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There are some who would limit the reference here to the ceremonial law, but who would
imagine that exemption from ceremonials could lead to continuing in sin? The objection
shows that the moral law is in view, for freedom from law of this kind may seem at first
to open the door of licence. At this point of the argument the apostle is not concerned to
hedge his teaching about; he is dealing primarily with the absolute emancipation of the
believer from legalism in every form. When we reach the practical section (chapters 13:
and 14:), we shall find that there he has no hesitation in speaking of the emancipated
believer as fulfilling the law (13: 8, 9). But here the doctrine he seeks to establish is too
crucial to permit of side issues, even though they affect the very foundations of moral
living.
The great truth here made known is that the believer is not under law as a covenant of
works. There were "believers" even during the legal dispensation, but though "in the
law" they were not "of it". It is not the teaching of the apostle that the believer is not
under law because the law cannot sanctify--that would merely lead to condemnation,
rather than emancipation. The wonderful truth is that we are not under law because
Christ died for us, and we have died with Him to the whole of law's dominion. We are
under grace.
To be under grace, however, is not to be "lawless". Grace has dealt with our sins, but
not at the expense of righteousness. "Grace reigns through righteousness" (Rom. 5: 21).
Grace has made us nigh, but it is "by the blood of Christ". We are forgiven, but we are
also justified, and no part of the law of Moses that is a transcript of the immutable truth
of God can be broken simply because the one who breaks it is now "saved". The whole
point is that by the death of Christ the law is entirely set aside as a means of justification,
of sanctification or of life:--
"If righteousness came by the law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2: 22).
"If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law" (Gal. 3: 21).
Just as no one can continue in sin that grace may abound, for being under grace
indicates that one has died to sin (Rom. 6: 1, 2), so no one can continue under law when
once they have been set free, because in Christ they have died to the law (Gal. 2: 19).
In the opening verse (6: 15), the two great systems of "law" and "grace" are spoken
of. The reader could, no doubt, easily compile a double list of things that come under the
two headings. Some of them will be found in the argument of verses 16-22; but the
balancing member of the structure (verse 23) gives the most important point of the whole
of the apostle's argument--"life" and "death" (see Rom. 6: 2).
As we see from the structure "law" is associated with "wages". The word "wages"
indicates that something has been "earned", and this is entirely outside the sphere of
grace. To leave the reader without any doubt on this point we will quote the apostle's
own definition of grace from this same epistle:--