New Covenant believers are not under law. Paul is referring to the Old Covenant Law
and this means the entire Mosaic Law is not applicable to New Covenant
believers including the Ten Commandments.
This does not mean that murder, lying, stealing, adultery, etc. are OK
for New Covenant morals and ethics. As
a matter of fact, these laws have been strengthened in the New Covenant as
Jesus likened lust to adultery and anger to murder [Matt. 5]. What it does mean is that New Covenant
believers serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the
written code [Rom. 7:6]. Serving in the
old way of the written code meant an external list of do’s and don’ts. It depended on external obedience by the
flesh through legalism. Serving in the
new way of the Spirit means an internal motivation based on the indwelling
Spirit and the law written on the hearts of believers [Hebrews 8:10]. Serving in the Spirit is accomplished
through internal obedience made possible by a regenerate new creation in Christ
with a heart of flesh [2 Cor. 5:17].
The Old [Mosaic] Covenant Law was made with a mostly unbelieving
physical nation that needed a guardian [Gal. 3:23-24]. The New Covenant is made with a spiritual
nation that does not need a guardian now that the New Covenant has come [Gal.
3:25].
Therefore, Paul says sin will no longer be our master. This obviously means that it was the master of those under Law in the Old Covenant. Paul states this fact plainly in verses 17-18 of chapter six. Over and over in his letters Paul reinforces the fact that Old Covenant Law cannot save a person nor can it sanctify a person. When a person becomes a Saint through saving faith in Christ, he is given the indwelling Holy Spirit who gives him the fruit of the Spirit. This is what it means to be under grace and NOT law.
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