Grace - One Reason Why Grace is Vastly Superior

It's unfortunate, but those looking at their behavior as a measurement of their righteous have taken their eyes off of Jesus.  Here's an excerpt from an article by Bill Snell.  I highlighted a particularly interesting portion.  The complete article may be found here.

"Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God" (Romans 7:4)

Thankfully, it is the role of the Spirit living within each believer, not the law, that leads the children of God in their new identity as the "righteousness of God in Christ". Behavioral changes reflecting the standards required by the law would now be out of a motivation of acceptance and love, rather than a fear of judgment and condemnation due to inevitable failure.

"But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory" (2 Corinthians 3:7-9)

Where the law says, "thou shalt not kill", or "thou shalt not steal", or "thou shalt not commit adultery", the Spirit not only leads the believer to not commit murder, but to be willing to lay down his life; instead of stealing, giving; rather than committing adultery, choosing to love sacrificially while receiving one's spouse in a manner which brings them to a place of security, comfort, and joy.

The law set a standard outwardly that the flesh was simply unable to satisfy. This was not a mistake. God intended for the law to instruct us by means of our failure in order that we might trust God's perfect provision for all aspects of life, including holiness and happiness. Christ is our life in all its fullness, living in our hearts by faith.

"When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:4)

Therefore, the law serves to bring us to Christ, while continuing to reveal our utter dependence upon the indwelling life of Christ, serving to make us holy, righteous, justified, and eternally secure before the Father."

Grace=Peace,

Jeremy