You are not under law but under grace" (Rom 6:14)
This lesson allows Paul to cast some light on the statement he makes in Romans 6:14, "You are not under law but under grace". This statement would be easy to misunderstand if we did not have other statements from Paul to clarify what he means. In this lesson we will work through some of those scriptures so that we will know what it means to be "not under law but under grace".
We are Under Obligation
Rom 8:6-9
Paul contrasts the mind transformed by Christ with the mind still in darkness. He says, "the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace" (Rom 8:6). Then he says, "For the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so" (Rom 8:7).
You can see how clear Paul is about the problem anyone has who "does not have the Spirit of Christ" (Rom 8:9). The problem is that this person is disobedient to God's Law.
What Law Does Paul Believe In?
When Paul says "You are not under law but under grace" (Rom 6:14), he certainly does not mean that we have no obligation to keep God's law. Paul describes the law that we must keep in the following terms...
"The law of faith" (Rom 3:27)
"The law of the Spirit of life" (Rom 8:2)
"The law of Christ" (Gal 6:2)
Rom 8:12
Having said that "the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God because it does not subject itself to the law of God" Paul goes on to say, "Therefore brethren we are under obligation, not to live according to the flesh" (Rom 8:7,12). Putting both statements together, we find Paul showing that, in his mind, being under grace involves being under an obligation to keep God's law.
Tit 2:11-14
Paul makes it plain that he believes "the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present age... zealous for good works" (Tit 2:12,14). Paul, in his teaching, links the grace of God to the keeping of the law of Christ and the leading of an obedient life.
So we have established that Paul in saying, "You are not under law but under grace" (Rom 6:14), does not mean that you are under no obligation to obey God's law. Everyone is under obligation to keep the law of Christ.
But Not Under Condemnation
Rom 8:1-2
Paul shows that those who are in Christ, are not under condemnation because they have been set free from law. But he is not talking about God's law, but rather "another law" in opposition to "the law of God" (Rom 7:22-25). It would make no sense to say that the law of Christ sets us free from the law of God. Paul is talking about "the law of sin and death". Paul says, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death" so "there is no condemnation" because by God's grace you have been able to get out from under the wrong law (the law hostile to God), and get under the right law (the law of Christ).
It is important to understand that those who are under "the law of sin and death", who "live according to the flesh" are under condemnation by God's law. So when Paul says, "you are not under law..." he means that in Christ we are...
no longer under the law of sin and death but set free from it, and
no longer under condemnation by God's law.
It is the law of God that anyone who wishes to be free from the law of sin and death, and to be no longer under condemnation by God, shall be granted this grace and shall be enabled to live no more according to the flesh, but to live according to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This is what Paul means when he says, "You are not under law but under grace".
A Comment on the law of Moses
Rom 7:4-25
In Romans chapters seven and eight, Paul has in mind three laws...
The law of Moses (Rom 7:6,22)
The law of sin and death (Rom 7:23, 8:2)
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:2).
Paul refers to the law of Moses in the earlier part of chapter seven. He did not believe that law of Moses was "the law of sin and death" because he refers to the law of sin and death as "a different law" at work in his body, hostile to "the law of God" with which his spirit joyfully concurred (Rom 7:22-23). So Paul did not believe the law of Moses was "the law of sin and death" rather he believed the law of Moses to be "the law of God" and he believed the law of Moses to be "holy, righteous, and good" (Rom 7:12). He asks, "Is the law sin?" and he answers, "May it never be!" (Rom 7:7). He asks again, "Did that law which is good become death for me?" and he answers, "May it never be!" (Rom 7:12-13). You see how careful Paul is not to make the law of Moses a law of sin and death.
What Paul did believe about the law of Moses, however, is that it could not set anyone free from the law of sin and death. Only the law of Christ, which replaced the law of Moses, could do that (Rom 8:1-2). Consequently Paul believed that the law of Christ had set Christians free not only from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2), but also had released them from being bound to keep the law of Moses (Rom 7:6).