According to Paul, believers are not under the law but under grace — and the two are as different as darkness and light.
In Romans 6:14 Paul declares that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are not under the law but under grace. Les Feldick explains that grace is unmerited favor — nothing we can do counts with God; it is all based on what Christ has done. Yet grace is not license; Paul asks, "Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?" and answers "God forbid."
Romans 6:14 — Paul's clearest statement that believers are not under the law but under grace.
2 Corinthians 3:3 — Paul contrasts the Spirit's work on the heart with tables of stone, illustrating the new way of grace.
Paul explicitly states in Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." He immediately anticipates the objection in Romans 6:15: "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." Scripture presents grace not as lawless living but as a new relationship where sin no longer has dominion. Paul also describes the new work as inward. In 2 Corinthians 3:3 he writes that believers are "manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ... written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." This shows the contrast between external commandments and the Spirit's writing on the heart.
Les Feldick stresses that there is "all the difference in the world" between law and grace — like daylight and dark, or pitch midnight and high noon sunlight. He points to Romans 6:14 and explains that grace is unmerited favor; nothing that we can do counts with God, and everything is based on what Christ has done on our behalf. Many believers have never heard that there is a difference, but Paul presents two totally different concepts. Les teaches that under grace, believers are no longer under the ritual and stipulations of the Law of Israel or the demands of Judaism. Paul's gospel is constantly built on Christ's death, shed blood, burial, and resurrection — not on keeping the Law. However, Les repeats over and over that grace is not license. Paul's "God forbid" in Romans 6:15 shows that being under grace does not give permission to sin. Les also explains that the Holy Spirit writes the work of God on the believer's heart, not on tables of stone. Believers become living epistles, and our sufficiency is of God, not our own education or background. Under grace, the things God commanded in the law now come from within the believer's heart rather than by external commandment. Paul never says believers are free to break the commandments, and he never says the Ten Commandments are of no earthly good.
Paul answers this directly in Romans 6:14: sin shall not have dominion over believers because they are not under the law but under grace. Les Feldick says the difference is like daylight and dark, and that grace is unmerited favor. He explains that believers are no longer under the ritual and stipulations of the Law of Israel or the demands of Judaism; those have been set aside. The two are totally different concepts, not two versions of the same thing.
No. Paul himself raises the objection in Romans 6:15 — "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." Les Feldick repeats throughout his teaching that grace is not license. Believers have liberty, but under grace the believer automatically adheres to the things given in the law; Paul does not say believers are free to break the commandments, nor that the Ten Commandments are of no earthly good.
In Paul's teaching, the Spirit is the mark of the new work. Les Feldick points to Paul's words that believers are living epistles, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God — not on tables of stone but on fleshy tables of the heart. He stresses that our sufficiency is of God, not our own background, education, or religious status.
Les Feldick contrasts the law's response to failure with grace. Under the law, picking up sticks on the Sabbath was punished by death by stoning. Under grace, a believer who fails is not utterly cast out; God deals with us in love and disciplines us when we do not respond. It is not a matter of "you will or else," but of responding to liberty.
Spirit-written hearts vs tables of stone
Les explains that believers are living epistles with the Holy Spirit's work written on their hearts, not on tables of stone, and that sufficiency comes from God.
Law vs grace is like daylight and dark
Les stresses the complete difference between law and grace, and defines grace as unmerited favor based on what Christ has done.
Loving discipline instead of stoning
Under the law, Sabbath violation meant death by stoning; under grace, failure brings loving discipline, not total condemnation.
Midnight and high noon difference
Les emphasizes that Paul presents two totally different concepts in Romans 6:14, not just a slight adjustment.
Grace is not license
Paul's gospel is based on Christ's death, blood, burial, and resurrection, not on keeping the Law; but grace is not license.
Under grace the law has no power
Paul's "God forbid" shows grace does not justify sin; Galatians proves that under grace the law has no power over us.
No longer under the Law of Israel
Les says believers are not under the ritual and stipulations of the Law of Israel or the demands of Judaism; they are under grace, yet grace is not license.
Commandments become inward, not permissive
Under grace, the believer automatically adheres to the commandments from the heart; Paul never says the Ten Commandments are worthless.
Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
This is the foundational verse for the law/grace contrast in Paul's teaching.
Romans 6:15: What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Paul immediately answers the objection that grace gives license to sin.
2 Corinthians 3:3: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Paul contrasts the Spirit's writing on the heart with the old tables of stone.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
This verse connects with Les's teaching that under grace the law has no power over us.
Paul says a believer is not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). Law is connected to tables of stone and external commandments, while grace is God's unmerited favor based on what Christ has done and is written on the heart by the Spirit.
Paul asked, "Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace?" and answered "God forbid." Les repeatedly says grace is not license; under grace a believer's obedience comes from within rather than by commandment.
Les says Paul does not say believers are free to break the commandments and does not say the Ten Commandments are of no earthly good. Under grace, the believer automatically adheres to these things from a heart of love.
Paul says believers are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart. Les describes believers as living epistles whose hearts carry the Holy Spirit's work.
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