It’s a peculiar thing that happens when certain words from the Bible serve as a ‘trigger’ in the hearts of many sincere church members, who very well may have attached themselves to a ‘church doctrine’. They are usually words, or phrases, that fail to align with various teachings that we have been taught, depending on what church ‘denomination’ you have been raised in or are a part of today.

If those words or phrases, which come right off the pages of our beloved Bibles, don’t fit with what we believe, it can cause us to ‘slam the door’ of even examining those very scriptures that we claim is God’s ‘holy word’. Friends...we need not fear God’s word, even when it doesn’t agree with what we have come to believe. You do realize the danger in automatically rejecting the ‘word’, yes? Who ‘is...the Word’? (John 1:1,14). And I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it is quite possible for a sincere ‘believer’ to actually love their church doctrine more...than they ‘love Jesus’. He sure didn’t ‘fit’ with the teachings of the Pharisees who were ‘experts’ in the word of God, and we know what they had done to Jesus. (Mark11:18)

So when you hear any references to God’s ‘law’, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?

“Oh, we’re not ‘under that’ anymore, we’re under grace”. (Rom. 6:14). Maybe you had it in your mind that ‘when Jesus came, the law was done away with since nobody could fulfill it’. And I would guess the word ‘legalism’ finds its way into your conversation for rebuttal as well.

I would submit to you here that it is our ignorance of the law, and the lack of understanding to how it is relevant to us today... is the primary reason why so many people are suffering today. God used the word being ‘destroyed’, when He referred to ‘His people’ in Hosea 4:6. And if you read that whole verse, it ends on a somber note saying ‘because you have forgotten my law, I will forget your children’. (To which I suspect some of you might be quick to say: ‘yeah, but that is in the old testament!’).

So how about we have a little discussion/study on God’s law, and why it is ‘relevant’ to all of us today. You may be quite surprised as to what you could learn if you will simply read the verses I provide for you here today, and tomorrow. And remember, you need not fear them.

Let’s begin with the verse I already referenced in Romans 6:14: “For sin shall not have dominion, or control over you , for you are not under law but under grace.”

If you are still struggling with, and still falling into sin repeatedly, then that verse may not apply to you since sin seems to have dominion over you, yes? And if you are simply ‘sinning willfully’, then that is even more reason for concern if Hebrews 10:26-27 counts for anything.

So without even defining what it means to be ‘under the law’ or ‘under grace’, let’s take a quick peek at Galatians 5:18 that states: “But IF...you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Now doesn’t that present a whole new topic of study - what does it mean to be ‘led by the Spirit’...! Paul seems to suggest here it is indeed possible...for people to remain ‘under the law’, whatever that means...IF...they are not being led by God’s Spirit. And let’s be clear here: You can be a passionate ‘worshipper’ in church service that you attend regularly, and even ‘speak in other tongues’, cry real tears and have all kinds of ‘good feelings’ in that church atmosphere...and yet...still not be led by God’s Spirit (Matt. 7:21-22; 1 Cor. 13:1-3; Luke 6:46) It's one thing to 'feel' or 'sense' God's Spirit, or presence. It's another thing altogether to be 'led' by it.

Here's a verse you probably don’t hear preached on very often: “For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified...” (Rom. 2:13). What on earth????

If you read that next verse, Paul is referring to Gentile believers, who clearly were not raised with the law...but now ...‘by nature’ or instinctively, ‘do the things of the law...showing the work of the law has been written in their hearts’ (14-15). I mean let’s not forget how God foretold through the prophets of old that a day was coming where He was going to write His law on our hearts and minds. If His law was not that significant, then why bother to do that? No really...give that some thought if you would, please. (Ezek. 11:19-20;36:26-27; Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10)

Then, there is the statement Jesus declared publicly, for all the world to hear: “Don’t think that I came to abolish or to do away with the law...I came to fulfill it.” (Matt. 5:17). Funny..., but I will hear people make that statement when the subject comes up: “Yeah...but Jesus fulfilled the law”...and I’m like...”yes...and your point is?” The common line of thinking that most will ‘sign off on’ says something to the effect...”We could never fulfill the law so when Jesus did, being the ‘perfect Man’ that He was, all we need to do now is profess our faith in Him and His righteousness is passed on to us, by faith...” or something similar to that thinking.

And yet, on multiple occasions, when approached by ‘seekers’...people inquiring what they ‘must do’ in order to inherit eternal life...guess what Jesus pointed them to? Yep...’the law’ (Matt. 19:16-19; Luke 10:25-28)

For those of you who may now be mourning the potential dilemma of having to give up eating bacon...relax; this has nothing to do with the dietary restrictions or the blood sacrifices the Jews had to offer up when they sinned. And if you think you need to start carrying around with you...some lengthy list of ‘commandments’ and ‘laws’ to keep... again, relax. Jesus summed the law up rather nicely for us in Matt. 22:34-40. Go finish up here today by reading that passage...and meet me back here tomorrow.