Romans 6:14

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

This verse brings into view the ability of the Christian to survive inevitable lapses of a sinful nature. If his justification had been such as that available to the Jew in the keeping of the law, his would be a hopeless predicament. Sooner or later, some little sin would lay him low; and, no matter how trivial a lapse, any infraction of law would have been enough to destroy him. But thanks be to God, the new system is in operation. Justified, absolutely, through identity with Christ and being in fact "in him," the Christian's sins are truly banished forever. And what of the inadvertent slip, the occasional misstep, the conduct of one not truly himself? Even that cannot give sin its old place on the throne; "for ye are not under the law, but under grace." The forgiveness available to the child of God "in Christ" is a constant. Thus:

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

"Cleanseth" is present tense active and may be translated as the present participle, and it means that the Christian is being forgiven and justified every moment of his life! Thanks be to God that we are under grace instead of law!

In the past few verses, Paul stressed the sovereignty of the human will and the personal responsibility of the Christian; but if the Christian's endowment consisted only of will and responsibility, he would be in a bad way. Triumph over sin is simply not something which the Christian, alone, can achieve; and this verse shouts the true basis of his triumph. The Christian might lose specific battles to sin, but the war has already been won, not by the Christian but by the Lord. Gone forever are the old hopelessness and helplessness that dogged the steps of them that were under the law; now, for all who will accept it, grace has been provided. The remedy for all the sins ever committed or that ever could be committed has already been given. The Holy Spirit has been promised and will be received by them that obey the gospel (Acts 2:38ff). The Saviour himself is interceding at God's right band for the Christian; and the community of the Lord's children on earth, called the church, are daily praying for and exhorting one another. What a glorious status to have, that of being under grace instead of under law!

"Do this and live," the law commands, But gives me neither feet nor hands. A better word the gospel brings; It bids me fly and gives me wings!

-Anonymous

The statement that Christians are not under law was one that Paul dared not leave dangling, but immediately gave it his full attention.