True or False: Grace is harder than Law

[Aquila]

I believe that under Grace the law is love. We must love God with all we are and love our neighbor as ourselves. This means that while it might sound like it is easier to live under grace, it is far more introspective and often complicated than the OT law ever was. We must be prayed-up and Spirit led in our love, so that our love is balanced by the Spirit so that we don't drift into human sentimentality. So, the question should always be, "Is it loving?" Is it loving to dress immodestly? Is it loving to eat or drink that which might offend a brother or a sister? Is it loving to ignore worship and fellowship? Is it loving to allow our times of personal devotion to be ignored? Is it loving to be racist? Is it loving to hate or harm our enemies?

In the end, that which is not of love is of ego, self-interest, appeasing to the flesh, and carnal. When we fail to love, we have sinned. In this, the way of love can prove more difficult than having a set standard of laws to mark off the list.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I believe that under Grace the law is love. We must love God with all we are and love our neighbor as ourselves. This means that while it might sound like it is easier to live under grace, it is far more introspective and often complicated than the OT law ever was. We must be prayed-up and Spirit led in our love, so that our love is balanced by the Spirit so that we don't drift into human sentimentality. So, the question should always be, "Is it loving?" Is it loving to dress immodestly? Is it loving to eat or drink that which might offend a brother or a sister? Is it loving to ignore worship and fellowship? Is it loving to allow our times of personal devotion to be ignored? Is it loving to be racist? Is it loving to hate or harm our enemies?

In the end, that which is not of love is of ego, self-interest, appeasing to the flesh, and carnal. When we fail to love, we have sinned. In this, the way of love can prove more difficult than having a set standard of laws to mark off the list.

Aquila, this is excellent. The way of love is painful to our flesh...but thank God for the grace and mercy extended to us as we submit our flesh and mind to Christ... I might go even farther and say that if your flesh is not resisting, then perhaps you aren't really loving in the way Christ has called us to.

It is in this way that grace is harder on the flesh than law ever was.

[shazeep]

nice

[thephnxman]

Originally Posted by Aquila

I believe that under Grace the law is love. We must love God with all we are and love our neighbor as ourselves. This means that while it might sound like it is easier to live under grace, it is far more introspective and often complicated than the OT law ever was. We must be prayed-up and Spirit led in our love, so that our love is balanced by the Spirit so that we don't drift into human sentimentality. So, the question should always be, "Is it loving?" Is it loving to dress immodestly? Is it loving to eat or drink that which might offend a brother or a sister? Is it loving to ignore worship and fellowship? Is it loving to allow our times of personal devotion to be ignored? Is it loving to be racist? Is it loving to hate or harm our enemies?
In the end, that which is not of love is of ego, self-interest, appeasing to the flesh, and carnal. When we fail to love, we have sinned. In this, the way of love can prove more difficult than having a set standard of laws to mark off the list.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

God, through the sacrifice in the body of his son, has done all he is ever
going to do. The rest is up to us who "...walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit." That is the reason the Lord "...gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ..." (Eph. 4:11-12)

"...be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

[Esaias]

Where is the scripture showing how Christ or his apostles ever taught "grace is harder than law" or any other such idea?

I mean, the very terms grace and law indicate grace is a lighter burden than law.

[thephnxman]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Where is the scripture showing how Christ or his apostles ever taught "grace is harder than law" or any other such idea?
I mean, the very terms grace and law indicate grace is a lighter burden than law.

Amen: to those who walk "...after the Spirit."

[Esaias]

I honestly believe a lot of people are afflicted with pop theology. I mean no disrespect to anyone, but do we not accept the Holy Bible as the "final authority on matters of faith and practice"?

If we do, then why do we have so many doctrinal soundbites that cannot be found in scripture? Does that not indicate a need to get back to the Bible, and to hold fast the FORM OF SOUND WORDS as we were taught? (By the apostles, not later teachers...)

God has truth to give us. That is called doctrine ("teaching"). He chose specific words to use to teach us, and admonished us repeatedly not to change it, add to.it, or take away from it. We are to hold them fast, because they are Spirit and Life. They are the words, phrases, statements, etc that are Divinely Appointed to convey Truth to our hearts and minds and lives. At best all we can do is try to make those words understandable. I don't think we should be believing in doctrinal affirmations or declarations that do not correspond with what was actually delivered to us in scripture.

If the apostles believed as we do, wouldn't they have said the same kind of things we say?

[KeptByTheWord]

E... I understand and totally get what you are saying.

However, scripture has been used in this discussion, and I stand by what I have said, that grace is much harder on the "FLESH". Because the fleshly works which were applicable and necessary under law, are changed and more now is required of outwardly and inwardly - because of grace.

To whom much is given, much is required. More has been given to us under grace, but more is required. And those requirements are that our flesh would be completely subdued and submitted to Christ... "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" and Jesus subjected his flesh to death... and so must we through the spirit, subject our flesh and its desires to die, and to allow the life and love of Christ to reign in us.

So... I don't think this is regurgitating "pop" theology!

I believe that at the heart of the discussion is the fact that grace requires our flesh and spirit to be submitted to Christ, while the law required works to be pleasing to God.

The scale that weighs the balance of the two (law and grace) tips in favor of grace though, because although much has been given, and much is required... grace ushers in the power and the hope that makes the difference in an overcoming life, whereas law failed to provide that power.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

E... I understand and totally get what you are saying.

However, scripture has been used in this discussion, and I stand by what I have said, that grace is much harder on the "FLESH". Because the fleshly works which were applicable and necessary under law, are changed and more now is required of outwardly and inwardly - because of grace.

To whom much is given, much is required. More has been given to us under grace, but more is required. And those requirements are that our flesh would be completely subdued and submitted to Christ... "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" and Jesus subjected his flesh to death... and so must we through the spirit, subject our flesh and its desires to die, and to allow the life and love of Christ to reign in us.

So... I don't think this is regurgitating "pop" theology!

I believe that at the heart of the discussion is the fact that grace requires our flesh and spirit to be submitted to Christ, while the law required works to be pleasing to God.

The scale that weighs the balance of the two (law and grace) tips in favor of grace though, because although much has been given, and much is required... grace ushers in the power and the hope that makes the difference in an overcoming life, whereas law failed to provide that power.

The law did not allow anyone to maintain an outward appearance of righteousness while the heart was not loving God supremely. I think people do not understand the depth of what the law required. To love God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is the hinge upon which the law hung, it was the heart of it and the intent of it.

But, the law provided no remedy for rebels except death, without mercy.

Living under the law would mean knowing that although your public sins of ignorance could be rolled off to next year by the actions of the high priest, those secret sins of rebellion (like coveting) HAD NO SACRIFICE AVAILABLE. So you only had a certain fearful expectation of fiery indignation... Perhaps you could plead with God for mercy, without excuses... but until Christ you had only a hope, not an expectation, that your sins were truly purged and remitted.

Sounds to me like grace is infinitely easier than law. Justification by law is impossible, it's too late, I'm already guilty. But justification by grace is nigh, in my heart and in my mouth, because Christ died for ME.

Under law I have to DO, under grace I only have to LET. (Let God justify me, under grace we just RECEIVE.)

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by Esaias

The law did not allow anyone to maintain an outward appearance of righteousness while the heart was not loving God supremely.

come again?