Law(s) Part 6 - "Get Up!"

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Law(s)

Part 6 -   "Get Up!"

   

"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).      

     

  Proportionally, the New Testament contains as many commands as the Old Testament, calling us to a life of devoted obedience to God no less than Israel under the law of Moses.  However, a profound difference between the Old and the New lies in the primary gift of grace bestowed upon all who trust the Lord Jesus Christ.

   "The Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:17).

    "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16).

   Fleeing, frightened disciples became faithful, confident sons of God after the cross, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.  What made the difference?  Christ Himself, dwelling in His followers through the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit.  The same truth graces all believers throughout the age of the church.  Our Lord lives in us so that we may live through Him (I Corinthians 3:16; I John 4:9).  In this blessed light of grace, obedience becomes privileged responsibility rather than onerous burden.

   "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not grievous, for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.  And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (I John 5:3-4).

    Note the Apostle John's affirmation of victory: "even our faith."  We might suspect John would focus on victory in terms of God's grace in Christ.  However, he declares our trust to be the means of triumph.  The reason for this is simply that God's grace for living is already given in the indwelling Spirit of the Lord Jesus.  .  We must lift our hearts in faith to experience "this grace given" (Ephesians 3:8).  Faith affirms our Lord's involved and indwelling presence, leading to experience of the blessed truth.  Thus, we arise from our knees whereupon we acknowledge God's supply and our need to go forth in the expectation that He will lead and enable us.  "For by Thee I have run through a troop; by Thee I have leaped over a wall!" (Psalm 18:29).

   Find the most failed and fallen believer on the planet.  The truth applies to him no less than to the most faithful among us.  We conducted a service last night at a rescue mission, where broken men come to seek shelter, sustenance, and help.  Among such a large number of men, surely some are born again believers.  Christians are not exempt from the temptations and attacks of the world that can lead to such sad calamity.  For such ones, the call to repentance and renewed obedience through the power of God resounds through the Scriptures of God and Spirit of God.  "Get up, My son!  You do not have to remain in your fallen circumstance.  The Spirit of the Lord Jesus dwells in you to empower your overcoming of temptation and your joyful restoration of obedience that is the norm for every believer.  Arise in the truth, trusting Me for forgiveness, cleansing, and a renewed walk of faith and faithfulness.  Get up!"

   The risen Christ is among us.  The risen Christ is within us!  The law of the Spirit of life in the Lord Jesus constitutes devotion to God as the joy of our hearts.  "I delight in the law of God after the inward man" (Romans 7:22).  We all fall at times, perhaps not to the degree of finding ourselves in a rescue mission, but enough to tempt us to discouragement and spiritual lethargy.  The Scriptures and Spirit of God resound to us also.  "Get up!"  The tomb is empty.  The Heavenly throne is occupied.  Our hearts are full of the Spirit of the risen Christ.  This is truth.  This is reality.  This is the Gospel of grace that, rightly acknowledged and affirmed, leads to a life wherein obedience is viewed as joyful opportunity.  Indeed, the commands of the New Testament are all filled with the promise that the Giver of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus provides power to obey.  Get up!

"Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

(Ephesians 5:14)

Weekly Memory Verse

    The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 (Romans 8:2).      

  

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