Grace in Galatians (Part 105): The Law and Grace Don't Fight Each Other
Today, we continue our series entitled “Living the Grace Life,” where we will learn to embrace and walk in God’s unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.
As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians.
Key scriptures for this year:
(2 Corinthians 9:8 TPT)
"Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do."
(Galatians 5:4 TPT)
"If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!"
(Romans 6:14 ERV)
"Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God's grace."
(1 Corinthians 15:10 CEV)
"But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me."
Scripture we will study today:
(Galatians 3:21 TPT)
“So then, does the Law contradict the promise of God? Certainly not! Yet if the law had the power to give us life, then righteousness would have come by keeping the Law.”
(Galatians 3:21 NLT)
“Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it.”
Supporting scriptures:
(Romans 3:20 NLT)
“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”
(Romans 8:3-4 NLT)
“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”
(John 1:17 NIV)
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
(Romans 10:4 TPT)
“For Christ is the complete fulfillment of every commandment of the law. All who believe in him are made right with God.”
Setting the Stage:
Paul has spent considerable time establishing that the promise came BEFORE the Law, that the promise is SUPERIOR to the Law, and that the promise operates by faith while the Law operates by works. So now he anticipates the obvious question his readers would ask: “Paul, are you saying the Law is BAD? Are you saying the Law CONTRADICTS God’s promise? Are you anti-Law?”
This is a critical moment in Paul’s argument. He’s NOT attacking the Law itself. He’s not saying the Law was evil or that God made a mistake by giving it. What Paul is clarifying is the purpose and the limitation of the Law. The Law had a role, but that role was never to give life or make anyone righteous. The Law was designed to expose sin and drive people to Jesus and the life of faith!
Think about it this way: if I hand you a thermometer, you can use it to measure your body temperature. But the thermometer can’t HEAL your fever! It can only REVEAL your fever! That was the Law’s job: to reveal sin, not to heal it! The Law exposed our need for a cure. Grace is the cure!
So Paul answers the question in strong terms: “Certainly NOT! The Law doesn’t contradict the promise!” The Law and grace don’t fight each other; they work together in God’s plan. The Law reveals your need for grace, and grace provides what the Law could never give: the gift of righteousness and eternal life in Christ Jesus!
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. The Law and Grace Have Different Jobs in God’s Plan.
Paul makes it clear that the Law and the promise don’t contradict each other because they were never designed to do the same thing! The Law was given to expose sin and show humanity their need for a Savior. The promise was given to provide salvation through faith in Christ. They’re not in competition; they’re in COOPERATION! The Law reveals the problem, and grace provides the solution!
How this applies to you:
— You don’t have to choose between respecting the Law and embracing grace. Some believers think that honoring grace means despising the Law, but that’s not true! The Law served its purpose perfectly by revealing that no one could be righteous through human effort.
— When you read the Old Testament, don’t dismiss it as irrelevant. The Law still teaches you about God’s holiness, justice, and standards. It’s just that now you know you don’t have to meet those standards through your own effort because Jesus met them FOR you!
— The Law shows you the target. The word sin means: missing the mark. The Law shows you the mark. It shows you God’s standard. It shows you holiness. And it was so holy that no human could ever fulfill. Well, Jesus came as God in the flesh and He fulfilled it FOR us. In this way, while the Law shows you how wrong you are, grace makes you right in Christ, and it gives you the victory over sin and death!
— I have shared the point I am about to make several times, but it is worth repeating. Conviction is not the same as condemnation. The Holy Spirit does not convict you of sin. He comes to convict you of the righteousness Jesus died to give you. When you focus on sin, you feel condemned. But the conviction of the Holy Spirit always points you toward grace. He comes to remind you of who you are in Christ, so you can live empowered by God’s amazing grace. When you feel condemned, you run away from God. When you are convicted by the Holy Spirit, you run TO God!
— Stop feeling guilty for not keeping the Old Testament Law. You’re not under the Law; you’re under grace! You don’t have to observe Sabbath regulations, dietary restrictions, or ceremonial requirements. Christ fulfilled all of that! Your relationship with God is now based on faith in Jesus and the promise God gave to Abraham, not the Law!
— The Law still serves a purpose for unbelievers today. It reveals their sinfulness and their need for a Savior. But once you’re in Christ, you don’t live by the Law; you live by the Spirit! Don’t let religious people put you back under rules and regulations that Christ freed you from!
2. The Law Could Never Give You Life or Make You Righteous.
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”l: “If the law had the power to give us life, then righteousness would have come by keeping the Law.” But it DIDN’T! No one was ever made righteous by keeping the Law because no one could keep it perfectly!
How this applies to you:
— Stop trying to make yourself righteous through religious activity. That is self-righteousness. Going to church, reading your Bible, praying, fasting, and serving are all GOOD things, but they don’t make you righteous! Righteousness is a gift you receive, not something you work to achieve! You became righteous the moment you believed in Jesus, not after years of spiritual discipline!
— In moments when you feel spiritually dry or distant from God, don’t think you need to “do more” to reconnect. The Law mentality says, “If I pray harder, fast longer, or serve more, THEN God will bless me.” But grace says, “God has already blessed me, and now I respond out of gratitude!” Under grace, you don’t work for the blessing; you yield to it. You embrace it by faith.
— God wants us to treat our children the way He treats us. Our children and loved ones won’t be transformed by more rules and consequences. The Law can restrain behavior temporarily, but only grace changes the heart! Speak life, identity, and grace into them. Show them who they are in Christ, and their behavior will eventually align with their identity!
— In your workplace, leadership, or relationships, recognize that rules alone don’t produce transformation. Laws and policies can establish boundaries, but they can’t change hearts or motivate excellence. People do their best work when they’re inspired by vision, purpose, and value; not when they’re merely complying with rules!
— Every morning when you wake up, remind yourself: “I don’t have to BECOME righteous today; I already AM righteous in Christ! My job is to believe it and live from it!” This one shift in thinking will change the way you live! You are just complying with your flesh, you are dying to your flesh and embracing the grace to live as the man/woman you are destined to be! This is a much better way to live!
3. Only Grace Gives Life and Produces Righteousness.
The Law exposes your inability, but grace provides God’s ability! The Law points to your failure, but grace celebrates Christ’s finished work! This is why grace is superior. Grace does what the Law never could!
How this applies to you:
— When you feel spiritually dead, dry, or discouraged, you need an infusion of GRACE, not an increase in rules! The Law kills; grace gives life! Stop piling on more religious obligations and start receiving more of God’s unmerited favor! Let grace breathe life into your situation and your mindset!
— If you have a struggling relationship and you want it to get back on track, grace is the answer. The Law mindset says, “If you want to get close to me again, you must do this and that!” But grace says, “I love you regardless, and I believe the best about you!” Grace-filled relationships produce life, joy, and transformation. Law-based relationships produce death, resentment, and distance!
— Righteousness is not something you achieve over time through spiritual maturity. You are FULLY righteous right now, the moment you believe in Jesus! You don’t become MORE righteous as you mature; you simply learn to walk in the righteousness you already possess! Understanding this is life-changing because it will change the way you see God, yourself, and others, too!
— Why is all of this teaching on grace so important? One reason is that it will help you to stop measuring your spiritual life by how well you’re keeping rules. The Law mentality will only lead to one of two mindsets: pride or despair. It leads to despair (when you realize your efforts will never measure up) and it leads to pride (when you convince yourself that you are actually good and right). Both mindsets are bad. One leads to depression, and the other leads to deception. God does not want you to live with either. He wants you to rest in His grace, and He wants you to be gracious towards others.
— Another reason is tied to how you face challenges. When you are facing a trial or obstacles, the Law would say, “Work harder, try harder, be better!” But grace says, “It’s already done! Receive the victory that Christ already won, and walk in it!” Grace empowers you to overcome in a way that your flesh never could. Focusing on your performance, especially when struggling with something, is just going to lead to guilt, shame, and condemnation.
— The abundant life Jesus promised doesn’t come from following rules; it comes from abiding in Him! As you remain connected to the Vine (Christ), His life flows through you. You produce fruit effortlessly: not by striving, but by staying connected to the source of grace!
4. Understanding Grace Changes How You Approach Everything.
When you truly understand that the Law and grace have different purposes, and that only grace gives life, it transforms your ENTIRE approach to God, faith, relationships, challenges, and purpose! You stop trying to EARN and start learning to RECEIVE. You stop PERFORMING and start BELIEVING!
How this applies to you:
— In your prayer life, you’ll stop begging God to do what He’s already done. Instead of praying, “God, PLEASE bless me,” you’ll pray, “Father, I receive the blessing You’ve already given me in Christ!” Prayer becomes an act of faith and reception rather than religious performance!
— In your finances, you’ll stop thinking you have to manipulate or scheme to get ahead. You’ll understand that provision flows from grace, not from your perfect performance of financial principles. You sow in faith, give generously, and trust God to bring the overflow! You know God is your source!
— In your family, you’ll lead with grace rather than rules. Instead of constantly focusing on rules, you speak life, identity, and destiny over your loved ones.
— In your health and body, you’ll stop seeing sickness as punishment for sin or lack of faith. You’ll understand that healing is part of your inheritance in Christ, and you receive it by grace through faith! You’re not trying to earn healing; you’re accepting what grace already provided! And you do this by faith!
— In your purpose and calling, you’ll stop waiting until you feel “qualified” or “ready.” Grace has already equipped you with everything you need for your divine assignment! As a result, you step into what God prepared for you, trusting that His grace is sufficient for every challenge! You do this by faith!
— In your relationships with difficult people, you’ll extend the same grace that God extended to you. You won’t hold people to impossible standards; you’ll love them unconditionally, pray for them consistently, and believe for their breakthrough! Grace transforms both you and them!
— At the end of every day, you’ll rest knowing that your standing with God is NOT based on how well you performed that day. Your righteousness is secure, your blessing is guaranteed, and your future is bright because you’re in Christ! So you sleep in peace, and wake up ready to receive more grace tomorrow!
That's enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You that the Law and grace don’t contradict each other!
The Law reveals my need, and grace provides the solution!
I am not trying to become righteous through rules and performance!
I AM righteous because of what Jesus did, and I live FROM that righteousness!
Grace gives me LIFE when the Law could only expose death!
I stop striving to earn what grace freely gives!
Every blessing, provision, healing, and breakthrough flows from grace!
I receive by faith what You’ve already provided by grace!
I am Living the Grace Life, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
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