Too often the phrase “We’re not under the law, we’re under grace” is used as a spiritual loophole—a way to sidestep accountability. But grace isn’t a free pass to sin; it’s divine power to overcome it. Jesus didn’t just forgive our sins—He gave us the strength to resist them. Grace is not just pardon; it’s empowerment.
Is the phrase found in scripture? Well as a matter of fact it is, Romans 6:14 says “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace”. Now let’s look at the context of it in relation to where it is in the Bible.
In Romans 6 Paul is speaking about the new life a Christian receives in Christ. In verse 5 through 7 he states “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”
“Sin shall not have dominion over you”, literally means sin won’t be a controlling power or influence in your life. Why? Because Jesus Christ died for our sin so we can be holy and righteous to stand before God.
Grace is inseparable from Jesus; He is the source of forgiveness, justification, and sanctification. We are saved by grace, through faith.
We don’t get to take His name in vain by declaring “I’m under grace” and using it as a spiritual loophole and/or a means to live like hell. Grace isn’t the absence of law—it’s the presence of Jesus. And where Jesus reigns, sin loses its grip.
Understanding Grace vs. Law
Let’s first address why God gave the law and what it actually is, because what it’s not, is simply just the Ten Commandments. The law is written throughout the first five books of the Bible, the Hebrew word is Torah meaning “the law” or “instruction”. The Greek word is Pentateuch, which is formed by two Greek words, pente (five) and teuchos (book). It means “five vessels,” “five containers,” or “five-volume book.” Throughout these five books there are a good number of laws given.
God gave the law so we understand when we have transgressed against Him, or simply said, to know within ourselves when we have sinned . The Law, given through the Torah, reveals God’s holiness and our need for a Savior. It shows us what sin is, but it’s grace through Jesus that breaks sin’s dominion. When we truly accept Christ, we don’t desire to “live like hell”—we’re transformed to reflect heaven. (Romans 3:19-20)
Israeli Law Categories
The Israelites divided God’s law into two groups:
- The first group being a command, or apodictic law. These were both positive commands and negative commands. From these commands we have the Ten Commandments.
- The second group is called casuistic law. These are case laws given to direct what to do if something was done or happened; these were typically “if”, “then” statements. For example,
“1 ‘When his offering [is] a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers [it] of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. 2 ‘And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it [at] the door of the tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood all around on the altar. 3 ‘Then he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that [is] on the entrails, ….
Lev 3:1-4 NKJV
Gentile Law Categories
We, the Gentiles, have categorized the laws differently into three groups shown below.
- Moral – These laws apply to everyone. These are not words written by man inspired by God. These are divine words written by God’s own finger on tablets of stone. God never changes. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) We can categorize moral laws into two relationships:
- First our relationship with God, and
- second, our relationship with others.
- The Ten Commandments – We are certainly still under these laws; we can clearly see that in the book of Revelation, (see Revelation 11:19) which tells us that the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. Well guess what’s in the ark of His covenant, which is also called the Mercy Seat? That’s right those tablets with God’s divine words inscribed on them, the Ten Commandments. Additionally, these laws can be seen throughout the New Testament.
- When God gave Moses the instructions on how to build the temple, He was very specific providing every little detail that was to be done. The temple was in fact on earth as in heaven.
- Civil – Specific to the Israelites
- These were civil laws that governed daily social life of the Jews. They were laws that governed those issues that were unique to their customs and religion. The were meant to keep order while they awaited the Messiah. They covered laws we would call judiciary laws; they covered health laws (lepers, blind, bleeding, etc…), inheritance laws, witchcraft and idolatry, etc.
- Ceremonial – Specific to the Israelites
- The ceremonial law consisted of ordinances, ceremonies, feast and sacrifices in the sanctuary system that pointed to the future redemption through Jesus Christ.
So, when we take that all into account, the Law actually contains far more than what we know as the Ten Commandments. Throughout these first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Dueteronomy) we should come to understand the divinity, character and nature of God. We should see his divine purpose and plans for us, in addition to understanding how sin entered the world.
Relevance of the Law Today
- Moral laws still apply to Christians and are echoed throughout the New Testament.
- The Law helps believers recognize sin, leading to repentance and salvation.
- Even Gentiles (non-Jews) show the law written on their hearts (Romans 2:14–16).
Again, the law was made to provide us with instruction on how to live holy, pure and righteous, in addition to revealing our sin to ourselves. Because without the knowledge of our sin or our transgressions, we would never come to repentance.
Misuse of Grace
- Claiming to be “under grace” should not be an excuse for immoral behavior.
- True grace leads to transformation, not indulgence.
- The author warns against using grace as a defense mechanism to justify sin.
🙏 Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your grace that not only forgives but strengthens me. Help me to live in the power of Your Spirit, not in the weakness of my flesh. Write Your law on my heart, and let my life reflect Your holiness.
Amen.
