The Law of the Spirit of Life
IN CHRIST JESUS
Romans 8:1-4
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own on in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We’ve preached several messages on these four verses. I believe we’ve plunged in pretty deep so I want to take us back up and review how we got where we got. When we got to these four verses I was looking for what is on the other side of this River Jordan. What is to walk after the Spirit of God. When I hit these verses I wanted to look forward and not look back. Instead of looking where we came from what we were, I want to look at where we’re going and what we have become by the grace of God. And in these four verses, I saw two things that God has made possible for us: And that’s freedom and righteousness.
So the first topic we’d tackle in these verses was freedom. John 8:26 “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” So I went through all the New Testament and pulled all the scriptures that had the word free, freedom, or liberty in them. I took all these and grouped them together into five different topics to make some sense out of it all. And to these five topics I have adhered five different questions.
The first group were all the verses that denoted possession. We preached of the glorious liberty of the children of God. Galatians calls it “Our Liberty!” Corinthians calls it “This Liberty of Yours!” We were called unto this glorious liberty. And we’re to standfast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free! And we answered the question: “To whom does this liberty belong?”
The second group dealt with the security and surety of this freedom.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
These verses introduce to us this concept that our freedom is pronounced to us by a divine by edict; that our freedom was made possible by heavenly law! It is the Law of Liberty. And Romans 8:2 has more precisely declared it to be the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. And that has given us an outline that we’ve followed.
#1 And we’ve learned thus far that our freedom that we enjoy is Law! It’s not a suggestion or an idea. It’s a law. It’s always true, we can prove it over and over, and the law will never never change.
#2 And we learned that it’s not just A law, and not law of nature, or a law of even the church, but it is the law of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the third face of a triune God, the law of the Holy Ghost of the blessed Trinity of God Almighty.
#3 And this Spirit that executes this law and performs it is the Spirit of Life. The Spirit’s domain is LIFE. The same Spirit that brought Life to this dead earth; the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, is the same Spirit that makes us free from death and hell.
And the last part of this outline, we cover today in order that we might help demonstrate how secure this freedom is. It’s not just anything that makes us free; it’s a law. It’s not the law of just anybody; it’s the law of the Holy Spirit. We’re not free from death, but we’re given LIFE; because it’s the law of the the Spirit of Life. But there are three more words to this phrase. And these three words are the sweetest words of all. These three words all power on heaven and earth hang. In these three words every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. These three words did God build his church and gates of hell shall not prevail against it. These three words stand between a sinner and the wrath of Almighty God. Through these three words God commendeth his love toward us.
…IN CHRIST JESUS
It’s all in Christ Jesus
One thing I want to point out is the obvious. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Let us first look at the three words ‘in Christ Jesus’ as a parenthesis; a parenthesis around (The law of the Spirit of Life). All this is IN Christ Jesus and nowhere else. The law of the Spirit of Life is IN Christ Jesus. In order to experience and benefit from the law of the Spirit of Life, you must also be in the parenthesis, you must be in Christ Jesus.
Law is the answer to the question “What?” The Holy Spirit is the answer to the question “Who?” And Life is the answer to the question “Why?” But IN Christ Jesus is the answer to the question “Where?” Where is it that you’ll find so gracious and wonderful a law that can free you from all sin and death? Where is it you’ll find sweet Holy Spirit of God? Where is it you can have real life, and live for God? It’s in Christ Jesus. It’s all in Christ Jesus.
How Secure is this freedom? This freedom is in Christ Jesus. And in Christ Jesus and only in Christ Jesus works the perfect law of liberty. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are IN Christ Jesus..” “God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh..” There is therefore now no condemnation because in Christ Jesus, Jesus has already suffered that condemnation and by the power of the Spirit of Life rose again and conquered sin and death; he has conquered condemnation. Therefore, now there is no condemnation to the which are in Christ Jesus.
What a wonderful place to be, in Christ Jesus. What makes this place wonderful is Christ Jesus. What a wonderful Savior we have. The bible says, “His name shall be called Wonderful!” It’s wonderful to be in Christ Jesus. It’s wonderful to be saved. His grace is amazing! His liberty is glorious! I tell you I’m gloriously saved! I didn’t just become a Christian. Like the song says, “I’m saved, saved, saved!” “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, Redeemed by the blood of the lamb!” Jesus told the Gadarene, “Go home and tell them what GREAT things the Lord has done for thee!” “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock…” That rock is our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, the son of the living God. He said upon this rock I’ll build my church. It’s upon this rock that the law of liberty, the law of the Spirit of life, stands.
If you’re saved today, The bible says you are: Luke 6:48 – …like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. How secure is this freedom? If it’s founded on the rock, the floods can rise, the stream can beat vehemently on it, but it will not shake it: for it is founded on the lovely Lord Jesus Christ, the rock of our salvation.
And what a great foundation it is: 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: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholy lean on Jesus’ name.” Where is it that we find freedom from sin? In Christ Jesus. Where is it that we find the power of the Holy Spirit to help us along this narrow way? In Christ Jesus. Where is it that we find the privilege and honor to serve God in the newness of Spirit? In Christ Jesus. Remember the problem that Paul introduced to us. He said I try to follow the law. I try to do good. But everytime I try evil is present with me and a way to do good I find not. I cannot find a way? Where is that way? In Christ Jesus. He said the law is spiritual, and I am carnal sold under sin. The law is spiritual and therefore it must be followed spiritually. Paul said serve in the newness of spirit. In Christ Jesus, we’re in a new kingdom, the kingdom of Christ. And in his kingdom, there’s another law: The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. And in his kingdom, the power of the Holy Spirit is not hid that we must endeavor to find it, but it’s in the very air you breathe. To be IN Christ Jesus is to have the Holy Ghost be IN you. It amazes me to see how the Holy Spirit has worked in my life. Despite my shortcomings, despite my misconceptions, despite my meager attempt at spirituality and religion, a sovereign God has worked in my heart and in my life. More and more I can say as Paul has said, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in me, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. “ If we can just learn to let go. Let God do a work in our life. “Whosoever will save his life will lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall find it.”
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” If you are saved today, if you are in Christ Jesus, you are a new creature in a new kingdom. You’re not the same man you used to be and you’re not living in the same circumstances you used to live in. Old things have passed away! What do we mean when we say that someone has “passed away?” When someone has passed away, he’s dead and gone. When you’re saved, there’s some old things that have passed away. There’s some old things that are dead and gone. Preacher what are those old things? The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Sin and Death! That old sin and death! “Wherefore as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin!” Sin and death entered into this world by Adam and it’s been here ever since. Sin and death are those old things. And Sin and death have reigned since Adam. But not in this kingdom and not for this creature. These old things have passed away. Sin no longer has dominion over us. And Jesus said, “Whoseover liveth and believeth on me, he shall NEVER die! Believest thou this?”
And there lies the secret to a Spirit filled life: Believest thou this? Believest thou what? That the old things have passed away. The very sin and death that entered at the beginning of time when there was only Adam and Eve. The curse that God declared has passed away in Christ Jesus. Sin and Death have passed away. There was a funeral 2000 years ago. Sin and Death was nailed to a cross and then placed in a borrowed tomb. The bible says that 2 Corinthians 5:21 – For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God IN him. Jesus took our Sin and our Death to the tomb. When he rose from the dead he rose no longer in sin, but in glory. And the Sin and Death that went with Jesus to tomb had passed away!
Sin and death has passed away! If any man be in Christ: he’s a new creature; old things have passed away! BEHOLD! All things are become new! He’s saying LOOK! Look at the new creature that God has made. Look at the new creature that is no longer under the law of sin and death. Look at the the new creature that is IN Christ Jesus! That’s what we do when we baptize somebody in water. When we pull them out of the water, we’re telling the whole world BEHOLD the new creature in Christ Jesus. All things are become new! The old things have passed away.
Reminds me of a magician. He’s got something in his hand, a coin perhaps. He covers up his hand with a hanky or something and something magical happens under the hanky. Whatever it was in his hand disappears. And when he reveals his hand he says BEHOLD the coin is gone! Paul is saying BEHOLD all that is left is the new creature and the old things of sin and death have passed away! Except magicians are just giving an optical delusion. They’re just being tricky. God, the Lord of Glory, is no liar, is no trickster. What he says he’ll do, he’ll do. God is saying behold the new creature. God is saying, “Take a look at yourself. Look at what I’ve done to you!”
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:23-25. We’re talking about going on with God and serving God in the newness of Spirit, and doing the will of God. James said we do this not by looking at what we used to be, but beholding the new creature that God hath set free.
To behold the new creature in Christ Jesus, is to look into the perfect law of liberty; the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 –
You see, to behold the new creature in Christ, to set your eyes upon the work that God has done is behold the glory of the Lord, and that will change you. Let me read this again and reduce it a little bit, “We all beholding the glory of the Lord are changed!” The Spirit of God can change us into the man, woman, or child that God wants us to be. You say, I know I’m saved, but I just don’t see a change in my life. I’m still defeated. Sin and death still seem to have dominion over me! All I can say is behold the glory of God. Look into the perfect law of liberty. Take a look into the glass and see the new creature in Christ Jesus where all things are become new and the old things have passed away!
And Jesus said, “Whoseover liveth and believeth on me, he shall NEVER die! Believest thou this?” Do you believe what you see? Isaiah said, “Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” “Believest thou this?” Paul said, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” I want to please God, and I’m sure you do to. Maybe some of you, God is well pleased. But I struggle and my wife and family struggle. There’s one thing that stand between a fruitful, glorious life in Christ Jesus and you and that’s unbelief. It kept all of Israel out of the promised land. It will keep you too.
When we were lost, it was “Look and Live!” We were near death and serpents poison was near taking us, but we looked unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith and he saved us and put us into the family of God. But now, as we struggle in this world and the world’s evil allures us and there’s temptations all around and the flesh is battling with the spirit for dominion, it’s “Look and be changed!” We need to experience this freedom and liberty that God has wrought for us on the cross of Calvary! We get to trusting the old flesh and and forget that this battle is spiritual. It’s “Look and be changed!” Repeat 2 Cor 3:17-18
I want to repeat that scripture that we all know. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” I want you to notice that it says that old things HAVE passed away! They HAVE passed away, past tense. It’s done. They’re gone. But then it says, “Behold, all thing ARE become new!” It doesn’t say they HAVE become new as if it happened in the past and it’s just one time thing. No, it says they ARE become new. That’s NOW. That’s NOW. There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. I have a NOW salvation. It’s one thing to believe that Jesus 2000 years ago took your sin upon him and paid the price and conquered sin, death, the grave, and hell. But do you believe that NOW sin and death have passed away in your being?
How Secure is this Freedom? It’s as secure as you believe it. It is as effectual and liberating as you believe it to be so. There was one thing that stood between the Israelites and the promised land: Unbelief.
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
Mark 9:17-25 –
It’s not our great works that commends God unto us, but just Faith. “Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.”
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