Jesus Christ sets his people free from the condemnation and oppression of the law. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are able to fulfil the law obediently according to God's intentions.
Jesus Christ sets believers free from the law
Jesus Christ's life of perfect obedience to the law was the fulfilment of it
Matthew 5:17 See also Galatians 4:4–5; 1 Peter 2:22
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
Jesus Christ's death fulfils the demands of the law
2 Corinthians 5:21 See also Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 9:11, Hebrews 9:26–28, Hebrews 10:11–14; 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
On account of Jesus Christ's death, believers can be righteous independently of the law
Romans 3:21–26 See also John 1:17; Romans 10:4; Philippians 3:9
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Believers are set free from the law's condemnation
Galatians 3:21–25 See also Romans 6:1–14, Romans 7:1–6; Galatians 3:13, Galatians 4:5, Galatians 4:21–31 The lives of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac are interpreted figuratively, to illustrate the believer's freedom from the law's condemnation; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 2:14–15; Colossians 2:13–14
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
The freedom of believers rests on the power of the Holy Spirit
Romans 7:1–6; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18 See also Romans 8:1–17; Galatians 5:16–18, Galatians 5:22–26
Do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death. But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The believer's freedom to obey the law voluntarily
Psalm 119:32 See also Psalm 37:31, Psalm 119:45, Psalm 119:97; Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3; James 1:25, James 2:12
I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.