We are under Grace and not Law.

 Amen. This is a foundational and liberating truth of the New Covenant. To declare "we are under grace, not law" is to state the very core of the gospel—that our relationship with God is based on His unmerited favor and the finished work of Christ, not on our ability to keep a set of rules.

This truth is powerfully explained by the Apostle Paul:

"For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." - Romans 6:14 (NIV)

"Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian." - Galatians 3:23-25 (NIV)

What Does It Mean to Be "Under Grace, Not Law"?

This does not mean God's moral standard (e.g., the Ten Commandments) is abolished or that we are free to sin. Rather, it describes a change in our relationship to the law and how we achieve righteousness:

· Under the Law:

  · Righteousness is based on our performance ("I must obey all these rules perfectly").

  · It leads to condemnation because we all fail (Romans 3:23).

  · It exposes sin but provides no power to overcome it.

· Under Grace:

  · Righteousness is based on Christ's performance ("Jesus obeyed perfectly for me").

  · It leads to justification (being declared righteous) as a free gift through faith in Jesus.

  · It provides the Holy Spirit, who writes God's law on our hearts and gives us the power to obey out of love, not obligation (Hebrews 8:10).

Grace is not a license to sin; it is the power to overcome sin. We now obey out of gratitude and love for the God who saved us, not out of fear of punishment.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Grace

Heavenly Father,

Thank you! Thank you that I am no longer under the law, striving and failing to earn Your favor. Thank you that I am under Your amazing, abundant, and sufficient grace.

I confess that I often fall back into a performance mindset, thinking I must earn Your love. Forgive me. Help me to rest completely in the finished work of Jesus Christ on my behalf.

Thank you that because of grace, I am:

· Forgiven, not condemned.

· Loved, not judged based on my works.

· Empowered by Your Spirit, not striving in my own strength.

Help me to live in the freedom of Your grace. Let my obedience flow from a heart of love and gratitude, not fear or obligation. May my life be a testimony to the transforming power of Your grace.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Poem: "Under Grace"

"Under Grace"

I was under the weight of the law's demand, Trying to be right,to make my stand. But try as I might,I always fell short, My efforts a failure,a hopeless report.

The law was a mirror that showed me my sin, But it had no power to change me within. It only condemned me,day after day, Showing me I had wandered away.

But then came the Savior, so full of grace, To take in my place,my wrongs to erase. He fulfilled the law's every demand, Then offered me mercy,with nail-pierced hands.

So now I am under grace, not law, A finished work,without a flaw. No more to strive,no more to earn, For this free gift,my heart does yearn.

I'm not under rules, but under His love, Secured by His grace from heaven above. And now by His Spirit,I want to obey, Not to be saved,but because I'm saved today.

Oh, the freedom, the joy, the peace, In this glorious,sweet release! I am under grace,and grace alone, By the mercy my Savior has shown.

Walk in this freedom today. You are not saved by your perfect performance; you are saved by God's perfect grace. Let that truth lift every burden of guilt and striving from your shoulders.