The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Greater Law"
The Apostle Paul taught that two laws exist within the being of born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).
"I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind… so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin" (Romans 7:23; 25).
By law, Paul refers to a governing influence, such as the physical law of gravity in creation. Left to itself, our flesh will always follow the law of sin downward into unbelief and disobedience. We inherited this law from Adam, passed down to all his progeny. "In Adam all die" (I Corinthians 15:22). Conversely, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus dwelling within us through the Holy Spirit's presence and working will always lead us in faith and faithfulness. God imparted to us this internal law as a free gift of grace when we trusted the Lord Jesus. "God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" (Galatians 4:6).
Obviously, walking with God involves being led by the law of the Spirit. Thereby, we "mortify the deeds of the body," putting to death the desires and impulses of the fleshly law of sin. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:16). This raises an interesting question: which law is greater? By an infinite measure, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus transcends the law of sin. This is truth and reality in every born again believer. The living God indwells us, and works in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (I Corinthians 3:16; Philippians 2:13). His governing influence is greater in every moment than the influence of sin in our flesh, which raises the question: why does the opposite often seem to be the case? Why does the law of sin sometimes feel like and seem like the more powerful influence? Paul provides the answer:
"I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind" (Romans 7:23).
We readily "see" the law of sin. That is, fleshly desires and impulses move upon our senses and sensations in overt and obvious ways. The flesh and the world feel so with us because much of our experience involves sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Conversely, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus moves within us far more quietly and unobtrusively, echoing the "still, small voice" heard long ago by the prophet (I Kings 19:12). "We walk by faith, not by sight" in this present life (II Corinthians 5:7). The power of the law of the Spirit must therefore be accessed by affirming its dynamic presence and enabling when it may seem to be absent. "We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand" (Romans 5:2). This is especially true when the law of sin in our flesh screams at us that its ways for us are best and most desired.
The law of sin will be with us for the duration of our earthly lives. It will bluster and badger, and often seem to be the dominant influence within us. This is never the case in a born again believer, however. Regardless of past experience or how we may feel, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus teems within us as the power of God. Indeed, the law is actually the very life of the risen Lord Jesus Himself, dwelling and moving within us through Holy Spirit. This we must believe, first, because it is true, and then because our experience of such grace depends upon our faith in "the power that worketh in us" whereby "God is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).
One of the most tragic accounts in Scripture references our Lord's stayed hand of power in His own home country: "He could not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58). We are now the Lord's "country," that is, believers serve as the dwellingplace of the risen Christ. May it not be said that "He could not do many mighty works" in us because of unbelief. Our Lord lives and walks within us. The law of the Spirit of His life transcends anything that may come against it. This is truth. This is reality. This is the faith whereby the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus quietly, but triumphantly reveals its greater - by an infinite measure - power of grace…
"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
(I John 5:4)
"Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh."
(Galatians 5:16)
Weekly Memory Verse
O taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
(Psalm 34:8)
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