by Neema Joshua | 16 September 2019 08:46 pm09
Shalom! May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed. Welcome as we dive into Scripture. In Romans 7, the Bible identifies two forces at work in humans:
The Law of Sin and Death
The Law of the Spirit of Life
These are two major laws operating within mankind. Today, we will explore what these laws are and how they function. Please read carefully, as rushing through may prevent understanding.
What is a Law?
A law is a system or order established either by a community or an authority that must be followed without exception. For example:
The sun rising in the east and setting in the west follows a fixed law; it cannot choose otherwise.
Rain falling from above obeys a law of nature; it cannot fall upwards.
Darkness receding before light is also a law; darkness cannot overpower light.
Similarly, the Scriptures describe two “laws” operating in humans.
1) The Law of Sin and Death
This is the first law that functions within a person. Its name explains its nature: it compels humans to sin, even against their will. Just as the sun obeys its natural law, this law operates automatically within the human body.
Origin: This law came into being after the Fall in Eden. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, this law entered humanity and passed on to their children. It compels humans to sin, regardless of desire or knowledge.
Even newborns, who have not learned good from evil, display sinful behaviors: anger, selfishness, cruelty, or even lustful tendencies as they grow. These actions are not from choice—they are driven by the inherent law of sin and death.
The Apostle Paul explains this struggle in Romans 7:20–24:
“Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
This law enslaves humans until they are born again and receive the second law—the Law of the Spirit.
Key points:
No human can overcome sin by their own strength.
This law produces both physical and spiritual death. As Romans 6:23 says
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Ezekiel 18:4 reminds us:
“The soul who sins shall die.”
People trapped in repeated sinful behaviors—lust, immorality, malice, anger—are under this law. They are slaves of sin, and its wages are death and eternal judgment.
2) The Law of the Spirit of Life
This second law was introduced by God Himself, as He saw that no human could overcome sin through their own efforts. Through the Holy Spirit, God implemented a new law, fulfilled in Christ’s death on the cross, providing us the gift of the Spirit.
Function:
Enables believers to obey God’s commandments naturally.
Instills love for righteousness and hatred for sin, even without external compulsion.
Contrast with the Law of Sin: while the Law of Sin causes one to love evil and resist good, the Law of the Spirit fosters holiness and reverence for God internally.
Examples include:
A girl naturally choosing modesty in clothing without being taught.
A believer developing a love for purity, holiness, and obedience.
Living according to the Spirit is not about visions, speaking in tongues, or prophecy alone—it is about walking in the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:16–18:
“Walk in the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Important Note: Receiving the Law of the Spirit does not remove the Law of Sin; it covers and restrains it. If a believer grieves or quenches the Spirit, they may fall back under the power of sin. Hence, it is crucial to hold fast to what God has given.
How to Receive the Law of the Spirit of Life
Faith in Jesus Christ – Believe that His death and resurrection have freed you.
True Repentance – Turn from sin with a sincere heart.
Baptism – Acknowledging Christ through water baptism.
Receiving the Holy Spirit – The Spirit empowers you to live according to God’s law.
After receiving the Spirit:
Sin loses its grip over you.
You no longer need others to continually remind you of moral commandments; your heart desires holiness.
Jeremiah 31:31–34 prophesies this New Covenant:
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD.
For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Conclusion
The Law of Sin and Death enslaves humans and leads to physical and spiritual death. The Law of the Spirit of Life, given through Christ and the Holy Spirit, empowers believers to obey God’s commandments naturally, love righteousness, and overcome sin. Living by the Spirit fulfills God’s law from the heart, not by force.
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