Living by Faith versus Living by Law

My dear friend, are you living by law or by faith?

Living by law is not only living by the law of Moses, It can also be living by a list of man-made rules or traditions. Living by law is living by any list of dos and don’ts and thinking that you will get to heaven by keeping them.

Living by faith is living in a love relationship with your Heavenly Father, through faith in Jesus Christ and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Your security and acceptance lies in what Christ Jesus has already done for you by His death and resurrenction. You believe what His word says about you: that you are his child, a saint, forgiven, loved and accepted. You now live in obedience to Him, because He loves you and you love Him.

This article outlines some of what the Bible says about living by faith versus living by law.

One cannot live by both law and faith at the same time:

The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Galatians 3:12

The Law does not save nor justify:

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

Grace through faith saves:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Living by law does not bring about righteousness:

[20] Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. Romans 3:20

Faith brings about the righteousness of God:

Rom 4:2-8  For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,  just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:  “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” 

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe… Romans 3:21-22

Living by law makes people slaves:

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. [24] These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Galatians 4:21-24

Faith in Jesus Christ gives the freedom of being children of God:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:4-7 

Living by law gives power to sin:

[9] Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. [10] I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. Romans 7:9-10

Living by Faith sets us free from the power of sin:

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin… …In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus… …For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.  Romans 6:6, 11, 14

Living by law brings a curse:

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Galatians 3:10

Living by faith brings God’s blessing:

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3:14

Living by faith actually fulfils what the law intended in the first place:

[6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6

[8] Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. [9] The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [10] Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Romans 13:8-10

Those living by law persecute those living by faith:

At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. Galatians 4:29

[12] So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. [13] They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. Acts 6:12-13

… in regard to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as for zeal, persecuting the church… Philippians 3:5-6

Those living by faith pray for those living by law:

[59] While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” [60] Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:59-60

Those living by law, sadly, will not listen when those of faith tell them the truth.

[57] At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, [58] dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. Acts 7:57-58

Those living by law are sadly persecuting Jesus Christ himself:

[3] As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. [4] He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” [5] “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. Acts 9:3-5

Thank God, He saves those living by law when they repent and put their faith in Christ Jesus:

Paul wrote of himself after his conversion:

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:7-9

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:12-16

Conclusion:

My dear friend stop trying to please God by your own efforts. Christ Jesus has done it all for you. Put your faith in Him. By His death and resurrection, He has done a complete work to save you to the uttermost. Through Him you are a child of God and a saint. You are forgiven, accepted, loved, righteous and secure. He has given you his Holy Spirit to guide you. You bring joy to the Father’s heart. By faith now, live in your new identity…

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:3-14

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1Peter 2:9