Romans 7:14-8:8 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Free from Indwelling Sin 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 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, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Okay here’s my commentary Let’s look at two laws: 1) The law of sin and death 2) The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus In the last part of Romans chapter 7 the apostle Paul is teaching us the utter powerlessness of our own flesh to obey God. Why? Because he shares with us the principle or the law that he sees within his own flesh that is warring against the law of our minds leading us to sin. Some would argue that once a person is born again this principle of sin is completely removed from their being. I disagree. The reason is because that’s not what the Word of God is teaching nor is that my experience but rather through the new birth in Jesus Christ the divine nature of God is now in me, that is in my spirit by the Holy Spirit. I’m still in the body and I’m still dealing with the temptations of flesh and this principle of sin and death is still at work within the fleshly or carnal part of my being but here’s the good news now the law or the principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is in me and it is stronger than the law of sin and death! Now, I do not have to yield to sin’s power anymore! Paul explains this by saying that the power of sin in our flesh has been broken and dealt a fatal blow through the death of Christ on the cross. God condemned sin and the very principal of sin through Christ death on the cross. This is why it says that now Christians can fulfill the righteousness of the law not by yielding to the flesh but yielding to the Holy Spirit within them. Does this mean that we are bipolar or schizophrenic? If were really honest with ourselves it kind of seems that way sometimes doesn’t it? You see, that before we’re born-again we were not in Christ Jesus. We are completely lost because of our sins and living in bondage to our own flesh and carnal nature. However, after we were born again, the Spirit of God came on the inside and through the blood of Jesus we have been justified and forgiven and cleansed from all of our sins. Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. When I first got saved and in Oakland County Children’s Village in Pontiac Michigan it was a glorious experience. I mean, I felt the presence and love of God fill my soul and I knew I was saved. You know what I did as soon as I got out of the juvenile home? I jumped in a Camaro and smoked a joint of marijuana with an buddy of mine. Before I was born again I was a total marijuana addict. After I was saved the Holy Spirit began to convict me immediately and worked on me saying you can’t do that anymore. However, I had this mega battle and struggle with my mind and flesh and I’m sure the devil was right there behind it all trying to keep me in the bondage of my flesh. The big difference was I was in Jesus Christ and I was born again with the law or the principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit wanted to make me free from the law of sin and death in my flesh. I had to make a decision to live in the Holy Spirit and not fulfill the desires of my flesh. I’ll never forget the night I ran to an altar at a church service and cried out to God to set me free from marijuana. I had only been a Christian about three months and I was up and down like a yo-yo. God met me there at that altar and the power of God hit me and set me free and as God is my witness I have never smoked marijuana again since 1982! Now I realize that God had already provided through His Son Jesus total deliverance but I had to say yes and when I did the Holy Spirit applied the finished work of Jesus on the cross to my flesh and set me free! Here’s the key to walking in the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. Notice how the Bible says in 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. The Bible teaches us that we are made in the image of God so we are a tri-part: spirit, soul and body. •Your spirit has been born again. John 3:5 •Your mind must be renewed by the Word to obey the Lord. Romans 12:1-2 •Your body needs to be brought under the control of your spirit and soul. 1 Cor. 9:27 Whats the bottom line? 1) There are laws or principles that we must acknowledge. 2) First there is the law of sin and death and this operates in our flesh our carnal nature 3) There is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and this is the principle of the divine nature of God’s life that comes to live inside every Christian when they’re born again by the Holy Spirit. 4) If you try to live the Christian life relying on your own power you will fail because your flesh is stronger than your own personal will. 5) God has provided total deliverance from the power of sin by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. In other words the power of sin in the flesh over all humanity has been broken and our sins forgiven. 6) The mind becomes the key to our victory because we must choose to either walk and live yielded to the carnal nature or set our minds on the Holy Spirit and yield to his power living in us to walk and live in the divine nature and this produces the fruit of holiness. 7) Make a choice today to live in the spirit and not in the flesh and you will have victory and great inner peace.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 01:23:40 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015