refers to this type of salvation as ‘Costly Grace,’ because while it is free for anyone who chooses to believe in it fully, it cost Christ everything. The amazing thing about Costly Grace is that Christ genuinely and willfully desired to humble himself to death, that all of His creation may take solace in him, and be able to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. While it cost Him everything, there was nothing He would have rather done more than offer it to us.

            Now, we can listen to philosophers, biblical scholars, theologians, or even college students writing a blog, but what ultimately matters it the authority of Christ’s word and what the Bible says about the subject.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…. And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”- John 1: 14, 16-17

            What John is saying here is that, Christ became flesh, He made himself fully human (while remaining fully God), and dwelt among His creation full of grace and truth. John is saying that while Christ came down to the earth, His purpose was to spill out the grace and truth, which embodied Him, through the spilling of His own blood. To continue, John says that from the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice and ministry, we receive our grace through Him, not through anything else. We received the law through Moses, which once was necessary to abide by, but Christ has come to abolish the Law, and establish His Eternal Kingdom through His own sacrifice and outpouring of grace. He gives us the only truth we need, the truth of His sacrifice and grace. OUR SALVATION COMES THROUGH CHRIST, AND CHRIST ALONE, NOTHING ELSE.    

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”-Galatians 3: 10-14

            Paul is attempting to tell the Galatians, and all believers, that those who still rely on the Law after the Sacrifice of Christ are cursed and will surely circumvent the grace, which was meant for them. There are plenty of professing Christians who do not rely solely on the grace of God to attain their salvation, and who believe it is still their duty to somehow grasp it. What Paul wants believers to comprehend is that those who live under the Law can never fulfill it because we are all imperfect beings, but Christ became the curse for us, he removed our imperfections and defeated any lingering effects the curse may have on us so that we may be saved. The problem has now become that people still desire to live under the curse because they do not full trust that Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient. What Paul says here is that Christ’s sacrifice is beyond sufficient for anyone to receive Salvation, all we must do is believe, it’s that simple. BELIEVE AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED. Christ has taken care of everything, there is nothing left for you to do. Our chains are gone, our sins have been washed clean, and the Holy Spirit has come as our guide for all things.

            If you take anything from this blog this is what I pray it is: When you try to add to Christ’s sacrifice, you ultimately take away from it because you cheapen what it cost for Him to forgive you. You take away from His sacrifice by thinking there is anything you could possibly do to achieve something which is only possibly through Christ. All the work has been done, you just have to surrender to Christ, and His will. There is nothing else possible to do, so stop trying. The blood has been spilled, now all you must do is believe. That is the only action necessary.

            I pray that you begin to trust God completely, and let go of any self-reliance, which is unnecessary in life. The only reliance needed is total reliance on God, which is only attainable through belief in Him. Essentially, just believe.

God Bless,

Trip Starkey