Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 25

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The Law of the Spirit of Life

Romans 8:1-4. 1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesushath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The mighty working of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life brings great blessing. The immediate benefit is that such a believer faces no condemnation from God. He has been made free from the law of sin and death when God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. The prophet Isaiah prophesized Christ’s salvific work in Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  

Jesus Christ took the penalty of sin on our behalf when He hung on the cross at Calvary, shedding His blood to wash away our sins. By faith in Jesus Christ’s finished work of redemption, we received pardon for sins – Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

So that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us through Christ’s sacrifice by His sinless body broken on our behalf, condemned sin in the flesh. This is the miraculous and mighty power of God applied to free us from the bondage of sin. The evidence of it is the voice of a praising saint. He is happy, contented and free, enjoying the beauty of holiness.

How is this change made possible? This is the evident power of the gospel of God that saved the Apostle Paul the writer of this epistle. He testified it is in fulfilment of the Holy Scriptures, promised afore by God’s prophets, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:3-6). Christ’s resurrection from the dead three days after His death is the evidence of this victory over sin and death. 

Therefore the believer gives praise to this victory:

In the cross, in the cross

Be my vision glorious

All my sins are washed away

In the blood of Jesus

And we may testify that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Yielding to the flesh describes the outworking of sin in the believer’s life. The Holy Spirit indwelling us enables us to say “no” to sin and to love and be obedient to God’s Word as summarized in the Ten Commandments. By the grace of God, the Spirit’s power is appropriated so that we walk right in the sight of God and therefore, received no condemnation for a living a righteous life.

How is this power appropriated? When a man becomes fully aware of the danger of falling under God’s condemnation for sin, realizing the sinfulness of sin. This is the reason for Job to testify how we can be wise unto salvation, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that iswisdom; and to depart from evil isunderstanding.” (Job 28:28). Hence, the Apostle Paul writes with great relief when he retorted with great joy, “There istherefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

How can the believer be filled with the Spirit so that the flesh cannot do its evil work? He reveals to us in Romans 8:5 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”

We are exhorted to mind the things of the Spirit. The end of which is life and peace – Romans 8:6 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” For they that are in the flesh cannot please God.