Does The Law Continue
Unfortunately, many people are misled into thinking that once they receive God's sacrifice for the redemption of their sins that they then have the right to live any way they want to since their past and future sins will be forgiven unconditionally. The error is made because of their assumption that the law was nailed to the cross and done away. Actually, "Christ hath redeemed us from the CURSE of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Gal. 3:13).
Even though we are redeemed from the curse of the law (death) and have the Spirit of God, the law still exists. 'Know ye not, brethren (FOR I SPEAK TO THEM THAT KNOW THE LAW) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? (Rom. 7:1).
But thanks be to God that grace also reigns as long as the man lives, for "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:20-21).
MUST WE KEEP THE LAW?
It is very important to notice that the apostle Paul states here that "grace reign THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS unto eternal life…." Eternal life is a gift that we receive from God. It is conditional. Contrary to common teaching, we do NOT have eternal life inherent within ourselves. One of the last warnings given to us in the scriptures is found in Rev. 22:14: "Blessed are they that DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have the RIGHT to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
It is interesting to note that the original Greek word which was translated in the above verse as RIGHT was translated as such only two times in the new testament. However, it was translated 29 times as "authority" and 69 times as "power". This means that this particular verse could just as easily have been translated, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have the AUTHORITY OR POWER to the tree of life."
We are also warned that "if we sin (break God's law) willfully AFTER that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." (Heb. 10:26).
How Are We Saved?
We should also understand that no one can keep the laws of God perfectly. This is why we are not saved by OUR righteousness, but by the righteousness of God. This is also why it can be said that we are saved by grace and not by keeping the law. However, this does not give us the right to continue to live in sin.
We are like a criminal that has been given a pardon. He is free to go into society again as long as he continues to obey the laws. But if he again breaks the laws, he will find himself back in prison.
Once we have come to see the knowledge of the truth and are led into repentance and baptism, we are then "pardoned" from the death penalty. We are then to 'go unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works…" (Heb. 6:1). Paul further elaborates on this subject in Rom. 6:18 when he says that "Being then made free from sin, ye become the SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS."
The Conclusion
The final outcome of sin is death (Rom. 6:23); and this will be the last enemy to be done away (I Cor. 15:26). If death is done away, then sin will be no more. Since sin is the cause of death, this will mark the completeness of Daniel's prophecy where he stated the finishing of "transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" (Dan. 9:24).
This will be the finalizing of the Kingdom of God when only the BORN sons of God will exist, and we can sin no more (I Jn. 3:9).
Then it can truly be said: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus" (I Cor. 15:55-57).