All of mankind as the children of Adam are thereby slaves by birth, partaking of Adam’s viral infection of “Sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3). Partaking of his fallen Sin-nature they find it an uphill fight to do right and … yet easy to do wrong. No mother has ever had to teach her child to tell lies, or not to steal or to disobey. Every child does these things spontaneously, naturally. All, by nature, are slaves to sin and thereby death

^“Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12 (KJV)

Some, on the other hand, have religious folks have sought to make themselves slaves to the Law of the Ten Commandments in order to overcome their natural tendencies toward evil, but this does not produce the desired results. Why is this?

The problem is that Sin dwells in the flesh of all men, believers included, and no matter how well intentioned, it is impossible to live a righteous life of our own self-effort. Paul explains;

“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” 1 Corinthians 15:56 (KJV)

Then one might say, “What good is the Law?”

The fact is that God did not give the Law to help us to be good, but to show us that we are sinful and need a Savior to save us from sin’s penalty. In Rom. 3:19 Paul writes how that God gave Israel “the Law” so “that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become [be exposed as] guilty before God” – none can claim they are self-righteous. Then in verse 20 He says that “by the law is the knowledge [awareness] of sin.”

Only believers in the finished work of Christ at the Cross are liberated from both the Penalty for sin and Power of sin. This does not mean that it is not possible for them to sin, but that … it is now possible for them not to sin — to have victory over sin in any given case. Thus, Paul wrote another important fact;

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for [because] ye are not under the law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14).

Under God’s grace gospel Christ died to pay for our sins, and in response to that grace believers seek to live for Him, now out of sheer love and gratitude for what He has done for them. This is the secret of victorious living, and God would have us keep it that way. Thus, Paul wrote this to the Galatians;

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty [freedom] wherewith Christ hath [already] made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of [religious] bondage [to the Law].” Galatians 5:1

“Wherefore if [since] ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world [the fallen earthly religious Law arrangement of today], why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, ²¹ ([which says] Touch not; taste not; handle not; ²²  Which all are to perish with the using [religious Law];) … “ Colossians 2:20-23 (KJV)

Yet, Paul also cautions believers, who enjoy this wonderful liberty that we now have in union with Christ, not to flaunt their freedom from religious “Law” and the constraints of man’s religious law’s precepts, rituals, and rites.

“Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak [in their knowledge of the faith and its liberty in Christ]” (I Cor. 8:9).

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13).