What Law Are You Under?

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

What is the law of sin and death?  The law of sin and death is the law of Moses or better known as the Ten Commandments. In Romans, Chapter 7 Paul explains that until he knew the law, he didn't know what sin was. But once he knew what the law said, sin had dominion over him.  Romans 7:5 NLT When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.

Paul is referring to "spiritual death" not physical death. He went on to say in verse 7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin...At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, ¹⁰ and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 

 Corinthians, 15:56 states, "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law."  Let me put it this way, we all understand how the bee functions.  That little critter has a stinger on it and when he lands on you and puts that little stinger in your flesh it causes pain.  Paul was telling us that the pain or stinger of death is sin.  And what is it that causes sin?  THE LAW!

 Okay, so we now have a clear understanding that sin is strengthen by the Law - the system of "do's and don't's" and that system produces spiritual death or separation from God. 

The Good News is that the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law or the system of "do's and don't's".  What is the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, you ask? Faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son sent to this earth to redeem us or "buy us back" from what Adam's sin produced.

I want to keep driving home this point that our works or our ability to do all the right things and avoid doing all the wrong things is not what saves us. I don't believe we can ever hear this message too much.  Why?  Because for too long religion has taught us otherwise. The church has been too "sin conscious" instead of "grace conscious".

Christians who have failed at times are cast aside; treated as lepers, looked down upon by the brethern. The unchurched don't want to hear from us either because they say that there are two things we are known for, 1. telling them what they are doing wrong and 2. asking for money all the time. This is their perception of Christianity.

Jesus commanded us to go and spread the Good News. He said Himself that He didn't come to condemn the world but to fulfill the law. In other words, what the Ten Commandments couldn't do for us, He came to complete. 

So which law do you think is the Good News to be spreading?