The Dispensation of Grace Versus the Law

 The Dispensation of Grace Versus the Law

John 1:17,Philippians 2:12-13.

John 1:17"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

Today's opening Scripture speaks of a change of dispensation, from one to another. It says theand grace is not the law. The dispensation of the law began with Moses, but grace and truthGod dealing with spiritually dead men, who knew the will of God but couldn't do it,just becausethey were spiritually dead. 

Romans 8:1-3 tells us that the law was incapacitated because of thethem.It became an occasion for sin or sinfulness unto them, for by the law is the knowledge ofsin. But the dispensation of grace is that of God's dealings with the man that is spiritually aliveunto God in Christ Jesus. This is the dispensation of the man in Christ - the born again,regenerated, recreated man. 

The law initiated the dispensation of struggle and of death.Peoplewere living from outside-in instead of living from inside-out. God was not pleased with thoseunder the law because they were not of faith, and it is evident that no man can please Godwithout faith.

Today's opening Scripture tells us that the law was given by Moses, but that grace and truthcame by Jesus Christ. The law is mechanical and that means you have to try as much as you can inyour own strength to obey it; but under grace, we keep the commandments of God not by tryinghard,but by the power of an endless life, by the help of the Holy Spirit. 

The dispensation of graceis not a license for sin. No! It is the dispensation in which God's people are enabled by the powerof the Spirit of God through their recreated human spirit to do the will of God. God showed thisclearly in Ezekiel 36:26-27, He said, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I putwithin you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart offlesh.And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keepmy judgments, and do them". 

This is the dispensation that we live in now under the NewCovenant.The Spirit of God within us enables us to do what pleases the Father.

YOUR CONFESSION

I declare that I am not under the law but under grace; I do not takethe grace of God as a license to continue in iniquity; rather, by theSpirit of God within, I give expression to the nature of God,walkingin love and righteousness in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Further Meditation:Hebrews 8:8-13;Philippians 4:13.