2014 A YEAR OF FAVOR NOT LAWS

Most of Paul's letters were addressed to two distinct camps that divided the churches. Jewish background Christians who  mixed grace with Law. And Gentile believers with a Pagan background who accepted grace without the need for the Jewish Law.

Paul never taught that those in Christ should come under the Law, he taught that we can live moral and righteous lives by the Spirit and in by loving. We all desire right actions. Amen to that. But the scriptures make it perfectly clear that keeping rules and laws can never be the root of righteous living and actions -as Israel discovered over and over (Rom.9).

The Law (the 10 commandments etc.) does have value - in exposing self righteousness and religious hypocrisy i.e. it reminds us ALL that we sin and in our self effort we all fall short of God Holiness and therefore continually need God's grace and love. Those who think they can mix grace and Law are mistaken , just like Israel was. Thank God, Jesus opened up a new way of living:- Rom.6:14 "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace". It is only His grace, empowering us by the Spirit to love, that can fulfill the law. (Rom.13:10) and God's Holy standards. We don't need religious rules and laws in the New Covenant - we have the Spirit and grace. Both of which we have in overflowing abundance through Jesus whose Spirit lives in us. Be confident that you are a blessed child of God and let 2014 be the year of grace and the Spirit. And see the abundant LIFE flow.