Teaching summary
In this sermon, Pastors Leonard and Lori Rola emphasize the simplicity of the gospel of grace. They explain that believers are dead to the law through Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, and now live in a new covenant of grace. Paul’s teaching in Romans 7 is compared to a marriage—believers cannot be married to both the law and Christ at the same time without committing spiritual adultery. Jesus’ words in Matthew 9 reinforce this truth: new wine belongs in new wineskins, not mixed with the old. The message is clear—stop sleeping in two beds, embrace grace fully, and live free from guilt, shame, and condemnation.
Bible verses referenced
Romans 7:1-4- "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives; but if her husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she is married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."
Matthew 9:16-17- "No man put a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine run out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved."
Teaching notes
Table of Contents
- Introduction: A Simple Gospel
- Paul’s Illustration in Romans 7
- Dead to the Law, Alive in Christ
- The Danger of Mixture and Spiritual Adultery
- Jesus’ Words on New Wine and Old Wineskins
- Living Fully in the New Covenant of Grace
- Closing Encouragement
Introduction: A Simple Gospel
Pastors Leonard and Lori begin by sharing personal updates from their family visit in North Carolina. After expressing gratitude to their supporters, they turn to the heart of the message. They stress how the gospel was never meant to be complicated.
People often overthink faith, adding rules, levels, and requirements, when in reality, the gospel is simple: believe in Jesus Christ. As Pastor Leonard explains, human tendency tries to complicate what God made straightforward.
Paul’s Illustration in Romans 7
They turn to Romans 7:1-4- "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives; but if her husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she were married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."
Paul uses marriage to illustrate freedom from the law. Just as death ends a marriage covenant, Christ’s crucifixion and our identification with Him end our bond to the law.
Dead to the Law, Alive in Christ
Pastor Leonard explains that when we were crucified with Christ, we died to the law. The old person who was bound to the law is gone. The new creation in Christ is free to be joined to Jesus, our true spouse.
The law’s demands, obligations, and stipulations are dead to us. The new covenant of grace replaces them—faultless and flawless—because it depends entirely on Christ’s finished work, not our striving.
The Danger of Mixture and Spiritual Adultery
Pastor Leonard gives a vivid example: if a husband secretly kept another wife and family in another town, it would be adultery and betrayal. Spiritually, trying to hold onto the law while embracing grace is the same thing—it’s adultery against Christ.
He stresses: you cannot be married to Christ and flirt with the law. To do so is to cheat on your new covenant spouse. Guilt, shame, and condemnation are signs of living in mixture, not in grace.
Jesus’ Words on New Wine and Old Wineskins
They point to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 9:16-17- "No man put a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runs out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." Jesus declared that new wine belongs in new wineskins. Paul echoed this: grace cannot be mixed with law. To try and combine them ruins both. Grace must stand alone.
Living Fully in the New Covenant of Grace
The pastors highlight the joy of embracing grace alone. When you know the love of God in Christ, there is no reason to look elsewhere. Grace empowers believers to live lives pleasing to God effortlessly, free from guilt, shame, condemnation, and striving.
Paul and Jesus both emphasize: do not mix the old with the new. Stop “sleeping in two beds.” Leave behind the obsolete covenant of law and fully embrace the covenant of grace.
Closing Encouragement
The message concludes with a call to live fully in grace. Do not fall prey to the teachings of mixture. Jesus’ work is complete, and the covenant of grace is too good to be true—yet it is true. Pastor Lori adds: Enjoy your new life, your new identity, and your new relationship with Christ. This life is not about what we must do, but what Christ has already done.
We hope this article has blessed you. Share this teaching with others so they, too, can be freed from guilt, shame, and condemnation and enjoy the fullness of God’s grace in Christ.