Is the phrase “We are now living under grace” incorrect?

Answer:

The phrase is based on Romans 6:14, but to understand it properly, let's look at the context:

"Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:12-18).

Paul argued that we cannot let sin reign over us (Psalms 19:13; 119:133). The very command implies that we have a choice when it comes to sin. Sin’s roots are in the desires of the body, which must be controlled (James 1:13-16; I John 2:15-17). We cannot give over parts of our body to be used as tools for unrighteousness (Colossians 3:5). Instead, we are to be tools of God to do righteousness (I Peter 4:1-3).

Sin’s existence is defined by the Law (Romans 6:20-21; 7:7), but we are not under the law but under grace. Therefore, sin is not to reign over the Christian. Paul is not saying that we are not obligated to obey the law, but that we are not justified or saved by law. Our justification comes from God’s grace; therefore, sin should have no hold on us to dominate us.

The law forbids sins. Grace is given to forgive sins. Since we are not under the law but grace, Paul supposes there may be some who would conclude that we would have no obligations to be obedient to the law’s commands against sin. Paul asserts that such a conclusion cannot be drawn (Galatians 5:13; I Peter 2:16; Jude 4).

To prove this, Paul points out that we serve whomever we obey. If we are following sin, we are serving sin, not Christ (John 8:24; I John 2:17). You can’t serve both at once (Matthew 6:24). Thankfully, for Christians, service to sin is a thing of the past, ending when we sincerely obey God’s teaching. Set free from sin, we were made slaves of righteousness (John 8:32; Galatians 5:1). Therefore, we have never been left independent to choose our own way (I Corinthians 7:22; I Peter 2:16).

Therefore, the phrase is biblically correct, but people are likely using it incorrectly.