Unfathomable Grace

Romans 6:14     For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

There are only two positions, we are either “under law,” or else we are “under grace.” Being under law means this, that you have got to attempt to justify yourself in the presence of God by your own actions, by your own works, by your own deeds. Law is always something that comes to a man and says, “Do this and thou shalt live.” It is the exact opposite to justification by faith. The Apostle then is very much concerned to say that we are not under law. Why so? Because that is the only way whereby we can ever see or come to understand the truth which he has already stated, namely, that “sin shall not have dominion over you.”     (Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, Commentary on Romans, 182)

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the Law no longer has anything to say in regards to your condition before God.

The Law has nothing to say regarding your holiness. Grace proclaims you are perfectly righteous due to the glorious merit of Jesus Christ.

The Law has nothing to say regarding your intimacy. Grace proclaims you are united with Christ. God is looking your way with unwavering delight because you are clothed in the radiant holiness of Jesus Christ.

The Law has nothing to say regarding your prosperity. Grace proclaims God is always blessing you, whether he takes you to the top of the mountain or through the valley of the shadow of death. The pleasant and the painful, have nothing to do with your performance. You are one with Jesus Christ, and all things are working together for God’s glory and your ultimate good.

The Law has nothing to say regarding your eternal condition. Grace proclaims you are eternally loved. Your heavenly groom is waiting to come and bring you home. A new body without defect is yours. A mansion, in a garden city, is your inheritance. Forever, you will enjoy great blessings you did not earn. All God has for you is undeserved grace, for you are co-heirs with Jesus Christ — the one who earned everything for you.

The Law has nothing to say regarding your acceptable worship. If given a voice the Law would only condemn you. Remember, the Law requires perfect adherence to all God’s rules all the time. The Law would only say to you:

• You have not been excited enough about coming into the presence of God
• You are not loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength
• You are not adequately sorrowful about your sins
• You are not adequately remembering all your sins
• You are not sufficiently repenting over your sins
• You have a wrong mental image of the one true God
• You have many religious and non-religious idols
• You are taking the Lord’s name in vain
• You are not giving your tithe with enough joy, and you are keeping too much
• You are delivering sermons with some error
• You are listening to sermons without applying all God’s words to your life
• You have not adequately prepared for your Sabbath and his table
• You and your friends have not adequately presented the glorious nature of God
• You are confusing tradition with the laws of God
• You are not submissive enough to your elders.
• You are not maximizing the spiritual gifts given you by God.
• You are not doing a good enough job at equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.
• You are not loving others in the congregation in the perfect way Christ loves them
• You are not one with all your brothers and sisters — soul schism exists with ________

On and on the list could go.

And if you are guilty of breaking one of these worship laws — you are guilty of breaking them all.

The Law says, according to God’s regulations, you are a worthless worshiper. You have come into the house of God and defamed his will and his glory. You are only blasphemous all the time. It would be better for you to stay home than to enter the house of God in this way.

However, grace says … Christ has earned your worship righteousness. Christ has kept all his regulations for you. Christ presents your worship for you, and the Father is perfectly pleased. Your depraved worship, it has all been covered and paid for. The Father has no more worship sins to judge and sentence.

Oh brothers and sisters, you are under grace, and sin shall not have dominion over you. So enter the house of God today with great reverence, revelry, humility, and confidence. Because of Christ, you are right with God. Because of Christ, you cannot be “righter” with God. Because of Christ, your worship is beloved by your Maker.

• Yes, read his Word.
• Yes, notice his principles.
• Yes, glorify him by engaging in worship in accordance with his wise laws.

But quit trying to do worship in a way that earns your Father’s pleasure. You can’t in the flesh. Christ has done so in the flesh. Enjoy him as you should. There is now, no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.