Romans 6:14 (CSB) For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

The law was means of showing the Israelites what was sin. But the law was binding and by the time of Jesus the Pharisees had added more burdens to the law. But now Jesus fulfilled the law. The law now shows us what is sin but it does not have the bondage it once had but instead we are free to live! Jesus gave us life more abundantly.  He did not make life easier but He has made it more enjoyable, more liberating, more satisfying. We are not condemned to give up a lamb or ox every time we broke the law because now we have the grace and mercy of God. However we are not to use grace and mercy to live in sin satisfying our flesh. We are to use grace and mercy to return back to God with a humble heart to repent and confess our trespasses to Him. Grace is getting what we don't deserve. God has welcomed sinners into His family only because the blood of Jesus has washed away our sins, first when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and second every time we repent from our sinful actions. Don't allow too much time to pass to repent of your sins. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. God in His mercy does not give us death because of sin. God had mercy on the nations of Israel and Judah for 100's of years but then the sins of these nations had reached the point of no return. They did not repent when God sent them prophets to show them how they were sinning and how to return. The prophets told them that if they continued in the sin they were committing then God would send them into exile. God did indeed send them into exile to live under the oppressive rule of other nations. But then in the grace of God, He brought them out of exile and brought them back home to Israel. In the last days God's judgement will come upon the earth and there will be prophets telling them to repent from their actions and to trust in God. And once again people will not listen but will continue down the path of unrepentance and will suffer under the judgement hand of The Almighty God. John the Baptist's message sill holds true today, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.