Apostle Paul wrote,
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14 KJV)
The English word ‘dominion’ here in the Greek is ‘kyrieuō‘ and is defined as ‘to rule over’. In essence, in today’s English would be the words ‘your master’.
Does that mean we will never sin as believers? No. But sinning will not be master over us. We have the Holy Spirit living within us to guide us into all truth and to CHANGE us by the renewing of our mind by the Word of God (Romans 12). It is an inward change in the MIND that happens over time and changes us on the inside, in our inner man. This change slowly works it’s way outward into our lives and affects others. We believe right by God’s Word and that expresses in our outward living because as we believe in the mind – is how we live.
What is it, according to Apostle Paul, that causes sin to not be master over us as believers anyway? Is it because we work so hard to not sin? NO , it does not say that. Is it because we obey the Law of Moses? No, it does not say that either.
Why will sin not be master over believers?
Because WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE. Reading this verse backwards helps clarify what Paul is actually stating to us.
‘Under grace, we are Not Under The Law, and so sin is not our master.’
Do you see how clear this verse is? It is Law for justification with God or it is by God’s Grace through faith. It is NEVER mixing them together for righteousness.
Paul goes on to say even more about Law following verses Salvation by the Grace of God through Christ Jesus in Romans 7:
“But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.” (Romans 7:8 KJV)
What is this ‘concupiscence’? It is defined in the Greek as ‘lusts and desires’. So let’s replace the word so we can see exactly what Paul is meaning in this verse.
“But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of lustful desires. For without the law sin was dead.”
Paul is telling us that following the Law of Moses actually causes us to sin more! You see, that is the very purpose of the Ten Commandments; The Law. Here are other verses by Apostle Paul explaining this:
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law is the KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.” (Romans 3:20 KJV)
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence MIGHT ABOUND. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” (Romans 5:20)
“The sting of death is sin; and the STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.”
(1 Corinthians 15:56 KJV)
Paul is clearly stating that the very STRENGTH of sinning is following the Law of Moses for justification. I ask you, does that somehow change after being saved by God’s grace? NO.
The Law and Ten Commandments as many know it by were given by God to bring the Jews to their knees in understanding that we CANNOT EVER justify ourselves nor make ourselves Holy in our own self righteous efforts. The Law is a mirror so we can see ourselves as God sees us; wretched sinners needing a Savior. The Law is meant to bring us to our knees and to cry out to God for mercy because only God can MAKE us Holy.
YES! The Ten Commandments are true and they are still valid as God’s Holy standard. Yet, Paul tells us that following them will NOT make you Holy nor give you favor or justification with God. And after Salvation, following the Law will not make you any more Holy than God has already made a believer – the very righteousness of God, in Christ by faith, complete in Him (see 1 Corinthians 5:17-21, Colossians 2).
Only by belief in the Son of God, who is God in the flesh, Jesus The Christ, who never sinned in thought nor deed, who willingly died on the cross and shed His blood to pay for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2) and then rose again; through this belief is a person justified with God. (John 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
Salvation is a gift to be received or rejected. After accepting it – we are NOT KEPT SAVED by our performance or Law keeping to RETAIN righteousness. Should we not murder steal etc. Of course, we should not do these things. But our new source is the indwelling Holy Spirit who also guides us to not do such things. Our old self is DEAD and we are now a NEW SELF – a NEW Spirit if God at the very core of our being.
In Galatians, we see false teachers who crept into the church teaching that Law following was also a REQUIREMENT of justification with God. Does Paul agree? In fact, he strongly opposed this teach as false. Paul’s response to this is calling the Galatians ‘foolish’ and that such teachers are to be ‘accursed’ and that,
“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, whosoever of you are justified BY THE LAW; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE.” (Galatians 5: 4 KJV)
No effect unto you is not somewhere we should be as believers !
Do Not Mix Law and the Gospel of God’s Grace Through Jesus Christ. Doing so, is not Gospel and no salvation at all. Instead, it is the sin of pride, being boastful. We need to be humble.
