Grace is the Answer to Our Failures

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

Romans 6:14

 

When I was younger and played basketball for a youth league, I remember a “run-in” I had with Coach Hampton. He was a larger than life figure who wore a 2x referee shirt and was in total control of the game. I was around 11 years old and thought the world revolved around my life. There was a game where I was fouled pretty hard by a guy who nearly ran over me as I shot. Of course, I missed, and the ball went out of bounds. I walked up to Coach Hampton and said, “You didn’t see that foul? He nearly killed me!” Coach Hampton looked at me and said, “Son, do you want to play basketball, or do you want me to throw you out of the game. It’s my job to call fouls, and your job to play the game. 

While I tried to play the game and keep the rules, Coach Hampton gave grace to the player who tripped and stumbled into me as I shot. My job was to play the game and rest in the referee’s grace towards me. I received many acts of grace from Coach Hampton over the years I played basketball. I’m glad he didn’t give me what I deserved, or I would have fouled out every game.

 

Sin has no dominion over a believer

What a great promise! Dominion is a word that means “master.” If you are a Christ-follower, your master is no longer sin (Romans 6:6-7). Your master is Christ, and there is no better master to have. He died as our substitute on the cross and paid our penalty for sin so that we might place our faith in Him so that we would no longer be under the law (Galatians 4:4-5) 

 

Believers are not under the law

So many people grew up under the deafening cry of the law. We lived with an infinite list of activities that marked us as sinners and alienated us from fellowship with other Christ-followers. I know many who paid a high price and live damaged lives because of the legalistic view of the law. They never understood the purpose of the law. God specifically gave the law to help us identify sin and our need for a Savior. Look at the law for yourself, and you will see that it is impossible to keep every letter of the law. It is also true that God did not give the law as a way to overcome it (Romans 3:20). He gave the law to magnify our need.

The law is like a huge finger that points out our failures, disappointments, and shortcomings, an uncomfortable hand of accusation that continues to drive some away from God.

So what is the fix? What should we do? How do we overcome sin if the law is of no effect other than identifying our failures? The answer is grace.

 

Believers are under grace

Believers are now under grace. Imagine trying to keep every law ever written in Scripture. It would be impossible. We need God’s grace. I have always found God’s grace to be fascinating as a believer. God uses the law to open our eyes and His grace to open our hearts.

Exercising grace is not a New Year’s resolution. It is not something we will do, but rather something we choose to embrace. It is a power that God gives us through His Son, Jesus. When we embrace the truth of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 10;9-10), Jesus gives us power over sin.

Grace brings salvation and training to help us say “no” to ungodliness so that we can live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present time (Titus 2:11-14). God’s grace is truly amazing and gives us great hope in a world that continually entices us to participate in ungodly activities.

I thank God today that I live under His amazing and powerful grace.