The Holy Spirit Is the Law

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

Did you ever think of the Holy Spirit as being Law? He is indeed the Law of the new covenant.

The Jews came to Mount Sinai fifty days after they left Egypt. Therefore they associate Pentecost (the fifty-day feast) with the giving of the Law. We also should associate Pentecost with the giving of the Law.

The purpose of law is to tell us what we can and cannot do. This is what the Holy Spirit does. As we learn to walk in the Spirit He tells us what we can and cannot do. Also He gives us the wisdom and strength to choose what is good and to do it.

How does the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set us free from the law of sin and death?

The law of sin and death is the interaction between the Law of Moses and our sinful nature. Our sinful nature lies. The Law of Moses condemns our lying. And so we remain unrighteous before God.

The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, uses the authority of the blood of Jesus to keep us without condemnation. The righteousness of Jesus, who kept the Law of Moses perfectly, is given freely to us when we are following the Spirit.

Then the Spirit gives us the strength and wisdom to recognize and put to death our sins. If we are praying, reading our Bible, and doing all else the New Testament commands, the Spirit will begin to make us aware of our thoughts, words, and actions that are not in accordance with the Scripture.

When we recognize the sins we are committing we are to confess them to God as sin. As we do the Lord freely forgives our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. The power of the Spirit attacks the sin in our nature and weakens it to the point that we then are able to gain victory over it.

It is said sometimes that the only law that governs the Christian is the law of love. This is not true. There are hundreds of commandments that were given us by Christ and His apostles. They are to be obeyed. We can obey them by the grace given to us through the Spirit of God.

The true Christian is the one who prays, reads his Bible, assembles with fervent disciples as he has opportunity, gives, serves, and does all else commanded by the Scriptures. He or she will be led from victory to victory over the sins of the carnal nature.

What we have today is not Christian doctrine but a wresting of the words of the Apostle Paul to mean we can do whatever we want and still be acceptable to Christ.

The author has been accused of legalism, of preaching "works." We do not understand what is meant by "legalism" unless it indicates we are trying to keep God's laws as the Spirit helps us. If so, we plead guilty.

We understand "works" to mean we are endeavoring to keep God's commandments. We plead guilty. (How else do you obey the Great Commission?)

I'll tell you what. I'll show you my Christian life by my works and you show me your Christian life by your neglect of Christ's commandments.

(I wouldn't have to talk such nonsense if people would read their Bibles!)