The concept of being "released from the law" is a significant theological theme in the New Testament, particularly in the writings of the Apostle Paul. This idea is primarily explored in the context of the relationship between the Old Covenant, represented by the Mosaic Law, and the New Covenant, established through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Biblical Foundation

The Apostle Paul addresses the notion of being released from the law most explicitly in his Epistle to the Romans. In Romans 7:6 , Paul writes, "But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." Here, Paul contrasts the old way of adhering to the written code of the law with the new way of living by the Spirit, which believers are called to under the New Covenant.

In Romans 7:1-4 , Paul uses the analogy of marriage to explain this release: "Do you not know, brothers, for I am speaking to those who know the law, that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."

Theological Implications

The release from the law signifies a transition from the Old Covenant, which was based on adherence to the Mosaic Law, to the New Covenant, which is based on faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This transition is not a dismissal of the law's moral and ethical teachings but rather a fulfillment of them through Christ. As Paul states in Romans 8:2 , "For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death."

Paul further elaborates on this theme in Galatians 3:24-25 : "So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian." The law served as a tutor or guardian to guide people until the coming of Christ, who fulfilled the law's requirements and brought about justification through faith.

Practical Application

For believers, being released from the law means living under the grace of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the righteous requirements of the law through love and obedience to Christ. This release does not imply lawlessness but rather a deeper, Spirit-led adherence to God's will. As Paul writes in Galatians 5:18 , "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

The release from the law also emphasizes the believer's new identity in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 , Paul declares, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This new identity is characterized by a life transformed by the Spirit, marked by the fruits of the Spirit, and lived in the freedom that Christ provides.

Conclusion

The concept of being released from the law is central to understanding the believer's relationship with God under the New Covenant. It highlights the transition from the old way of the written code to the new way of the Spirit, emphasizing faith in Christ and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.