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The Daily Word of Righteousness
How Romans 8:2 Works
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)
Romans 8:2 is really a summation of the new covenant.
The law of sin and death is the Law of Moses interacting with our sinful nature.
We love the righteousness expressed in the Law of Moses. But when the Law points out to us that we are sinning we try to do good, and then fail because of our sinful nature. Then we are filled with condemnation and cut off from fellowship with God. This is spiritual death.
The Law of Moses is well able to show us our sin but it is not accompanied by the power to deliver us from sin. This is how the Law of Moses differs from the new covenant.
If we are able to keep one part of the Law then another sin is revealed. It is like trying to put socks on an octopus.
The most determined of the Jews make mighty efforts to keep all the points of the Law. But even these attempts fall short. Also, such efforts easily can create self-righteousness even when we deplore self-righteousness.
The self-righteous person seeks to perfect his personality. The truly righteous individual seeks to know the Lord.
The Law of Moses is perfect. If there could have been a law given that would make people perfect, the Law of Moses is the leading candidate. But since the Law cannot do more than admonish our corrupt nature, the pure, holy righteousness that God requires is impossible of attainment.
O wretched people that we are, how are we ever to please God?
The solution to our struggle is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This is the law of the new covenant and it sets us free from the law of sin and death. It does so by ascribing righteousness to us so we are free from condemnation and then changes us so we are able to keep God's righteous laws.
Let us look at four ways in which the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free by:
1. Ascribing to us the righteousness gained by Christ's perfect obedience to the letter and intent of the Law of Moses.
The Lord Jesus, because He was born of a virgin, did not inherit a sinful nature. The bloodline of Joseph did not affect Jesus. His Father is God.
The Lord Jesus was filled with the fullness of the Spirit of God.
The Father dwelled in Jesus.
Jesus' character was superb, having been with the Father from the beginning. He is the Word of God made flesh.
The Lord when He was here did something that no other person ever has done or ever could do. He kept the letter and intent of the Law of Moses perfectly.
Having Himself written the Law on Sinai, Jesus was able to perceive the intent of the Law and thus fulfill all of its meaning. If the Pharisees had believed Moses and the Prophets they would have noticed that even though it appeared Jesus violated the Sabbath by healing on the holy day He did not actually violate it.
To be continued.