The Spirit of Life
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Romans 8:1-6,12-17
1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4. in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 12. So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh -- 13. for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16. it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17. and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Paul is not saying that it’s okay to sin, now that we’re saved! Rather, he is saying that once we become Christians, our desire will be to live without sin; so we will strive to live according to the law of “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” The “law” – whether the Old Testament, the actual laws on the books of our localities and country, are necessary because all people are not living by the Spirit of life. We obey a higher law, which, in a perfect world, makes mans laws obsolete and unnecessary. Our challenge—and our commission—is to spread the news of that law to all the world.
Several high-profile trials have been in the news for the past few months. I am so amazed at the focus of the commentators and pundits as they cover these trials. The importance is no longer was someone abused, was someone killed, was someone dishonest, violent, or murderous, but rather on how good the defense is at wearing down the prosecution, or at how completely the character of a witness can be called in to question, or how tricky the defense is, or how poor a job the prosecution is doing. . . . it just goes on an on. And I am deeply concerned that the message of this scripture is not getting through!
What matters is that someone—whether those on trial or not—sinned, lied, cheated, stole, murdered. And they just can’t admit it! They just haven’t heard the good news declared in this scripture! There is not a lot of focus on the millions of dollars being spent to defend someone, and the millions of dollars being generated for advertisers! Think about it: sin sells! But Paul cautions us: “you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship.” Sonship with Christ. Child of God. Heir to heaven with Jesus. And we didn’t even have to pay the price! But we must pay that price now, by living as Jesus did.
So in gratitude and humility and a healthy dose of shame, we admit our sinfulness. High profile attorneys get rich off of sin. Don’t get me wrong—our justice system guarantees that everyone receive a fair trial. But is a trial fair when one side has all the money and power? Is a trial fair when the trial itself becomes the news and not the victims? Is a trial fair when the facts become so obscured and the rich get richer selling more and more advertising time during prime time coverage?
What doesn’t sell is someone questioning the whole thing. What doesn’t sell is repentance and begging forgiveness—not from us, but from the victims and their families—and from God. That doesn’t generate revenue. That’s not encouraged or really probably even “allowed” because our good old justice system allows for a months long trial and our 24/7 news cycle covers every second of it! Are we slaves to sin? Are we slaves to those who laud sin, who “sell” sin? Are we slaves to the law of man? I think we would be better served to call out to God to help us say, “enough is enough.”
I hope you spend today rejoicing that you have been released from the bonds of slavery to sin and are now an heir to heaven with Jesus Christ.
Mary
