Christ, The Law, The Sabbath, and Walking in the Spirit

One of the most common questions believers wrestle with is this:

If we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, what role does God’s Law play in the life of a Christian?

Closely connected to that question are discussions about the Sabbath, obedience, holiness, faith, works, and what it truly means to walk in the Spirit.

These are important conversations because they touch the very heart of the Gospel.

The Purpose of God’s Law

The Law was never given as a ladder by which sinful humanity could climb their way to heaven.

Rather, the Law reveals God’s holy standard and exposes our need for a Savior.

Romans 7:7 says:

“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”

The Law functions like a mirror. A mirror can show us the dirt on our face, but it cannot wash us clean. In the same way, the Law reveals our sin, but it cannot save us from it.

Galatians 3:24 says:

“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”

The Law points us to Jesus.

Why We Need Jesus

Every person has fallen short of God’s perfect standard.

Romans 3:23 says:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

No amount of rule keeping, religious activity, good deeds, or personal effort can erase our guilt before a holy God.

That is why Jesus came.

Romans 5:8 says:

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jesus lived the sinless life we could never live.

Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law.

Jesus died for our sins.

Jesus rose from the dead.

Through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Salvation is not earned.

Salvation is received.

What Does It Mean That Jesus Fulfilled The Law?

Jesus Himself said:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Matthew 5:17

To fulfill something means to bring it to its intended completion.

Everything in the Old Covenant pointed forward to Christ.

The sacrifices pointed to Christ.

The priesthood pointed to Christ.

The temple pointed to Christ.

The Passover pointed to Christ.

The feasts pointed to Christ.

The Law pointed to Christ.

Jesus is the substance to which all the shadows were pointing.

Colossians 2:16-17 says:

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”

The shadows were never the destination.

Christ is.

The New Covenant

Under the Old Covenant, God’s Law was written on tablets of stone.

Under the New Covenant, God writes His truth upon the hearts of His people.

Hebrews 8:10 says:

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord, I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

The Christian life is not about external conformity.

It is about inward transformation.

The Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 says:

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Notice something important.

The Spirit does not lead us away from holiness.

The Spirit leads us into holiness.

Not as a means of earning salvation, but as the fruit of salvation.

Are Christians Required To Keep The Sabbath?

The Sabbath is one of the most debated topics among believers.

God established the Sabbath as a gift.

Jesus said:

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27

The Sabbath was intended to bless humanity, not enslave humanity.

At the same time, Scripture reveals a deeper reality.

Jesus Himself is our ultimate rest.

Hebrews 4:9-10 says:

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

Our greatest rest is not found in a particular day.

Our greatest rest is found in a Person.

That Person is Jesus Christ.

This does not mean believers cannot set aside time for worship, rest, fellowship, and devotion. These are good and healthy practices.

However, Scripture warns us against judging one another regarding specific days.

Romans 14:5 says:

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

Our righteousness is not found in observing a day.

Our righteousness is found in Christ.

Faith And Obedience Work Together

Some people make the mistake of teaching that obedience saves.

Others make the mistake of teaching that obedience doesn’t matter.

Scripture teaches neither extreme.

True faith produces obedience.

James 2:17 says:

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Good works are not the root of salvation.

They are the fruit of salvation.

When a person truly encounters Jesus, transformation follows.

The Holy Spirit begins producing new desires, new convictions, and new priorities.

Jesus said:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
John 14:15

Notice He did not say:

“If you keep my commandments, then I will love you.”

Obedience flows from love.

Love flows from grace.

Grace flows from Christ.

Walking In The Spirit

The Christian life was never meant to be lived in human strength.

Galatians 5:16 says:

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

The answer to sin is not trying harder.

The answer is surrendering deeper.

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to walk in righteousness.

Galatians 5:22-23 says:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.”

These qualities cannot be manufactured through rule keeping.

They are produced through abiding in Christ.

Love Fulfills The Law

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He replied:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40

Paul later writes:

“For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Galatians 5:14

Love is not the abandonment of God’s truth.

Love is the fulfillment of God’s truth.

When we walk in the Spirit, we grow in love.

When we grow in love, we reflect Christ.

When we reflect Christ, we fulfill the purpose for which we were created.

Final Thoughts

The Gospel is not Law versus Grace.

The Gospel is not Faith versus Obedience.

The Gospel is not Sabbath versus Freedom.

The Gospel is Jesus Christ.

The Law reveals our need.

Grace provides our rescue.

Faith receives the gift.

The Spirit transforms the believer.

Love becomes the evidence.

As believers, our focus must remain fixed on Christ.

Not in boasting of our works.

Not in boasting of our knowledge.

Not in boasting of our traditions.

But in boasting in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 6:14 says:

“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

May we walk in the Spirit, rest in Christ, grow in love, and keep our eyes fixed on the One who fulfilled what we never could.

This version should work well as a long-form blog post on your website and also reflects many of the themes you and Misty often emphasize: Christ-centered, grace-centered, Spirit-led, while still affirming holiness, obedience, and biblical truth.