By: Undre Griggs, Jr
When looking at the law of the Old Testament, I am sometimes overwhelmed by all the laws the Israelites had to live under to remain holy. Even with all the burnt offerings, tithes, and food restrictions, the sins of the Jews were not forgiven. The best their imperfect sacrifices could produce was pushing their sins forward one more year. In the New Covenant, Christians are fortunate to have the perfect sacrifice. As a result, we are able to have our sins forgiven (completely removed).
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
An additional benefit of being under the New Covenant is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Once you receive the Holy Spirit through baptism, you commit to living a different life. Scripture says we put to death our old fruits of the earth (“fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry”) when we take on the life of becoming a Christian.
1 Timothy 1:9-10 (ESV): understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
When you live the life of a Christian and exhibit the fruits of the Spirit in your daily interactions, you have overcome the law. The law is not to condemn the acts of the righteous, but to highlight the misdeeds of the “lawless and disobedient”. When Paul says, “against such things there is no law”, he is letting us know we can free ourselves from the law’s punishment. We may not always think of living within the confines of certain rules as freedom, but that is because some laws of the world are unjust and unreasonable. However, the law of God is holy and righteous. So by living within the commandments of God, you will live a peaceful and content life.
Among the many differences between God and man, God’s desire is for all to be saved. Everything He has done and will continue to do is to provide an opportunity for the lost to find their way back home. It is in our best interest to listen and obey the will of God. Who would not want to live a life filled with, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”? How many times has your life improved because you exhibited one of these traits in a bad situation? We all want love, joy, and peace from our live, but do we give, “patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness”, and “self-control”? All of the gifts of Holy Spirit will improve our quality of life. Some will come in the way we are treated by others, but others will come as a result of how we treat others. By focusing on God and walking the path of righteousness, we will continue to be free of the law and receive the many blessings that come as a result.
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