Dead to the Law

One of the most successful tactics of Satan is to convince man that he will be accepted by God if he just does the best he can to keep God’s commandments. But God never gave His commandments for this purpose. The law was given to convince man that he is a sinner without any shred of hope apart from a Saviour. In fact, anyone who is attempting to be acceptable to God by keeping His law is under a curse. But Jesus Christ came to save us from that curse:

“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”

Galatians 3:11

All that it takes is breaking the law in one point to be under this curse:

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

James 2:10

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”

Romans 3:1-4

God uses the marriage covenant to illustrate our relationship with the prior to salvation, and our relationship with Christ after salvation. Just as a woman is bound to her husband until her death ends the relationship, so we are bound to the law until a death occurs. Jesus died so that we could be freed from bondage to the law. We are to be “married” (saved by grace) to the resurrected Son of God so that we are no longer under the law but under grace. Then, and only then, are we justified with God.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Romans 6:14