What Does It Mean to 'Not Be Under the Law?'

What Does It Mean to 'Not Be Under the Law?'

Paul’s teaching that believers are “not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14) has often been misunderstood, sometimes leading people to believe they have no moral obligations or restrictions whatsoever. But the reality is far richer. To truly grasp this concept, we must explore four key aspects: freedom from the Mosaic Law as a means of justification, walking in the Spirit through the Word of God, avoiding legalism and condemnation, and understanding the common misconceptions about the law.

Righteousness by faith, not by law

First, being free from the law means grace believers are no longer required to follow the Mosaic Law to attain righteousness. Paul explains this beautifully in Galatians 3:24-25: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Before Christ, the law served as a guide, teaching people about sin and their need for salvation. Its purpose was not to save, but to point them to Christ. However, now that Christ has come, believers now live under grace through faith in Him, not under a rigid law system for righteousness. Romans 6:14 clearly states: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” This doesn’t mean that sin is now acceptable, but rather that righteousness is a result of faith, not legal adherence. Through His death and resurrection, Christ fulfilled the law so that believers could be declared righteous through His finished work, not through personal effort.

What is it to walk by the spirit

Our positional justification is settled through Christ alone. We do not earn it through adherence to the law. With this first point clarified, let us now learn what 'not under the law' means in our daily walk. Paul says the following in Galatians:

Galatians 5:16: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

To be led by the Spirit means that we are not under the law. What does this mean? How should be understand this passage? 

Many Christians mistakenly believe that walking in the Spirit means hearing mystical voices or receiving internal signals about what to do. However, Scripture never teaches this. Jesus clarifies in John 6:63: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Here, Jesus directly states that His words—not emotions, impressions, or voices—are spirit and life. Walking in the Spirit is not mystical guidance but living according to the truth of Scripture. Romans 12:2 confirms this by saying: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The more we saturate our minds with biblical truth, the more it shapes our thoughts, influences our actions, and transforms our behavior. Think of a GPS (a Global Positioning System)—it doesn’t guide by vague feelings but by structured knowledge and direction. Likewise, God’s Word is our map, showing us how to live rightly under grace. An example of this can be seen in daily life. Many believers feel pressured to “hear” God when making decisions, waiting for signs or supernatural voices before moving forward. However, biblical truth provides wisdom so that we can grow and mature in the mind of God. As we learn to understand God's will, ways, and judgements, we are able to navigate every aspect of life, being led by the Spirit, which simply means that we yield to the working and influencing of that truth within us, obeying what our doctrine instructs us. We walk by faith in our doctrine and follow after that which produces and results in the fruits of righteousness.

Legalism results in condemnation

Another crucial aspect of grace-living, (walking after the Spirit and not under the law), is avoiding condemnation that comes from legalism. Many Christians unknowingly impose self-made rules that bring guilt when they fail to meet them. For example, someone might commit to reading the Bible for two hours every day, believing this habit makes them more virtuous or righteous. But if they miss a day, condemnation creeps in—not because God is angry, but because they have attached their righteousness to a rule instead of grace. Paul reassures us in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Grace liberates believers from self-imposed regulations that turn Christianity into performance-based living. Spiritual disciplines like prayer and study are powerful, but they should flow from love and desire, not fear or pressure. A child doesn’t love their parents based on completing daily chores—they obey because of their relationship. Similarly, believers serve God freely, without the weight of fear-driven legalism. Romans 6:16 reinforces this idea: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” The believer’s obedience is to righteousness, which comes not through rules, but by yielding to the influencing of the Word of God working within them (as discussed above in the section called: "What is it to walk by the spirit").

Other misconceptions

Understanding common misconceptions about the law also helps clarify this truth. One very common misconception is that grace means believers have no moral responsibility. Paul directly refutes this in Romans 6:15: “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid!” Grace empowers righteousness, but it never gives permission to live recklessly. Some also believe the law was abolished entirely, yet Jesus states in Matthew 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” This confirms that Christ completed the law’s purpose, transitioning believers from law to grace. Another misunderstanding is that law and grace can be mixed, with some still trying to uphold Old Testament commands while professing faith in Christ. Paul warns in Galatians 5:4: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Mixing law and grace corrupts the gospel, as righteousness comes solely through faith in Christ, not through a blend of Old Testament ordinances. Lastly, many believe that the Mosaic Law applies to all believers today, when in reality, it was given specifically to Israel. The Church operates under grace, as revealed in Paul's epistles. Hebrews 10:1 states: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Now that Christ has come, believers live in the reality of grace, not under the burden of the law.

Conclusion

So, what does all this mean in practical terms? Being "not under the law" means that believers do not pursue righteousness through rule-following, but through faith in Christ and through yielding to the influencing of God’s Word as it works within the mind renewed by studying the grace doctrine. The law once served as a guide, but now the Holy Spirit works through sound doctrine to transform lives. Grace does not remove righteousness but establishes it through faith rather than legalism. As believers renew their minds, they naturally walk in the Spirit, producing righteousness as a fruit of the Word working in them.

Let us yield to the truth of God’s Word, allowing it to shape our lives. Walking in the Spirit means obedience unto righteousness, fueled by the grace of God working through the renewed mind (of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16), not through legalistic performance or mystical guidance.