The doctrine of the believer's being dead to the law, and his being married to another who has been raised up from among the dead, as the only source of fruit-bearing, is set forth in the first six verses of chapter 7. Afterward, we have a case supposed of the experience of a quickened soul under law struggling for deliverance. This deliverance is stated by one who has been delivered. Practice follows deliverance.
The person supposed to be speaking here has life, for,
He knows that "the law is spiritual," that is, not merely applicable to outward conduct but to the inward feelings and desires, and he knows that he is fleshly, sold under sin-the slave of sin.
He declares that the law is good and resolves to be good and to do good, but cannot.
3) He delights in the law after the inward man and says the commandment is holy, just, and good. He consents to the law that it is good because his understanding is changed, because his will is changed (to will is present with him for good), and because he has a heart now according to God, for he delights in the law of God according to the inward man This reveals his state, and that he is born of God; but the context shows that he is occupied neither with Christ nor with the Holy Ghost, but with self.
But though he has life, he is really under the law, and, through his struggling with the law, learns,
That in him (his flesh) no good dwells (v. 18).
That sin dwells in him (v. 20).
3) That he has no power to perform that which is good, so that he is brought into captivity to the law of sin which is in his members. He finds that he is powerless to overcome indwelling evil by efforts of law-keeping. These are three profitable lessons, often learned though deep distress and humiliation of spirit. And having found out by experience, though painfully, that sin dwells in him, that his whole Adam nature is sinful with no good in it, and that he has no power over it, he is truly "wretched" and cries out for a deliverer to bring him out of it: "Who shall deliver me?" Then, he finds that God has already done this for him through Jesus Christ our Lord, and, believing this, he thanks God. He now has soul-deliverance and waits for the deliverance of his body, for God's purpose is that we shall "be conformed to the image of His Son." He may have received forgiveness of sins before, but now he finds he is delivered from sin and the law by the death of Christ, and from that time he has a new experience. No doubt, among many other profitable lessons, such learn that experience never gives peace with God, but that faith in the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ always does.
In Romans 3 through 7 God is the Justifier of the ungodly, the Reconciler of His enemy-man-and the Deliverer from sin. The law, instead of justifying, condemned; instead of reconciling, gave the knowledge of sin; and instead of delivering, showed him guilty and under the curse. Yet the law is "holy," because, instead of excusing sin it exposes sin; the law is "just," because it judges even the motions of sin as well as sins committed; and the law is "good," if a man use it lawfully. Our sins are forgiven on the ground of Christ having died for us, but we are delivered from that evil principle in us (sin) by death, for Christ having "died unto sin once," we have died with Him, and are now alive unto God in Him who is alive again, and that for evermore.
As to his experience, now,
His eye is off self and the law. He looks to God in Christ, and becomes occupied with all that divine grace has accomplished for him in that work. Before he knew deliverance, it was self occupation-"I" and "me", but now he is before God, thanking Him for what He has done through our Lord Jesus Christ. This produces an amazing change in the state of soul.
He has God's thoughts instead of his own about himself. He now knows that he has two natures of very opposite qualities-"that which is born of the flesh" and "that which is born of the Spirit." The former he sees as having been judged by God on the cross; the latter he knows is a new creation in Christ in which God always views him. He is aware that both these natures are unchanging in their moral qualities for "that which is born of the flesh is flesh" and "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Both these natures are in the believer; the one acts on what is "only evil," the other on what is for the glory of God. In looking at himself now, he takes sides with God, and, recognizing these two natures, he concludes, "So then with the mind (or new nature) I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh (or old nature) the law of sin." v. 25.
3) He is done with himself as to having any standing in the flesh before God, and as to confidence in it, for God has given him a new state arid has put him on entirely different ground before Himself. Not only is he forgiven, but God has delivered him from his old fleshly state, and given him a new place before Himself. He is no longer in Adam, but in Christ Jesus; not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwells in him. This is a real deliverance, and, believing God's testimony concerning it, we have, by the Spirit, the comfort and power of it for "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (chap. 8:1). Now what a wide contrast there is as to state and standing, and what comfort and rest the soul has that simply receives God's testimony!
4) He has power over sin. If he thinks of the sin in the flesh, he remembers that God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. It is gone forever to faith under the judgment of God. If he considers that in his flesh no good dwells, he knows that his standing before God is not now in the flesh, but in Christ Jesus. And instead of being helpless as to sin and its captivity, he finds he has power to walk in the light, as God is in the light, to resist the devil, and to overcome the world. He knows that by the gift of the Holy Spirit he is connected with a triumphant Christ. He is conscious of being set free, and that SIN is no longer his master, and looking up he can say that "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." v. 2. Thus, having a new nature and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the two great requirements of the law are fulfilled in him-love to God, and love to man, though he is not under law, and he walks "not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:1-41There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1‑4).)
In the scriptures we have thus far looked at, it may be well to observe that there are four laws brought before us:
"The law of God," the demands of which even a quickened soul finds himself powerless to answer. (chap. 7:22).
"The law of my mind," the resolution of a quickened soul to obey God (v. 23).
"The law of sin and death," the principle of enmity and antagonism of the natural man to God, of insubjection to His will (chap 8.2) As another has said, "that deadly principle which ruled in us before as alive in the flesh."
"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," the principle and power of that new life given us in Christ by the Holy Spirit who now dwells in us. (chap. 8:2).
The soul thus brought into liberty, or set free by divine grace is delivered in three ways:
By death. Our old man is crucified with Christ, for God condemned "sin in the flesh" in the death of His own spotless and well-beloved Son. We have thus "died unto sin," have died with Christ, and we are clear from the law having died to that in which we were held, for can a dead man have lusts or sin?
As "not under law, but under grace," sin shall not have dominion over us. We are now "in Christ Jesus," brought into the full and abiding favor of God. Faith knows no other position. Will this lead us to sin? Shall we not rather have our fruit unto holiness? (Rom. 6).
3) The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus brings us into a new order of things-new life, new position and state. Will then this new life and power in the Holy Spirit lead us to sin, or shall we be thus strengthened to resist the devil and to abstain from all evil?
We are set free then,
As to conscience, by the death of Christ, in whom God condemned "sin in the flesh."
As to state and position, as not in the flesh, but in Christ with the Spirit dwelling in us, and not under law, but under grace.
3) As to experience, sin no longer having dominion over us, but having love in our hearts to God and man, and power by the Spirit to overcome, we find the mind of the Spirit to be life and peace.
4) As to practice, "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
What a deliverance! What praise and worship it calls forth! What never-ending cause of thanksgiving to God! Surely we may say to the disconsolate believer-
"Look off unto Jesus, and sorrow no more." The comfort of this deliverance we have "in believing." Our power for the enjoyment of it, and for life and godliness, is the Holy Spirit. We are told that if we are led of the Spirit we are not under law, if we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Before deliverance it was all "I," "me," and "my," but after deliverance, CHRIST becomes the Object of faith, and the Holy Spirit the power for holiness. We can therefore do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us.
As to the Spirit, we may observe that-
He dwells in us as a divine Person-the Spirit that raised up Jesus from among the dead, and shall "quicken your mortal bodies." The Holy Spirit Himself dwells in our bodies (v. 11).
He is our power to "mortify the deeds of the body." Observe, it does not say "the body," but, "the deeds of the body" (v. 13).
He is "the Spirit of adoption," to make us know we are God's children. He forms affections and thoughts in us suited to such a relationship and leads us, "whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (v. 15).
5) He is the Helper of our infirmities in prayer, and makes intercession for us (v. 26).
6) He teaches us to wait for the redemption of our body (v. 23).
Thus we have brought before us something of the power that works in a delivered soul. Ought we not then to "abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost"?
In the old-creation line of things, we have sin, flesh, death, sufferings, groanings, and infirmities, often struggling under law. In the new creation we have deliverance from sin, life in the Spirit, thanksgiving and peace. We are in Christ and the Spirit is in us-all things working together for our good. We are more than conquerors through every trouble. We "are not under the law, but under grace," having no condemnation and knowing no separation.
Although so blessedly delivered and walking in the Spirit, we can never forget that the flesh is in us. The flesh, however, is not us, for we are in Christ, and are not in the flesh before God. Yet we should never lose the sense that in us, that is in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing. We know what the conflict between the two natures is, and find our communion with the Father interrupted the moment we trust the flesh, and walk in it.
Besides this, the delivered soul groans:
As having a mortal body; for "we that are in this tabernacle do groan." "In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven"-our glorified body. He knows that he has a "mortal body," liable to disease and pain. (2 Cor. 5; Rom. 8:1111But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11)).
With groanings within. "Ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Rom. 8:2323And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23). This is more than suffering in our bodies, for, having the Spirit, the affections and thoughts are according to Christ, the suffering and rejected One, who is coming, not only for the redemption of our body, but to bring even this groaning creation into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
3) With unutterable groanings in prayer, for "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
How many groans the Lord Jesus will hush when He comes again! How blessed is the thought that when Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested, we also shall be manifested with Him in glory! (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)). Meanwhile, may our hearts be taken up with Him, may we stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has made us free, and may we rejoice in hope of the glory of God!