Beyond Good and Evil -- By Grace

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wanted to rise above good and evil. He even wrote a book about it peppered with aphorisms, more inconsistent and raving than enlightening.

Yet for mankind there is only one way to live beyond Good and Evil:

By Grace!

When Jesus Christ died on the Cross, reconciling mankind with His heavenly Father, He freed us from the curse of the law:

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13)

The Law speaks of everything revealed by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai. What is the Law but a long list of do's and do nots? Paul told believers that they were free from such heavy and burdensome condemnation:

"Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

"But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

"Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

"To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

"Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

"I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." (Galatians 4:1-11)

Paul's extensive exposition here makes it perfectly clear. Because we are now sons of the Living God by adoption through the Holy Spirit, we are not longer under law but grace.

Paul makes the case plain earlier:

"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

"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." (Galatians 3:23-35)

By faith therefore we no longer have to live under law, trying to keep the rules by our own efforts, but rather by grace we are saved:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

"Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

And because by faith in Christ, we are made the righteousness of God, we never again have to worry about our salvation, or righteous standing before God being lost or compromised:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)

Many commentators point out that the second clause "who walk not after the flesh . . ." is not contained in the original text at all. There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, period!

Now if that sounds like and invitation to licentious evil, consider Paul's warm promise given by the Holy Spirit:

"But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5:18)

The Holy Spirit living in us leads in Righteous living. By faith we become obedient people!

Paul also comforted believers that they were no longer bound even to ceremonial law:

"Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh." (Colossians 2:20-23)

So, Paul declares that in trying to keep rules to make us holy, we end up satisfying our flesh, which wars against the Spirit.

By grace through faith we are saved, and this saving grace permits the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and lead us in a life of righteousness, perfectly in step with the will of God.

In effect, by the Power of the Holy Spirit we are able to live beyond good and evil, no longer fretting if we are being righteous, if we are violating God's law, or even stopping to consider if we have missed out or stepped out of God's will for us.

Yet secular Romantics and atheists will not submit, they want to lead their own lives their own way, yet the nature of man is so corrupted, as a result of Adam's disobedience.

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12)

Yet by another Man, Christ, and through Christ alone, can we be reconciled, made holy, and empowered to live not just right, but righteously.

Paul pointed out that to those who would insist on living in their own power, who insisted on the knowledge of good and evil in attempting to surpass, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ would be an offense:

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Yet the very power that Nietzsche extolled at length in his inconsistent writings comes only from God, and we as believers do nothing but receive and release His good pleasure in out lives (cf Philippians 2:12-13)