The relationship between grace and law is complicated and complementary.
Grace means that even after we have sinned, the mediation of Christ can bring forgiveness when we confess to our shortcomings. But grace is so valuable yet so freely offered that it can almost seem as if sin is not so big a deal after all. What is invaluable but free can appear to be devalued.
In fact, Paul wrote that some people were suggesting that the more you sinned, the more all-encompassing grace becomes. Paul mentions this crooked thinking in Ro 6:1 ‘What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?’
So how can we properly understand this dynamic? Let's use this picture
When you play football, you must play on the field. You can play pretty much anywhere you like inside the lines. But sin is like crossing the line. You’ve played out of touch. You can’t keep on. You need to get back into the game. So you throw it back in and get playing. That’s repentance and confession. But the line is still there. That’s law. You can’t play outside the lines.
So how can we properly understand this dynamic? Let's use this picture
When you play football, you must play on the field. You can play pretty much anywhere you like inside the lines. But sin is like crossing the line. You’ve played out of touch. You can’t keep on. You need to get back into the game. So you throw it back in and get playing. That’s repentance and confession. But the line is still there. That’s law. You can’t play outside the lines.
But God’s grace means that when we mess up, he gives us a way back in to the game.
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