“The old has passed away; behold, the
new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Probably
no other passage suggests more starkly the contrast between living by grace and
living by works than Romans 7:6: "But now we are released from the law,
having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of
the spirit and not in the old way of the written code."
The new
way of the Spirit is not a less rigorous ethic than the old way of the written
code. The difference doesn’t lie in the content of God’s moral will. Since
that’s a reflection of the holy character of God, it cannot change. Rather, the
difference lies in the reason for obeying and the ability to obey.
Are you
seeking to build and maintain your relationship with God on the basis of
"keeping the law"—on the basis of your personal performance—or on the
basis of the merit of Jesus Christ? Do you view God’s moral precepts as a
source of bondage and condemnation for failure to obey them, or do you sense
the Spirit producing within you an inclination and desire to obey out of
gratitude and love? Do you try to obey by your own sheer will and
determination, or do you rely on the Spirit daily for his power to enable your
obedience?
Do you
feel God has set before you an impossible code of conduct you cannot keep, or
do you view him as your divine heavenly Father who has accepted you and loves
you on the basis of the merit of Christ? For acceptance with God, are you
willing to rely solely on the finished perfect work of Jesus instead of your
own pitifully imperfect performance?
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