Those Who Live Under the Law of the Spirit of Life

2006-07-01 23:04

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2).

The law of sin and death has authority over a man only as long as he lives. "Do you not know, brothers--for I am speaking to men who know the law--that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?" (Romans 7:1).
The law given through Moses comdemns men and kills them. So the Bible called the ministry of Moses the ministry of condemnation. It is written, "For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory." (2 Corinthians 3:9).

The law of a fleshly commandment, which was engraved in letters on stone, brings death. Therefore, the old covenant, the letter which was engraved on stone, brings death, but the new covenant, the law of the Spirit of life, which is engraved on tablets of the heart, gives life. The Bible says about it, "who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:6).

The message of the cross is the way that we can be freed from the old covenant of death. It is written, "The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:10-11).

Without the faith and hope that we are sown a natural body and are raised a spiritual body with Christ, our sinful flesh cannot be united with him in his death. His death is the gate for the sheep that leads all sinful people in the world to the new and living way that they can be raised a spiritual body without sin.

If God had not sent Christ in the likeness of sinful flesh, there would not have been a way for sinners to be freed from the law of death. It is written, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15). And also, "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh." (Romans 8:3).

Therefore, it was right that Christ was born of the seed of David who had sinful flesh. The Bible says, "concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh." (Romans 1:3). And also, "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." (1 John 4:2). And again, "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist." (2 John 1:7).

If Jesus Christ were not a man like men under the law of sin and death, he could not die with sinful men. It is written, "For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:17). And also, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15).

The message of the cross is the way that we can die with the man Christ Jesus and be raised with him. It is written, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5).

Therefore, those who have died with the man Christ Jesus have been freed from the law of sin and death. It is written, "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:6-7). Thank you, Lord.