ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

LAW OR GRACE?

This meditation looks at the question ‘Is the person who has received the Lord Jesus Christ under law or under grace?’

The Bible makes it clear that there is no one who keeps the law of God. In Romans 3:10-12, Paul, quoting Psalm 14:1-3 and 53:1-3, wrote:

‘There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good, not even one.’

Then he concludes:

‘Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the `law we become conscious of sin’ – Romans 3:20.

Paul further describes the extent of our inability to be saved (acquitted) by keeping law:

‘All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law’ - Galatians 3:10.

He teaches that, prior to our faith in Christ ‘death reigned’ and ‘sin reigned’ – Romans 5:17, 21.

If law is the basis of our acceptance by God, then it is quite obvious that there is not a single person who can be saved.

But there is something else that is also true: that salvation is not by our keeping the law, but by grace.

That those who have faith in Jesus Christ ‘are justified freely by his grace’ – Romans 3;24.

That we stand in grace – Romans 5:2.

That ‘those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ’ – Romans 5:17.

That ‘grace’ now reigns ‘to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’ – Romans 5:21.

That ‘we have been released from the law’ – Romans 7:6.

That ‘there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of din and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering’ – Romans 8:1-3.

Because of what God has accomplished in and through the death of Jesus Christ, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are ‘not under law, but under grace’ – Romans 6:14, 15. The law of sin and death no longer reigns. Grace reigns. Grace is the operating principle of Christ’s kingdom. The throne of God is, for the Christian believer, no longer a throne of judgement, but ‘the throne of grace’ – Hebrews 4:16.

But those who believe that salvation can be lost put the Christian back under law – so that the ‘law of sin and death’ reigns, so that grace is diminished; indeed, it disappears. And the gospel ceases to be the gospel of grace.

Consider Paul’s warnings about such a reduction, such a denial of the immeasurable grace of God:

‘…if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace’ – Romans 11:6.

‘…we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain’ – 2Corinthians 6:1.

‘I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all’ – Galatians 1:6,7.

‘I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing’ – Galatians 2:21.

Assurance of salvation depends on grace; it assumes the reign of grace. Lack of assurance has replaced grace with law.