For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Romans 8:2
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed us from the law of sin and death. What does this really mean for Christians today? What is the law of the Spirit of life? I can remember some leaders say that being a Christian isn’t a bed of roses, for roses have thorns. It goes without saying that life itself has thorns that prick and can make us bleed. This becomes the acceptable fact of life due to Adams sin which brought condemnation into the world. The consequence of Adams sin made us all sinners, and this brought moral breakdown upon all humanity. This is the universal state of man’s nature which brings the moral state of fallen humanity. We inherited this nature from Adam’s sin. God’s grace through Jesus Christ changes us because of the blood sacrifice on the cross. Jesus himself being righteous in the father’s eye gave us a new inheritance that brings us life instead of death. The apostle Paul affirms this in the following scripture.
“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
The apostle Paul was explaining the difference between justification and condemnation. We are justified by the blood of Jesus. The death of Jesus made it possible for us to live under God’s grace. Christ death has reconciled us back to God. This is the condition where Adam had fellowship with God before he sinned. Just look at verse 17, in Romans chapter 5.
“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
Romans 5:17
The law of the Spirit of life is in Jesus Christ and sin should not reign in our mortal body. Jesus Christ was raised up from the dead and the dominion of sin and death has been abolished. All that we were in Adam has been crucified through Christ. We are now to take on the new nature of Christ in all its fullness. This is the new creation in Christ Jesus. Christ is being formed within the Christians heart, soul, and mind. The apostle Paul told the Ephesians that we are not to walk in the vanity of our mind, but we are to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness [see Ephesians chapter 4 verses 17-24]. This is the walk of a believer through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Let not sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, [Romans 6:12]. The struggle is between the spiritual and the natural man of sin. Many Christians struggle between the sin nature and the nature of Christ. We try to do it ourselves and fall short of the glory of God. We forget that the law of the Spirit of life is where the power of God is. It is through His son Jesus.
The law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus is the accepted way back to God for our sins. Remember the three in one in first John chapter 5 verse 7 states, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” We must believe in the work of the Holy Spirit who will manifest God’s power in our mortal bodies. This includes our fear, shame, old nature, and any sickness. It is Jesus’ death and resurrection that broke the power of sin and death in our mortal bodies. This is what changed my life of looking for love in all the wrong places to a genuine love that only Jesus could give. This love was worked through others who gave their life to God in full surrender. This is the law of faith in Christ Jesus working in each human being. The conflict of the old nature and the new nature will always be with us. It is faith in who Jesus is that will raise us up together in Christ Jesus. Just look at Romans chapter 8 verse 11.
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Romans 8:11
Do you believe that the Spirit of Jesus dwells within you? Have your mortal bodies been restored to new life? We must walk in faith and continue in the Holy Spirit and not in the flesh. Walking in the flesh is to be carnally minded and that brings death. To be spiritually minded is to have life and peace. Those who walk in the flesh cannot please God. To walk in the Spirit is to walk in the faith, for this is the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus. This excludes self-righteousness because all righteousness is through Jesus alone. The same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead shall quicken our mortal bodies. This is the work of the Holy Spirit to impart God’s life in our weak bodies. We put to death the deeds of the body in faith through Jesus Christ. As a Christian we do not fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, but rather we reprove them, [see Ephesians 5:11]. The works of darkness is quarreling, jealousy, and greediness along with sexual immorality.
It is Jesus who said, “if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed,” [John 8:31]. The word is the truth, and it shall set us free. Look at verse 34 of John chapter 8, where Jesus said, “whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” A servant does not abide forever in the house, but the son does, [see verse 35 of John chapter 8]. What a revelation this is and speaks to our wonderful inheritance we have through Christ Jesus. As a child of God, we have an inheritance, but a servant does not, because the servant has not yet been adopted into the family. Think about your own position. Are you a servant of sin, or are you a child of God? Remember it is the work of the Holy Spirit that delivers us from the law of sin.
We are born into the life of Christ as God’s children, and we are joint heirs with Christ. We have been adopted into God’s family and have the assurance that he hears us when we cry out to the Father God. We do not have a mind of the flesh any longer but of the Spirit of God through Christ Jesus. We pray in faith for the Spirit to change our mind to the law of the Spirit of Christ who has made us victorious over sin and death. The apostle Paul affirms this in the following verses in chapter 8.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Romans 8:12-14
Our position in Christ has brought us the adoption as children of God. It is the Spirit that will guide us on to maturity as a child of God. This is the continuous work of law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that forever will keep us free from the law of sin and death. Do you believe this? This is the gift that God has given us through His son. Reconciliation, adoption, and everlasting life. No more bondage in fear, but adoption and heirs of God.
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
Romans 8:17
