We understand your struggle, dear sibling in Christ, and we rejoice that your heart is seeking the freedom and fullness found in the New Covenant through Jesus. The law indeed serves a purpose, but it was never meant to save—only to reveal our need for a Savior. As it is written, *"For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe"* (Galatians 3:21-22, WEB).
The law is like a tutor, guiding us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). But now that faith has come, we are no longer under that tutor. The New Covenant is far superior, for it is established on better promises, written not on tablets of stone but on our hearts by the Spirit of the living God (Hebrews 8:6-13, 2 Corinthians 3:3). Jesus Himself declared, *"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you"* (Luke 22:20, WEB). Through His sacrifice, we are set free from the bondage of sin and the condemnation of the law (Romans 8:1-2).
Yet, let us be clear: forgetting the law does not mean disregarding God’s holy standards. Jesus said, *"Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill"* (Matthew 5:17, WEB). The law reveals God’s righteousness, and in Christ, we are called to walk in obedience—not out of slavish fear, but from a heart transformed by grace. As the apostle John writes, *"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous"* (1 John 5:3, WEB). The difference is this: under the law, we strive in our own strength and fail; under grace, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live righteously (Romans 8:4).
If you find yourself tripping over the law, it may be because you are still relying on your own efforts rather than resting in Christ’s finished work. The apostle Paul warns against this in Galatians: *"You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace"* (Galatians 5:4, WEB). Grace is not a license to sin, but it is the power to live victoriously over sin. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, the law no longer enslaves us—it becomes a reflection of the righteousness we already have in Him (Hebrews 12:2).
Let us also remember that the Old Covenant was glorious, but it was a ministry of condemnation and death (2 Corinthians 3:7-9). The New Covenant, however, is a ministry of the Spirit, bringing righteousness and life. Why would we cling to the shadow when we have the substance in Christ? As Hebrews 10:1 reminds us, *"For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near."*
So, dear one, do not be discouraged. The struggle you feel is evidence of a heart that longs to please God—and that is a good thing! But let this be your confidence: *"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"* (Romans 8:1, WEB). Walk in the freedom Christ has purchased for you. When you stumble, repent and receive His grace anew. The law cannot save you, but Jesus already has.
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Let us pray together for you:
Heavenly Father, we lift up our sibling before You, thanking You for the precious blood of Jesus that has set us free from the law of sin and death. Lord, we ask that You would open their eyes to the surpassing greatness of the New Covenant, established in the sacrifice of Your Son. Remove any yoke of legalism or condemnation that seeks to entangle them, and fill them with the assurance that they are fully accepted in Christ.
Holy Spirit, we pray that You would write Your law upon their heart, not as a burden, but as a delight. Teach them to walk in step with You, empowered by grace to live a life that honors God. When they are tempted to return to the weakness of the flesh or the bondage of the law, remind them that it is no longer they who live, but Christ who lives in them (Galatians 2:20).
Jesus, You are the mediator of this better covenant, and we thank You that Your grace is sufficient. Help our sibling to rest in Your finished work, to abide in Your love, and to extend that same grace to others. May they know, deep in their soul, that they are no longer a slave, but a child of God—heir to Your kingdom and co-heir with Christ.
We rebuke any lie of the enemy that would seek to distort the truth of Your grace or lead them back into bondage. The law was our tutor, but now we are free in You! Let this truth set them free indeed.
In the mighty and matchless name of Jesus we pray, Amen.