If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments

We'll turn on any Christian radio station on your way home from work, or any Sunday morning mainstream Christian TV program. You'll quickly see that there's a topic that's common amongst all Christian mainstream churches. While you'll see a variety of topics, no doubt, there's one topic, one message, that inevitably they will gravitate to at some point.

And that's the topic of grace. Grace. We all know that Christ came and died for us, and that sacrifice enabled our sins to be forgiven. The sacrifice paid the penalty of sin for all of mankind. The penalty was death. Romans 6. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. In Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 2. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

So Christ paid this death penalty for our sin, and through that sacrifice, grace was given as a gift, an undeserved favor from God. It includes the gift of forgiveness, which we're deeply appreciative of, God's grace and forgiveness made possible through that incredible sacrifice. But mainstream Christianity preachers will then also then move their focus to God's law.

You will hear them say that not only did God give mankind something, but that he also took away something at the same time. They say God gave us mankind this gift of grace, but that he also took away the law. They say that Christ's coming and sacrificing His body, that act gave mankind grace. But that act also took away the need for the obedience to the law. They say that act took away the need to obey that law given by Moses to the Israelites.

About a week and a half ago, I heard a preacher say, let me quote, Brethren, you have to let go of the thought that good works can save you. He said, you have to let go of the thinking that there's anything that you can do of and by yourself to earn salvation. Salvation, he said, is a gift that the method by which you obtain this gift is simply upon calling upon his name. Believe in him. Simply call upon his name. Believe is your Savior and accept his grace.

End of quote. So the music comes in and the message ends. Now there is some truth to those words. Grace is a gift. This is true. Salvation cannot be earned. This is true. But you'll hear them say the words, call upon his name solely, putting forth the message that the law has been done away with. They, mainstream Christianity, have erroneously attached to the statements that belief in Christ and through his sacrifice that the law was done away with.

They say that the law was nailed to the cross. You've no doubt heard that phrase. But this is no doubt one of the most blatantly false teachings of Christ's ministry. They have put forth the misunderstanding of how the law of God relates to the grace of God, both given by him, both incredible gifts.

The approach of most of the churches and denominations regarding Jesus is that he brought a new teaching, one that was considerably different than that of the Old Testament law. The common view is that the teachings of Christ in the New Testament annulled and replaced the teachings of the Old Testament.

But the Bible warns of that kind of teaching. Let's turn there. Let's turn to Jude 1, verse 3, for our first Scripture. Jude 1 and verse 3. Let's see of this warning. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

For certain men have creeped in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out of condemnation, ungodly men, who turned the grace of God into lewdness, leshiviousness, and deny the only Lord God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn the grace of God into lewdness. They often turn to the New Testament Scripture, a New Testament Scripture where their eyes go that say that those 10 commandments, those specific 10 commandments, were replaced.

Let's see that Scripture. Matthew 22 and verse 34. But when the Pharisees heard that he was silenced by the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him and saying, teacher, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said to them, You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. All these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. So many believe that at this moment, two new great commandments were given. They say that replaced the specific 10 commandments.

They say these new commandments are a decree by Christ, and now that the 10 commandments are done away with, Christ is giving this all-encompassing commandment to set the foundation for mankind's spiritual foundation upon. You and I know there's no greater way to love God, to show God our love than from the first of the four commandments.

Right? No way to love man more than to keep the last six of the 10 commandments. But they say within these two new commandments now lies the individual's power to determine if and how they want to worship God. There's no longer, they say, a specific law that guides them with the 10 commandments done away with and with that belief. Now I can determine what loving God means, they say. So with this belief, I suppose it doesn't matter which day of the week that you worship God on.

You know, Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, it doesn't matter. With the specific 10 commandments done away with, really, I'm worshiping God, right? I'm showing Him my love in my own way. With that belief, we might say that it really doesn't matter if we keep God's holy days or the holidays. After all, what's important is that I'm honoring and loving God. Isn't that the most important thing? I've been, many have been told this belief that the law was nailed to the cross since a very early age, and it's how I want to worship God.

Many base their foundation in spiritual wellness upon the belief that God allows the individual to determine what loving God means and what loving your neighbor means. So with this blanket belief, we find mainstream Christianity with a wide variety of opinions and views of what it means to be a Christian. What Christ's sacrifice really meant.

If you place the authority, that authority in the hands of mankind, you see you no longer have an absolute truth. Whatever works for you is fine as long as there's love. You know how I, they'll say honor and worship God if that works for me, if it's different from how you worship God, well that's fine for you, even if it's different. You've no doubt heard that. I've had those conversations with individuals. If it's different, you'll find however best way you see to worship God as long as there's love.

But how does the Bible describe love for God? John 14, verse 16, if you love me, keep my commandments. The false message that the Ten Commandments have been done away with is exactly what Satan is inspiring to put forth. He wants mankind to decide between right and wrong. Satan wants mankind to deem how they want to worship God if they worship him. Putting the power in mankind's hands was one of his very first objectives. Very first objectives. Let's see that. Turn to Genesis 3, verse 1. Genesis 3, verse 1. It's always good to go back to Genesis to set a foundation. Genesis 3, verse 1. Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but not the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die. For God knows in that day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened.

You will be like God, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree desirable to make one wise, she took of the fruit and ate.

She also gave to her husband with her and he ate.

So verse 6 there, this is the moment in which mankind took into their own hands how they were going to worship God. Mankind could now decide between right and wrong, decide if and how they were going to obey God. And it's that same lie that he proposed way back in the Garden of Eden is the same lie that's being broadcast today, 2012.

What a powerful lie it is. Eve didn't listen to God when he commanded her not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And again, from that time, Satan has been broadcasting the lie that through Christ's sacrifice, then the law was annulled.

A lie that grace being extended to us, now the law is no longer in effect.

As we know, Satan always mixes a little truth with the evil. We heard that in the sermonette.

The truth is that you and I can't earn salvation. That's true. But then to take the erroneous jump to just calling upon Christ's name, and then you determine how you want to worship God.

You, Eve, you determine between good and evil.

So what's our view on this matter? Are we prepared to defend this truth that the law is not done away with? There will come a time when we no doubt will have to defend this belief that the law is alive and that Christ did not come to do away with it, and that his words meant it when he said... Let's turn there. Matthew 5 verse 17.

Let's see what his direct words are about it. Matthew 5 verse 17. Christ on words, Do not think I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For surely I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot, not one tittle, by no means will pass from the law until it is fulfilled.

Whosoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men to do so shall be called least in the kingdom of God. But whosoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

They say this word, fulfilled, there means to do away with.

We know the Greek word means to fulfill. It means to magnify. Magnify. Fill to the brim.

Why would God call those who keep and teach His law great? Why would He call the ones who will be great in the kingdom if He was coming to do away with them? Did He say, Do not think I came to destroy the law and the prophets? I didn't come to destroy it, I came to do away with it. No, of course not. It wouldn't make much sense.

In verse 19 there says, Do them and teach them. This speaks to us, knowing this and being able to defend this truth and witnessing it to the world. Are we prepared to do so?

That's what we're going to look at today. We're going to look at Jesus Christ and by looking closely at who Christ is, we'll see that everything about His life, everything about His existence, points to the very law that they say He came to do away with. We'll also look at Paul.

Look at Paul's writings and we'll see that through Paul's writings it supported Christ teaching in every way as well. So let's first look at who Christ is and as we go through this, we'll see through His existence how we should view and how we should defend the law. Let's turn to John 1 in verse 1. John 1 verse 1 to begin. Who is Christ? John 1 verse 1.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And He was in the beginning with God, all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. So let's see who this one called the Word was. Skip down to verse 14. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, and the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So here Christ is identified, we know, as the Son of God. It says He's the Creator God, made flesh, the one who would become Jesus Christ. You know, previously with God the Father since the beginning. Christ in the flesh, having the glory as with God the Father from eternity's past. Always in existing. So this clearly shows that the Word was God and dwelt with the Father until He later became Jesus Christ. It says here that He was full of, in verse 14, full of grace and truth, and isn't that what we're looking for today and searching for today? How this gift of grace and the truth about who Christ is points to the very law that was given.

So it points out here, John points out that the divine Word through whom God created, all things, all things were made through Him. Without Him nothing was made that was made.

So the Word was the one who would become Jesus Christ. He became flesh. And so now looking to the Word, first and foremost, is the perfect place to start as we begin to look at what His view of the law was. What was the example that He gave? Genesis 1-1. Let's go back there. Genesis 1-1. Let's see what example He gave. Genesis 1 in verse 1. The very first examples.

Jesus Christ before He came flesh. Genesis 1-1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. This was the Word. So as we see the Creator, God here, the Word, the One who would become Jesus Christ. Skip down to verse 26. Genesis 1-26. And then God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So this describes God with the Word both divine, both presiding over the creation. So with the establishment that Jesus Christ is our Creator, the same One whom the world says did away with the law. Let's see what is one of His very first examples He shows us to be inspired in Genesis. Genesis 2 verse 1.

Genesis 2-1. Thus the heavens and the earth and all the hosts in them were finished. And on the seventh day, God ended His work, which He had done. And He rested on the seventh day from all His work, which He had done. And God blessed the seventh day, sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work, which God had created and made. The Word, the One who would later become Jesus Christ, setting one of the very first examples with regards to the law. He stopped.

Stopped creating, sanctified the seventh day. The Sabbath. What is the fourth commandment?

Let me just read it with you. Is this the one that Christ came to do away with?

Exodus 20 verse 8. Let me just read it to you. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you should labor and do all your work, but in the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

You know, as we go through these scriptures today, we'll come across scriptures where we could all just close our Bibles. And I say drive safely and everyone goes home because they're so clear. They're all right here. That Christ did not come to do away with the law.

Very first example here. He came to magnify it.

We might call these scriptures drive safely scriptures where we could all just go home, and the Bible is full of these scriptures. We'll see. So an example we see here from the Creator showing us the fourth commandment in his example. The commandments were always in effect. Let's move forward to another pivotal time where God the Creator becomes God the Lawgiver, his first encounter with Moses. Was it God the Father who encountered Moses, or was it the Word, the one who would later become Jesus Christ? Just as in the first century, few people can understand who Christ is. Let's turn to John 8 verse 48. John 8, 48.

See if we can establish this. John 8, 48. The Jews were gathered around Christ and they were asking Him, who are you? They had no idea of his real identity, the one they were speaking to. Unfortunately, just like many today. John 8 verse 48.

Now we know you have a demon. Abraham is dead and the prophets and you say, if anyone keeps my word, he shall never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?

And the prophets are dead? Who do you make yourself out to be?

So by Christ saying here, He says, keep his word, they should never taste death. This no doubt infuriated the Jews there. Furiated them. Verse 54. Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father who honors me, of whom you say is your God.

Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you. But I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad. And the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old. Have you seen Abraham?

And Jesus said to them, Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. And they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. And so, verse 56 here, your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and it was glad. How is that possible? Because Abraham had lived two thousand years before Christ's birth. So when they heard that, he said, You are not fifty years old. Have you seen Abraham? And he responded, Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. So what is Christ saying here? He was declaring his existence preceded that of Abraham. He used the words, I am. And the Jews were very familiar with those words. These words go back to Moses' first encounter with God at the burning bush. Let's see that. Exodus 3, verse 13.

So we can put that together. Exodus 3, verse 13. Who was there with Moses at the burning bush?

Exodus 3, verse 13. We'll break into Scripture here. Moses was concerned of how the Israelites were going to accept him and accept his commission that God had laid before him.

Then Moses said to God, Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, the God of your fathers have sent to me. And they said to me, What is his name?

What shall I say to them? Let's see what God's reply was. Verse 14. And God said to Moses, I am who I am. He said that you shall say to the children of God, I am has sent to you, has sent me to you. So where Christ was responding to the Jews there in John 8, they asked him, Who do you make yourself out to be? He said, I am. So now we can link that to the word here, encountering Moses for the first time. What was the answer? Who shall I say sent me? You tell them I am, has sent you. Jesus Christ is the I am of the Bible, the guiding rock that Moses and the children of Israel out of the wilderness. So the I am, the word, the one who would later become Jesus Christ, dealt directly with those in the Old Testament. He was the spokesman of God the Father. So let's see the one who would become Jesus Christ at Mount Sinai. Exodus 20, verse 1. Exodus 20, verse 1. We're looking at what are the examples that Christ gave us with regards to the law? What was his view? Certainly shouldn't that be our view?

Exodus 20, verse 1. And God spoke these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. So here speaking is the word, the very Creator. And he goes on to give the Ten Commandments. Let's skip down to verse 18. And all the people witnessed the thunderings and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet to the mountain smoking. And when they saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. And they said to Moses, you speak with us and we will hear, but let not God speak to us, lest we die. And Moses said to the people, do not fear, for God has come to test you and that his fear may be before you, so that you may not sin. So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near in the thick darkness where God was. So this is the word. One who would later become Jesus Christ, giving the Ten Commandments, causing those there to be so fearful. They pled with Moses, you speak with us. We'll have him speak with us. And the word inspired Moses to say, put that fear before you so as to do what?

How should we use that fear? So that you may not sin. The words saying, fear my words, here's the law, use that fear to not break any of them. Don't break this law, use that fear. Set it before you.

The one who would become Jesus Christ in the flesh, saying, use that so that you don't break any of these commandments, which I just gave you. Drive safely. You know, this is another one of those scriptures. It's so clear. And this is the one whom they say later came to do away with the law.

Think of the strength of that lie that Satan put forth there in the garden.

Eve, you choose that fruit. You decide what is good and evil. You decide how God should be obeyed, as deemed by your intelligence, Eve. Deuteronomy 30, verse 11. Deuteronomy 30, verse 11.

Verse 11. Let's just make it crystal clear here.

Deuteronomy 30, verse 11. For this commandment which I give you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it afar off. It is not in heaven that you should say, who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it, nor is it beyond the sea that you should say, who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it.

The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. It's not a mystery. We see the commandment here. Love the Lord your God. How? Keep His commandments.

So, so far we've seen the law established through Christ's pre-flesh existence, as Him as the creator, as Him as the lawgiver, but let's continue. You know, the word became flesh. After that, what was His example? Did He bring a new teaching at that time? Something different? Let's see this, and we'll look at His physical flesh part of His life and see how it looked. We'll see that living a sinless life in the flesh was a requirement of fulfilling the very purpose that He came in the flesh, obeying that law, not breaking that law, a sinless life. It was essential for Christ to live that sinless life. Let's go over to 2 Corinthians 5 verse 20 and see this. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 20. Look at Christ's life in the flesh, His example, His words. 2 Corinthians 5, 20. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God, for He made Him who knew no sin to be sinned for us, that we might become righteousness of God in Him. So He became this offering for sin, for us, which breaking the law required. You see, we've all earned this death sentence. We've all have sinned. We've all broken the law, and breaking that law, the penalty must be paid. The penalty is death for all of us. The wages of sin is death, so Christ came in the flesh to pay that wage on our behalf. Christ knew this was one of the major purposes of Him coming to live as a human being. As He was facing that last hour, He said, but for this purpose I came to this hour. Those were His words. So this sinless life was laid down for us. Let's turn to 1 Peter 2 21, if you will, please. 1 Peter 2 2 21.

1 Peter 2 21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.

Who, when was reviled, did not revile in return, when He suffered, He did not threaten, but He committed Himself to Him who judges righteously, who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. So it says here, leaves us an example. What was that example?

It was a life of no sin, not in word, deed, thought, under the greatest temptation.

That's our example. That's what we should be striving for. The Bible says we don't have a high priest that cannot sympathize with us, because He was tempted in all points, yet without sin.

The followers of Christ, you know, were willing to die, the belief in knowing that He was this sinless Son of God. Christ even challenged them to find sin in Him, and they sought false testimony against Him, but found none. So how does the world's view of the law make sense?

Why did Christ live this sinless life to be tested in all points? Was it merely just a worthless exercise? He was perfect in all aspects, despite being tempted.

You know, we can deduct that it was possible for Christ to sin. If not, then why all the temptation?

He could have sinned. He certainly didn't. He faced the same struggles, but refused to give in at any point. So what is this sin that Christ conquered and fought His entire life in the flesh?

And what does He tell us of how we should view sin and the breaking of the law?

Turn with me if you will to 1 John 3-4. 1 John 3-4, what does Christ tell us through the inspired word here? 1 John 3-4, whosoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Sin is being without law. And most Christians today have this belief that they're without law.

And unfortunately, it's been something they've been taught since the very early age, that Christ came and did away with the law. He annulled it, they say, the erroneous logic that since you can't earn salvation, there's no need for the law. What did it say? Whoever commits lawlessness and sin is lawlessness. He who suits sins. You know, those words are so simple.

But we've seen Christ holding up the law so far in every aspect of His existence. Let's continue. 1 John 3 here, verse 5. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whosoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practiced righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, and the devil has sinned from the beginning.

For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He may destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in Him, and He cannot sin because He has been born of God. Sin. The transgression of what? The law.

Here's another drive safely. You know, those words are so clear. How could Satan have such success with this lie that Christ came to abolish the law? We know He's a great deceiver, but we've had our eyes opened. Are we prepared to defend this? Are we prepared to witness this, this truth? So it does lead to a next question. Why did the one who was at the right hand of God, since eternities passed, why did He go through all of this? Why did He go through this incredible humbling transformation from the Word, the Creator of all this? Why did He go through all this temptation to resist sin, to struggle, to keep the law? Not sin? Incredible suffering He went through for us, this anguish and pain. Why did He take on the penalty for the transgression of the law, the sin? Why did He take on the penalty for all of His creation? Why did He do all of it?

Did He do all of that to then just come and take away the law? Did He take on the death penalty caused by mankind breaking the law to then just do away with it, the law that He suffered to uphold?

Actually, Paul gives us the answer as to why Christ went through for all of this, for you and I. And from the world's point of view, turning to Paul's words, his writings would actually be very ironic because they say Paul's writings actually show that the law was done away with in their view. We'll look to Paul's writings and we'll see that the law was not done away with through Christ's sacrifice. They believe it's no longer in effect. We'll see just the opposite of that belief as we look through Paul's writings. Paul's words were by no means hollow when he said, imitate me as I imitate Christ. So if he's imitating Christ, then we'll see the law magnified in his writings because of what we just reviewed with Jesus Christ. If he's imitating Christ, we see we just saw who Christ is. Paul's overall view of the law speaks to how his flesh is weak, and he knows that the law is good and right, but in this flesh he has this inner struggle.

And so most of his writings point to him knowing that the sin is leading him to death, so he struggles knowing that Christ's sacrifice has given him this life, and it's delivered him from this wretchedness of the flesh. So his view is he's just struggling to put away the sin. Let's see this view. Turn to Romans 7 verse 21. Romans 7, 21.

I find, then, a law that evil is present with me, that one who wills to do good.

For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with my mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin. So Paul is describing this constant inner struggle with the sin that he describes as it being in his flesh. He by no means accepted this sin. It was a constant struggle for him to turn back to God's law that was ever present in his mind, he wrote there. And he knew that the penalty of sin, this wage, brought him death. The sin brought him death. So he describes the one Jesus Christ paid on his behalf. Paid that wage on his behalf. Paul often refers to this debt being paid, this debt being paid for our death sentence, as being dead to the law. Or sometimes he describes it as being dead to sin. Let's see this. Let's go up a few verses here. Romans 7 verse 4. Romans 7 verse 4. Let's see him refer to this, being dead to the law. Romans 7.4, Therefore, my brethren, you have become dead to the law through the body of Jesus Christ, that you may be married to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. So we'll read more about that newness that we are to serve in. But Paul refers to being dead to the law, and later we'll see he refers to being dead to sin. What his meaning is that we are now dead to the penalty in which breaking the law has brought to us.

Christ made us dead to the penalty which was brought by our inability to keep the law perfectly. So his words, dead to the law, and later we'll see dead to sin, he's referring to now being dead to the penalty in which the transgression of the law brings. He's not saying that we are dead to sin, and in other words, we can continue to sin, or that we are dead to the law, meaning the obedience to the law is no longer required. Again, he's referring to being dead to the penalty in which sin brings, and dead to the penalty in which breaking the law brings. Christ took that death sentence upon himself. So if Christ took this death sentence upon himself, should we continue in sin? Should we continue to break the law? If the death sentence has been taken away from us, is the law no longer in effect now? Let's see this question. Romans 6, verse 1. A little bit back. Romans 6, verse 1. It's the exact same question.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? That is the question, isn't it? Modern Christianity today has answered this question with a resounding yes. They have said Christ came. He died for our sins. The law was nailed to the cross. The law is no longer in effect. And that message is being broadcast daily. But what was Paul's answer to this question?

Quite different than the world's belief. Shall we continue to sin? Verse 2. Should we continue to break the law? Certainly not. How shall we, who died to sin, live in it any longer?

What is the saying here? We have this death penalty, this death sentence, because we have broken the law. We have died. We have this death sentence due to the breaking of the law.

How could and why would we live in that sin any longer?

Verse 3. Or do you not know that as many of you were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in the newness of life. So at our baptism, we are lowered into the water. And on that day, we enter into this individual covenant with Christ, this covenant of that sacrifice of Christ. Keep your finger here in Romans 6. We're going to come right back to it. But turn to Psalm 50, verse 4.

Let's see this individual covenant of Christ's sacrifice really quickly. Psalms 50, verse 4.

He shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth, that he may judge his people, Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Let the heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah.

So we enter into this individual covenant of Christ's sacrifice. We have the repentance of the sin. We turn from that sin. Faith in Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Go back to Romans 6, verse 3. What did it say? We were baptized. He said we were buried with him through the baptism into death.

Romans 6, verse 3. So at baptism, we were given the Holy Spirit, Christ's essence living in us, and we're saved by his life. Let's read Romans 6, verse 4 again. Therefore, we are buried with him through baptism into death. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in the newness of life. So we read Romans 7 there, where it said, Being in the newness of the Spirit, right? Not the oldness of the letter. The newness is the magnifying of the law in which Christ brought the spiritual magnified understanding. It's not just don't murder. It's not just don't hate. Love that person who despises you.

Do good to that person who despises you. This is the magnification that he brought, not the abolishment. So with the incredible sacrifice, what are we to do then? What does it say there? We are to walk in the newness of life. Not walk in that old way. Not walk as the wretched man. Not continue to walk in the sin that brought us death. The death which Christ just took from us. This death sentence. Don't continue to walk in the sin. Don't continue to break the law. I just saved you from death, Christ should say. It says, walk in the newness. In other words, walk as Christ. And what was his example? He walked sinless, never broke the law.

And that's what we strive for. And he says, I will come and I will live in you. I will help you walk in that way. You are saved by my life. And that's when you and I become this living sacrifice. How deep is that? This living sacrifice. What did Jude 1 tell us? They'll turn grace, they'll turn the gift of God, this precious gift of God of grace into lewdness, mischievousness. It's also translated lawlessness. They turn grace into lawlessness.

That's exactly what's happening today. God's great. This incredible gift. They say, took away the requirement of the law. But that's not what we're reading here, is it?

Let's turn to a scripture that is pivotal to this understanding. Romans 2, verse 12.

This understanding between law and grace. Romans 2, 12.

For as many have sinned without law, shall also perish without law. As many have sinned in the law, will be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. What does it say here in verse 13 there?

Or better yet, what is it not saying? It's not saying that the doers of the law are justified. It doesn't say that. So the doers of the law will be justified.

Grace is a gift from God. Grace cannot be earned.

But let's think about this a minute. Let's ask ourselves these questions. Would God extend this incredible gift to us if we had no effort into keeping his law, no effort into putting away the sin? Is he going to extend this gift to us if we say, God, I've sinned, but I'm really going to continue in the sin? No repentance, no turning back to God's law? Could we expect that God would then still apply Christ's sacrifice, justifying us from this death sentence to being then under grace?

Could we expect that? What we're seeing here from the Scriptures is no. Only if we are keeping God's law do we have a chance to have this incredible gift of grace.

What did verse 13 say? It's not the doers of the law. The doers of the law will be justified. It doesn't say the doers of the law are justified. No amount of lawkeeping can earn you grace.

The doers of the law will be justified. In other words, we must stop sinning.

And then and only then will we have an opportunity to this incredible gift of grace.

Let's go back to Romans 6, verse 15. Romans 6, verse 15. There's another type of question here, pose, but let's set the perspective again. From the previous Scriptures, Paul is anguishing with his inability to keep the law perfectly. So he knows he's under this broken law, this penalty. He knows Christ paid this penalty for him. So what's the question here? Romans 6, verse 15. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? In other words, shall we sin because we are no longer under this penalty in which the law, broken law, has brought us? You know, Christ paid that penalty for us. Shall we sin then? If we are no longer under the penalty of breaking that law, what does he say? Certainly not. Do you not know that to whom you present yourself slaves to obey, you are that one slave who you obey, whether a sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness. But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine in which you were delivered. So it's saying here that even though you were not able to keep the law perfectly, you still continue to obey that law, that doctrine in which you were delivered. Verse 18. And having been set free from sin, that means having been set free from the penalty in which sin brings, you have become slaves of righteousness. In human terms, because I speak in human terms, because of the weakness of your flesh. So the law is perfect. We delight in it. The issue is not the law. The issue is our inability to keep the law perfectly so that the penalty then had to be paid for that. Verse 19. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness and of lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. In other words, before the law was given, you didn't have an understanding of what sin was. You didn't have an understanding of your wretchedness. Verse 21. What fruit did you have then in the things which you are now ashamed?

For the end of those things is death. But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves to God, you have your fruit to holiness in the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, for the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So verse 22 there, the very first thing that has to happen, that had to happen, is that we needed to be set free from this death penalty, this death sentence, and that's through Christ's sacrifice. The second thing that occurs is that we then become slaves to God. That's our response. To become slaves to righteousness.

His righteous law. So here you and I are. We're under this death sentence. We are the breaking of the law. How do we get ourselves from being under this death sentence to being under grace?

We repent. We turn from the sin. We ask for forgiveness. Christ's sacrifice is enacted in our life. It then justifies us. And that justification process then takes us from being under the death sentence to being under grace. We spoke at the beginning of this message that the world says, all you have to do is call upon His name. Call upon His name and you're saved.

Because of the world's belief that the law has been abolished, that shows that they have no understanding of the depth of which calling upon His name entails.

You and I know this truth. It's peace that they're missing. Again, if we sin, we break God's law. We repent. We say, please forgive me. I don't deserve to be forgiven, but I'm going to do all in my power to turn from this sin, Father. And I'm going to turn to your law, all of my efforts.

Please bestow your mercy upon me, undeserved forgiveness, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

And then with the proper heart and the turning from the sin and the turning back toward God's law, He will grant us that gift of grace.

And so when we read those words, love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind and soul, you know, we base our love for Him upon this foundation of knowing about His sacrifice and the credible gift of grace. That's where our love is based upon. That's where it comes from. If you love me, keep my commandments. You know, we know loving God means to be putting all of our heart into keeping that law, keeping His commandments. Just knowing the price that was paid for this incredible gift made available to us, would we turn from the law? Would we continue in sin?

Or would we try with all of our heart not to commit that sin again? Turn back to God's law because of the unbelievable love that He showed us first through that sacrifice.

As we've seen today, we follow Christ's example through His pre-flesh existence in His life, putting God's law first in everything that we do. That's the example, striving to live that sinless life just to show God our love. But what happens? What happens? We sin again, right?

What did Paul say? 1 Corinthians 1531, he said, I die daily. 1 Corinthians 1531, I die daily.

You see, we do sin again. We have this death sentence upon us, but knowing the incredible sacrifice that was made for us, once again we repent. We turn back to God's law. We ask for forgiveness, and the gift of life is made possible through that sacrifice.

Is keeping God's commandments earning something? Absolutely not. We cannot earn salvation, but we actually keep God's commandments for something much deeper. We keep God's commandments because we want to show Him back the love, the incredible love that He's shown us first.

Many, many do not find these scriptures confusing, but just to see Paul's fight, fight against walking in the newness of life and putting off that old wretched man. That's what we do each day. That's our example. Paul never gave up. We shouldn't either. But we see how the law and the grace work in perfect harmony with each other. Let's conclude with a few scriptures. Romans 8, verse 1. Romans 8, verse 1. There's no better way to wrap up than with the Word of God.

Romans 8, verse 1. There is therefore no condemnation to those that are in Christ, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. In other words, no condemnation for those walking as Christ walked. How did He walk? Sinless. That's how we strive to walk. Verse 2. But the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death. Christ's sacrifice paid that death sentence for us that we've all earned. Verse 3. For what the law could not do, that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin. We saw that in the previous scripture of Paul. The law is perfect. The issue is the weakness of the flesh, us falling short of the ability to keep it perfectly. So what the law couldn't do because of our weakness, God did so by sending His Son. He condemned sin in the flesh. Verse 4. That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

We don't continue in that sin. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, and those that live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death. To continue in that sin is death. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor can be. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. In other words, those not walking according to the law, they're walking in sin cannot please God. Verse 9. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you. It's a beautiful justification process.

A beautiful justification process that takes us from being under that death sentence to being under grace. To live in this grace, it means to strive to live as Christ lives. How did he live?

Sinless. That's what we're striving for because we have faith in that sacrifice of Christ.

We don't do it perfectly, but through true repentance, we can have that incredible gift bestowed upon us. What a beautiful thing. The law, gifts from God, the grace, gifts from God.

Beautiful gifts. Let's all be thankful to God for them.