What other scriptures emphasize grace over law for salvation? Grace Declared in Galatians 5:4 “You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” A Chorus of Witnesses: Scriptures that Place Grace Above Law “Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been revealed, … and this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. … and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” “Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” “And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. … If the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!” “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” “… that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.” “When you were dead in your trespasses … He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. He took it away, nailing it to the cross.” “He saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit … having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life.” “So a former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” “For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come … And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” “He has saved us … not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.” “Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.” “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” “… Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Why Grace Is the Only Way • The law exposes sin; it cannot erase it (Romans 3:20). • Grace supplies the righteousness God requires, credited through faith (Romans 4:5; Philippians 3:9). • Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice fulfills every legal demand (Hebrews 10:10; Colossians 2:14). • Dependence on law severs us from Christ because it rejects His sufficient work (Galatians 5:4). Living in the Freedom of Grace • Rest—stop striving to earn what Christ already purchased (Matthew 11:28-30 echoes). • Rejoice—boast only in the cross, not in personal performance (Galatians 6:14). • Respond—good works flow from gratitude, not to secure favor (Ephesians 2:10). |
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