Hi Paul. If it’s any enouragement I was given a tape (remember those?!) of the Anglican minister under whose ministry I count my conversion, although that was more of a process than a sudden change having been brought up in Christian home. This was many years later and I wanted to hear him again.
The minster was doing a study in Galatians and teaching on the role of the law, and how it is a ‘schoolmaster’ to bring us to Christ. After that it’s job is done, and I still remember – although this is all years ago – that in answer to the question ‘are we in any way still under the law’ he said ‘no, we are simply in Christ and under grace’. That stuck with me. Living it out with the temptation presented by evangelical law/legalism is easier said than done!
I also think the tendency to go back under law you complain of it because of classic evangelicals’ weak doctrine of the Holy Spirit and even weaker or even barely existant experience of the Holy Spirit.
Right, supposedly, not under law because Christ kept/keeps it for you (under grace). But biblically, who keeps the law isn’t the issue; whether you are still under its condemnation is the issue. Hence, grace is a covering (in Christ) for remaining under law. It is the flip side of Martin Luther’s “simultaneously saint [under grace] and sinner [under law].” An overt contradiction to Romans 6:14 and Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [under grace] has set you free from the law of sin and of death [under law].”
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Hi Paul. If it’s any enouragement I was given a tape (remember those?!) of the Anglican minister under whose ministry I count my conversion, although that was more of a process than a sudden change having been brought up in Christian home. This was many years later and I wanted to hear him again.
The minster was doing a study in Galatians and teaching on the role of the law, and how it is a ‘schoolmaster’ to bring us to Christ. After that it’s job is done, and I still remember – although this is all years ago – that in answer to the question ‘are we in any way still under the law’ he said ‘no, we are simply in Christ and under grace’. That stuck with me. Living it out with the temptation presented by evangelical law/legalism is easier said than done!
I also think the tendency to go back under law you complain of it because of classic evangelicals’ weak doctrine of the Holy Spirit and even weaker or even barely existant experience of the Holy Spirit.
Ken B
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Right, supposedly, not under law because Christ kept/keeps it for you (under grace). But biblically, who keeps the law isn’t the issue; whether you are still under its condemnation is the issue. Hence, grace is a covering (in Christ) for remaining under law. It is the flip side of Martin Luther’s “simultaneously saint [under grace] and sinner [under law].” An overt contradiction to Romans 6:14 and Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [under grace] has set you free from the law of sin and of death [under law].”
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