Under the law, the old sinful nature has dominion; under grace, sin no longer has dominion because believers are not under the Mosaic law system.
Les Feldick uses Romans 6:14 to make this distinction: 'For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.' The law, in Paul's context, is the whole Mosaic system—ritual, worship, sacrifices, and the Ten Commandments. Under grace, believers are not under that system; instead they are led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and grace never gives license to sin.
Romans 6:14 — This is the key verse Les repeatedly cites to show that sin's dominion is broken because believers are not under the law but under grace.
In Romans 6:14 the apostle Paul states, 'For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.' The very next verse asks, 'What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid' (Romans 6:15). These verses reveal two distinct conditions—being under the law and being under grace—and show that grace breaks sin's dominion rather than permitting it. The Scripture itself rejects the idea that grace gives license to sin.
Les Feldick says most people have never grasped the difference between Law and Grace, which he describes as different as pitch midnight from high noon sunlight and as daylight from dark. He repeatedly points to Romans 6:14: the old Adamic nature, or sin, shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the law but under grace. He emphasizes that the law in Paul's writings means the whole Mosaic system—ritual, worship, sacrifices, and the Ten Commandments—and that believers are no longer under that legalistic system.
Les explains that when Paul writes 'law,' most people first think of the Ten Commandments, but the law per se was the whole concept of the law of Moses—its ritual, worship, sacrifices, and the Ten Commandments. He also says we are not under the ritual and stipulations of the Law of Israel, nor under the demands of Judaism; that legalistic system has been set aside for those under grace.
Les emphatically says no. Romans 6:15 asks, 'Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?' and answers, 'God forbid.' Les says 'grace is never license' and suggests 'banish the thought' as a better translation. Under grace, believers are led and guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit rather than the stringent demands of 'thou shalt and thou shalt not.'
Les defines grace as unmerited favor. Nothing we can do counts with God; it is all based on what He has done on our behalf. He describes coming out of the darkness of legalism into the light of God's grace as 'all the difference in the world.'
Defining the Law Under the Old System
Les explains that 'the law' in Romans is not only the Ten Commandments but the whole law of Moses—its ritual, worship, and sacrifices.
The Difference Is as Great as Midnight and Noon
Les uses Romans 6:14 to show that under grace the old Adamic nature does not have dominion because believers are not under the law.
Grace Is Not License
Les reads Romans 6:15 and insists grace gives no license; the whole book of Galatians proves the law has no power over us under grace.
Grace Is Unmerited Favor
Les says leaving legalism for grace is like coming from darkness into light, because grace is unmerited favor—all based on what God has done, not what we do.
The Law Has No Effect on the Believer
Les points back to Romans 6:14 to show that if we are not under the law, the law has no effect on us.
The Holy Spirit's Leading Instead of the Law
Les says that under grace the believer is led and guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit, not by the stringent 'thou shalt / thou shalt not' demands—yet grace is never license.
Set Free From the Legalistic System
Les explains that we are not under Israel's legalistic priesthood and sacrifices, and that Paul's 'God forbid' could be translated 'banish the thought.'
Grace Is Not License
Les repeats Romans 6:14 to show we are not under the ritual and stipulations of the Law of Israel, and then insists grace is not license.
Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
This is the key verse Les repeats constantly to show the difference between law and grace.
Romans 6:15: What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
This verse answers the objection that grace gives license to sin.
Les Feldick explains that the word 'law' in Romans refers to the whole Mosaic system, including the Ten Commandments, the ritual, worship, and sacrifices. Under grace we are not under that legalistic system, and sin's dominion is broken. Les does not teach that grace makes us lawless—grace is never license.
No. Romans 6:15 asks, 'shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?' and answers 'God forbid.' Les says grace is never license. Instead of being under the 'thou shalt / thou shalt not' demands, believers are led and guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Les defines grace as unmerited favor. Nothing we can do counts with God; it is all based on what He has done on our behalf. This is why coming out of legalism into grace is like stepping from darkness into light.
Watch the Teaching: Redemption Explained: From Law to Grace (Romans 3 & 6)