Grace and the Law

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.11"]Lately it seems that the term "grace" is being used to religiously refer to everything but the kitchen sink. That doesn't bother me personally, but I believe that it will eventually cause considerable confusion to many.One of the ways it is being used is in grace versus the law teachings, with the description of the law ranging from the ten commandments to every word preceding Matthew 1:1 and just about everything in-between. One popular teaching is that grace is the opposite or reciprocal of the law.Contrary to recent popular opinion, grace is not the opposite of the law. The opposite of the law is lasciviousness or lawlessness, which is not want we want. However, the entire biblical admonition concerning law vs. grace is this: When under the inditement of the law, ALWAYS seek favor over any type of legal justification.If you sin or breach against God, demonstrate the desire to change or to make the breach good, (repent), ask for God's forgiveness and mercy, readily accept the favor that comes from you being His child, and don't try to justify your actions or behavior legally or otherwise.The same goes if you sin or breach against another person. Demonstrate your desire to make things right, ask for the person's forgiveness and mercy, seek and readily accept any favor that is offered over legal wrangling to justify what you did.Voluntary commitment to the New Covenant law of Love and subsequently good faith encompasses voluntary commitment to the "ten commandments" codified by Moses.One is only "under the law" if one is under inditement for the violation or infraction of a law. If your record has been remitted or wiped clean, then until you violate another law, you are no longer under the law.Now when it comes to grace or favor, you either have it, or you do not - regardless as to wheather you are currently under inditement or not. In the case of God's grace, you are either His child or you are not. If you are His child then you have special favor in His eyes.The key here seems to be that if you know what grace really is, then you will be less likely to confuse grace with what it is not.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]