Theological question shared on FB: “Who knows what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit and not under Law?”

Christian response,

Concerning God’s promises in the New Covenant established in Messiah’s blood (Matthew 26:28),

And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord:I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,”He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Jesus said concerning the indwelling Holy Spirit’s work in the New Covenant,

25 All this I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.… John 14:25-27

Discussion,

Being led by the Spirit means that those who are “born again” by the Holy Spirit by grace through faith in Jesus Christ have subsequently received the indwelling Holy Spirit as their Seal and Guarantor of relationship with God the Father forever through faith in Jesus as Lord and Mediator for sin (Ephesians 1:13-14) meaning that we are then “justified” by faith in Jesus before God the Father (Romans 5:1).

Subsequent to our confession of faith in Jesus as Lord, God the Father gives the faithful the indwelling Holy Spirit Who then becomes our Tutor, our Teacher, our Instructor and Guide in righteousness through obedience (1 John 2:27; John 14:16) not to the letters carved in stone or etched upon parchment but the Law having been written in our heart and placed in our mind through the Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26; Hebrews 10:16); this same Law, to a lesser degree, has been relevant since the creation of the angels and the creation of our Earthly father, Adam.

Necessity for the Law of Conscience (Romans 2:15),

The Law of Conscience infused within the angels and human kind by our Creator is essential for at least two-reasons,

1. The sustainability of human kind as a bulwark against unrestrained narcissism-hedonism culminating in extinction of the species.
2. So that Judgment in Eternity can manifest with equity and due process; every man and woman having died in the body rejecting Jesus as Lord will be without excuse in the Day of Judgment of the Condemned (John 8:24; Revelation 20:11-15).

The Law of the Spirit (Conscience) v. The Law of Moses,

It is the Law of Conscience (Romans 2:15), the Natural-objective-Moral Law written in our heart and infused in our mind at conception by our Creator that the Holy Spirit takes and magnifies in the believer and carefully guides them to follow God’s Law which now includes mens rea i.e. the mind of mankind e.g. the thoughts of mankind are now subject to culpability (Matthew 5:27-28) which supersedes the Law of Moses and the Commandments, these having faded away and given way to the Law of the Spirit in the New Covenant of Grace (2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Romans 7:6).

The Law of Moses, the Commandments, were given specifically to the Hebrew Tribes and converts to Judaism and they were NOT given to the Gentiles or the New Testament Church (Acts 15). In the New Covenant of Grace, a Christian is NOT under Law but under Grace in Jesus Christ and through the Spirit (Romans 6:14). The Law of Moses/The Commandments cannot save or redeem (Galatians 2:16) because lasting regenerative atonement for sin is not available in the Covenant of Law (Hebrews 10:4); though men and women found righteousness (a right standing) with God the Father in the Covenant of Law through their faith, the Law of Moses/the Commandments only condemn as the Law of Moses only defines sin (Romans 3:20; Romans 8:1-4).

Messiah’s Commands established in the New Covenant,

Following is a short list of Messiah’s “Commands” that the Spirit is careful to teach us in our walk of sanctification in Him (2 Timothy 2:15)…

Repent (Matthew 4:17)

Follow Him (Matthew 4:19)

Let your light shine (Matthew 5:16)

Be reconciled (Matthew 5:23–24)

Don’t Lust (Matthew 5:27–30)

Make no oaths (Matthew 5:34, 37)

Don’t resist evil with evil (Matthew 5:39-42)

Love and pray for your enemies (Matthew 5:44–46)

Be perfect (in love) (Matthew 5:48)

Seek God’s Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33)

Don’t Judge (Matthew 7:1)

Don’t give what is holy to dogs (Matthew 7:6)

Treat people as you want to be treated (Matthew 7:12)

Enter (heaven) through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14) (Matthew 7:15–16)

Follow Jesus (Matt. 8:22)

Ask God to send out workers (Matthew 9:37–38)

Don’t fear those who can kill the body (Matthew 10:28)

Come to Jesus for rest (Matthew 11:28)

Confront brothers in private first (Matthew 18:15–17)

Forgive Seven times Seventy (Matthew 18:21–22)

Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s (Matthew 22:21)

Love God (Matthew 22:39)

Partake of Communion (Matthew 26:26–27)

Keep guard against sin (Matthew 26:41)

Make Disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)

Preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15)

Be on guard against greed (Luke 12:15)

Invite the poor (Luke 14:12–14)

Love one another (John 13:34) (John 15:12) (John 15:17).