The New Law

Romans 7:1–4 NASB95

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

In chapter seven we saw two laws working in man, the law of sin that rules in the flesh, and the law of God working in the mind of mind.

So our focus is primarily on the mind.

Now here we find Paul now introducing us to a third law, the law of the spirit.

This law springs forth from the life in Christ Jesus and come forth as a governing principle for those joined to Christ.

Romans 7:4 NASB95

4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

Grace is not without its restraint and power to deal with sin.

Chapter 7 deals with man and the Law.  The word “I” predominates, being used 2 times, the word “law”occurs 20 times, but the Holy Spirit is not mentioned one time from verse verse 7 on.

Here is the reason for the dismal failure of man.

No wonder man is such a mess. A wrenched mess.

In chapter 8, the scene changes as one comes into the law of the Spirit and finds a power that governs the life in Christ Jesus.

And find the freedom of his heart cry.

And we see in verse one he makes a powerful state. That there is Now no condemnation to them that is in Christ Jesus who walk not according to the flesh but the spirit.

In this statement it looks as if Paul break the church up in two groups the ones who walk after the flesh and the ones who walk after the spirit.

But if you dig into the text you will see that he is talking to all that are in Christ Jesus. The question is not about your spiritual maturity but rather your position in Christ.

Because those that are in Christ walk according to the Spirit and not the Flesh.

And for them there is therefore Now no Condemnation.

The enemy is trying to bring Condemnation into the mind about thing that where done many years ago, feller, loses, pain, breakup, mistakes, sin, abandonment, and regrets.

But we have to make up in our mind and tell the devil therefore Now there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

So here we find life’s greatest battle and that is the battle in the mind and in the thoughts.

The enemy try to Draw us away

James 1:14 By our own lust our and entice our own desire, our own hurts and pains.

James 1:14 NASB95

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

By our own lust our and entice our own desire, our own hurts and pains.

He is working in our minds to control our life.

The law of the Spirit does not bring condemnation.

The word condemnation here means punishment, doom or destruction.

There is no doom for those in Christ Jesus.

How do we know one is in Christ Jesus?

They walk after the Spirit and not the flesh.

The Law of God brings forth judgment.

The Law of the Spirit bring forth life.

“In Christ Jesus” is a position of justification rather than judgment.

In this position the law of the Spirit works. The law of the Spirit is the law of life found in Christ Jesus. Remember the power of sanctification comes from the life in Him.

Romans 8:2 NASB95

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

There is a Law found in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

That word Law is the word “nomos,” meaning law, a rule of governing one’s action. A principle.

So notice it’s the principle of the spirit.

Which results in Life.

Capture 7 speaks of serving “in the newness of the Spirit and not the oldness of the Letter. Verse 6

Romans 7:6 NASB95

6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

The Law of the Spirit is not a written law, but a regulative principle which exercises control over the life of the believer.

Now this Law of the Spirit of Life sets one free from the law of sin and death.

This phrase to set one free mean literally to set a slave free.

All domination of sin and death is broken.

“The wretched man” has found a power that has set him free from the bondage of the flesh chapter 7:24.

This freedom has come through Jesus Christ our Lord. 7:25

Romans 7:24–25 NASB95

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

3. Another law has come by the Spirit. 4. Here sin and death are each referred to as a law.

God has provided freedom from the law of sin and death by His Spirit.

Now this New Law of the Spirit of life in Christ did what the Law could not do.

Romans 8:3 NASB95

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

The law was powerless.

The Law was powerless to break the power of sin.

The law was weak because of the flesh. The Law was weaken by the flesh. The law was powerless to deal with sin in the flesh. So what did God do?

He sent His Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh.

Meaning?

Jesus was a man, He came in the likeness of the flesh of sin. In other words,

He came in the flesh of man, not in the sin of man. For the sin of man.

Christ Body became an offering for sin.

Literally on the behalf of sin.

Christ through His body took away sin.

God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh

He punished sin.

These passages take us behind the sence of the cross.

Christ through His flesh condemned sin in the flesh.

God has brought forth the condemnation of death for sin in the flesh.

Christ in the flesh has brought forth the death of sin in the flesh.

God’s provision for sinful flesh was His very own Son coming in the flesh. He judge sin to death so that we might live and be free.

The result ....

Romans 8:4 NASB95

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

So now one who has come into the Law of the Spirit has a new walk.

The word walk literally means to go about, walk around. When used as it is here, it means the norm of conduct is designated.

In this context one’s conduct is either according to the flesh or according to the Spirit.