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First, we need to come to understand that the Law, any law (or rule or standard), will only stir up sin.
Paul makes this very clear if we just read Romans Chapter 7 carefully. Refer to the verses quoted above
and also to the following: Rom 7:15, 19 (RSV) “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do
what I want, but I do the very thing I hate............ 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not
want is what I do."
It is true that Paul’s life itself is not our standard but his words in scripture come to us from the Holy
Spirit of God, and it is safe to look at his success in living the Christian life. If he had problems doing
something a certain way, we will probably have the same kind of problems. That is, we will probably end
up with the same result he did. And it is plain that Paul wrestled with sin and found that he could not
defeat it by carefully working on the sin.
By the time we follow Paul’s thoughts in Romans chapter 7 to the end, it seems hopeless. The man is
not doing what he knows he should do, and he is doing what he knows he should not. That is exactly
where thousands of serious Christians find themselves every day - and they hate being in that state of
affairs. Many, many serious dedicated Christians who love Jesus and desire to serve Him feel defeated
and do not enjoy the abundant life He promised.
Now we come to victory: Paul tells us in (Rom 8:1-2 RSV) “There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the
law of sin and death." This is wonderful news!! We are not condemned by God and therefore, we must
not condemn ourselves. There is no condemnation even when we do sin. None! I repeat; NONE!! No
Condemnation!! That is tremendous news!
And then Paul tells us why this is true: We are no longer under the old Law because the bible teaches
that we are dead to the old law. Now Paul tells us that there is now a new law in effect called: The law of
the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. This new law has set me free from the law of sin and death. The new
law has superseded the old one! This is tremendous good news!
Now that we know about this new law, what is it? What does it mean? I appreciate it; I believe it, I
receive it - but what is it and how do I handle it or what do I do with it?
The simple answer is this: Christ has fulfilled the law for me. Secondly, when He died on the cross,
my old sinful nature I received from Adam my forefather, died with Him. And when He arose from the
grave, I rose with Him as a new man. This new man has the nature of Christ; the new man (me) has
divine life! And the new man has a new heart and God has written His law of love on this new heart.
First, let’s see that we did indeed die with Jesus and die to the law and die to sin. Let us look at some
scriptures:
Rom 7:4 (RSV) "Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of
Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in
order that we may bear fruit for God."
Rom 7:6 (RSV) "But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us
captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit."
Rom 6:2 (RSV) "By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"
Rom 6:7-8 (RSV) "For he who has died is freed from sin. 8But if we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him."
2Cor 5:14 (RSV) "For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one
has died for all; therefore all have died."
Gal 2:19-20 (RSV) "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. {20} I
have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and
Paul makes this very clear if we just read Romans Chapter 7 carefully. Refer to the verses quoted above
and also to the following: Rom 7:15, 19 (RSV) “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do
what I want, but I do the very thing I hate............ 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not
want is what I do."
It is true that Paul’s life itself is not our standard but his words in scripture come to us from the Holy
Spirit of God, and it is safe to look at his success in living the Christian life. If he had problems doing
something a certain way, we will probably have the same kind of problems. That is, we will probably end
up with the same result he did. And it is plain that Paul wrestled with sin and found that he could not
defeat it by carefully working on the sin.
By the time we follow Paul’s thoughts in Romans chapter 7 to the end, it seems hopeless. The man is
not doing what he knows he should do, and he is doing what he knows he should not. That is exactly
where thousands of serious Christians find themselves every day - and they hate being in that state of
affairs. Many, many serious dedicated Christians who love Jesus and desire to serve Him feel defeated
and do not enjoy the abundant life He promised.
Now we come to victory: Paul tells us in (Rom 8:1-2 RSV) “There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the
law of sin and death." This is wonderful news!! We are not condemned by God and therefore, we must
not condemn ourselves. There is no condemnation even when we do sin. None! I repeat; NONE!! No
Condemnation!! That is tremendous news!
And then Paul tells us why this is true: We are no longer under the old Law because the bible teaches
that we are dead to the old law. Now Paul tells us that there is now a new law in effect called: The law of
the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. This new law has set me free from the law of sin and death. The new
law has superseded the old one! This is tremendous good news!
Now that we know about this new law, what is it? What does it mean? I appreciate it; I believe it, I
receive it - but what is it and how do I handle it or what do I do with it?
The simple answer is this: Christ has fulfilled the law for me. Secondly, when He died on the cross,
my old sinful nature I received from Adam my forefather, died with Him. And when He arose from the
grave, I rose with Him as a new man. This new man has the nature of Christ; the new man (me) has
divine life! And the new man has a new heart and God has written His law of love on this new heart.
First, let’s see that we did indeed die with Jesus and die to the law and die to sin. Let us look at some
scriptures:
Rom 7:4 (RSV) "Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of
Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in
order that we may bear fruit for God."
Rom 7:6 (RSV) "But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us
captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit."
Rom 6:2 (RSV) "By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?"
Rom 6:7-8 (RSV) "For he who has died is freed from sin. 8But if we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him."
2Cor 5:14 (RSV) "For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one
has died for all; therefore all have died."
Gal 2:19-20 (RSV) "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. {20} I
have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and
