Chapter 5 will show us they wanted the law for walk, just as you want it for walk. You find you have still an evil nature, called in scripture, “the flesh,” or, sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:22For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)). You find this lusts after evil things, and is a source of great distress to you. Further, you say that evil, vile nature, flesh, must be put under restraint of law, or responsibility to keep the law, or it will break out in iniquity. This looks very plausible, and it is the object of the Spirit to utterly disprove all this false reasoning in this very chapter.
We cannot give Ishmael the least room in the house without its being an offense to Isaac. We cannot allow the principles of law an atom, but, in like proportion, we displace Christ. Thus it is strongly stated: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage... Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” You say, Yes, that is strong language, but we are not seeking to be justified by law. What then? To walk by law? Yes, you find the flesh still in you, and it lusts to do evil things, and you want to put that evil nature or flesh under the law, so that you may walk in righteousness, or, in other words, that you may attain to righteousness of walk. Is not this the thin edge of Satan’s wedge? Will it not surely betray us into seeking justification by works of law? The whole thing is a mistake.
It has been tried for 1,500 years. The root of this mistake we are dwelling upon is ignorance of, or denial of the total ruin of man in sin. And though the flesh is still in us, we are not in the flesh; we are not on that ground. There is no improvement of the flesh thought of in the gospel, any more than a gardener thinks of improving the old briar on a stock rose.
Secondly, the flesh is utterly disallowed, and judged on the cross of Christ. That which the law could not do, God has, “sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:33For 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: (Romans 8:3)). We are not to cultivate it by the law, for the only effect of law on our sinful flesh is to provoke transgressions (Rom. 7:7-257What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:7‑25)).
We always find it so. To place our sinful nature under law, can only prove that it is utter enmity against God -and thus bring us into bondage and misery. Surely, the result of man being placed on the principle of works of law, as seen in the Jews rejecting and killing the Lord Jesus Christ, ought to have been enough to show the Galatians the utter uselessness of going back to it, for even righteousness of walk.
And is it not so again with those who take the place of Jews, and are not, just in proportion as the principle of seeking salvation by works, and observance of days, and pretended holy sacraments — nay, in proportion as the principle of law is held for righteousness — in that proportion are the true living Person of Christ and eternal salvation, rejected? And where there is power, He is still persecuted, and killed in His members.
Verse 6. This is a very important verse, “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” Man is so bad, that for justification, neither the principle of law nor lawlessness can make him a bit better or worse. He is concluded already, under sin and judgment. Note this well, if you are still in your sins, and in sin. You cannot be better or worse as to justification before God. But, if in Christ, your justification cannot be one whit more or less. If in the flesh, you are completely lost. If in Christ, ye are complete in Him. Nothing can add to your completeness in Christ. Have you this faith?
Now, faith must have an object, and the object of faith, true faith, is Christ. Is He the object of our faith? Then we shall be transformed by the object, and changed into His blessed likeness, soon to be like Him. But what is He? The perfect expression of love: for God is love, and thus faith worketh by love.
Here, then, we have the two principles fairly brought out, even as to walk, or a holy life. The principle of law availeth nothing, either for justification, or holiness of life. What is holiness but likeness to Christ, to walk as He walked, down here? Here, then, is a fact: the law, so pressed by deceivers in our day, and by many sincere persons, but deceived, has no power to work or produce a holy life, or a walk like Christ. Faith has power, for it is wholly occupied with Christ, and the more we do simply believe Him, as God speaking to us — the more we study Him — the more we are like Him. Let us, then, reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ. And then also that life and new nature, we, as believers, have in Him, has now the capacity to enjoy Him.
This scripture, then, gives us this defense of the gospel, that the law is of no avail whatever, any more than license or lawlessness, circumcision or uncircumcision, for a holy life; but that other principle is, which Christ had taught His servant Paul, “Faith which worketh by love.”
Now, since Christ had taught Paul the one principle, He could not possibly have taught these deceivers the opposite. “This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth you.” Thus we learn that the leaven of Judaism in this day, is not of Christ. If it be not Christ, then, that is leading men, in our day, to ritual and legality, who is it? Who is it that is seeking to leaven the whole lump again with Romish salvation on the principle of works? Can there be a question that it is Satan now, as then, seeking to destroy your soul by leading you from Christ and eternal salvation in Him, and a holy life by faith in Him, working by love?
However gorgeous and unscriptural the ritual, however sweet the music or eloquent the tongue of men, however much dancing, bazaars, and worldly pleasure he may bait his hook with, remember, it is the eternal damnation of your soul he seeks. Nay, do we need to say it is Romish? Is it not all fast becoming alike? As to complete and eternal salvation in Christ, who knows this, and enjoys it, on the mixed principles of these days? As to holiness, where do you find it? Can you talk of likeness to Christ, and mix up with the world, go to balls or dancing, cricketing, football, and bazaars, as now carrried on? Would Christ be found in such places?
All these are allowed and practiced in these days, thus utterly denying that which is so prominent in this epistle — the Cross. I am crucified to the world. What has the law, then, to say to a crucified man? And what are the sports of the world to such an one? To be circumcised, or to adopt the principle of law, was to set aside the Cross, and its offense would be gone. What fools Satan can make of men and women! They will wear a cross, and utterly reject the complete salvation wrought by Christ, and will seek to be saved by works of law, as directed by men!
The apostle could wish that those who made so much of circumcision, would really circumcise themselves, so to speak: “I would they would cut themselves off that trouble you.” But faith alone can understand how really reckoning ourselves to be dead, can be one great step towards practical holiness. Let us next look at facts.
Chapter 5:14. Paul now shows that while, the law availed nothing for a holy life, he fully allows elsewhere that it is holy, just, and good. Now he says, “By love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” This is a well-established fact. “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death... God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:2-32For 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: (Romans 8:2‑3)). This is a glorious part of the gospel Paul defends. We are not only justified from our sins and iniquities, but justified from sin, the root in us, by sin being judged, condemned by the sacrifice for sin, our Jesus bearing this judgment due to us. What a relief when this is really known in the soul! Sin as a root in the flesh is now no hindrance to the Spirit — sin having been judged. Then further, the law of the Spirit is superior to the law of sin and death. I have, as a Christian, a law, or power in the Spirit infinitely superior to my old sinful self. The result is this, that in this totally new place the sinful flesh is set aside as judged, “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.” But is this by putting our sinful flesh under law again? No, the very opposite, “Who walk not after the flesh.” What, do you not seek to mortify the flesh by long fastings, and prayers, as sincere nuns and monks have done? Do you not seek to chasten and improve the flesh by the various means prescribed by those who take the place of being your guides? Surely you ought to put your evil lusting nature under the restraint of law! No! Paul says, not that way at all. “Who walk not after the flesh, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.”
We are not now on the question of justification, but of walk. The righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us who are not under law. We are born of God, have the nature of God, and that is love. The nature of our old man as in the flesh was hatred and enmity to God and man In that state we were not, and could not be subject to the law of God, which surely requires us to be what we were not. In our old nature, evil was ever present with us. When we would do good; even then evil prevailed. Such was the trial of the flesh.
But now there is this immense difference. We have a totally new nature, and to us a totally new principle of life and power, even the Spirit of life. Now our very nature is love, and “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.” Thus with the delivered Christian, his new nature delights to do the will of God, and he has the power. Love is the fulfilling of the law.
But if those who were introducing the law were biting, and devouring those who were not circumcised, that was not love: they needed to take heed lest they consumed one another. Well, now, this is the question: If you can never meet the righteous requirements of the law by being under it, and if you have still a nature that can bite and devour, the very opposite of love, how are you to walk in holiness according to the holiness of that which is born of God? In other words, if not under the law, how are you to walk worthy of God, whose very nature is the holiness of love?
Verse 16. “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Note, this does not say there is no flesh or evil nature left in you. That is fully admitted. But a distinct remedy is presented, so that you may, as we have said, be superior to the flesh, so as not to fulfill its evil desires. “Walk in the Spirit.” This is God’s remedy. Take hold of infinite strength and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. And this is further enforced: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye may not do the things that ye would.”
Are you a Christian, that is, are you born again, and have you the Holy Spirit dwelling in you — your sins forgiven you for Christ’s sake? You say, Through the mercy of God I can say it is so. I am a Christian. Have you not lusts utterly contrary to the Spirit? You say, That is the very plague of my heart and life. That is exactly what you find here in this scripture. If the first part of this verse is true of you, then the old man is not mended or in the least better. And you find it so. Then what is your remedy? How shall you overcome them? The desires of the Spirit of God are holy and pure. You may read the list below, in verses 19-24. There is the double catalog — what the works of the flesh are, and what the fruits of the Spirit are. There is the black list of what the flesh is capable of doing. And every Christian that knows himself, knows that this is a true bill; this is God’s account of what the flesh is. And are not these lusts (worse than savage beasts) to be put under law? No, the law only provoked them into actual transgressions. And the inspired defender of the gospel says “Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Thus to put believers under law, as the law provoked lust unto sin, would be by placing them under law to shut them out of the kingdom of heaven. This settles the charge that they might sin that grace should abound, or as it is called, antinomianism.
It is not, how may we practice these sins? Far from it; but how may we not “do such things”? Let this be seen, and the subject will become clear. You long for practical holiness and righteousness of walk. How is this to be obtained? These Judaizing teachers would put them under law. The scripture plainly declares the flesh does thus lust; but you have the Spirit: yes. Then walk in the Spirit. The only power for a holy walk is real, humble, watchful dependence on the Spirit. You say, Well, I am puzzled that the flesh in a believer is so vile, and that he needs the constant power of the Spirit; and is there no improvement of the flesh? No. What then? “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts.” Crucifixion is not improvement, but death, the most painful and ignominious death. Have we really accepted God’s judgment of the flesh, mine, yours, on the cross of Christ? There is the end of vile me. My old man is entirely sin; but judged on the cross, He was made sin for us. We can thus reckon ourselves dead unto sin, and alive unto God. Sin has been utterly condemned on the cross. I, my old self, was sin; I therefore have been judged, so as to need judging no more as to my old nature.
Since this is the case, let us then not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Surely the deepest humility becomes us. How great then the contrast between the two natures in a believer! What he is as a child of Adam, with a nature so utterly, unmendably vile, but judged and crucified with Christ, his holy, sinless substitute: and the new nature born of God. And how great the contrast between the two administrations, that of law and that of the Spirit. It is not that the holy requirements of God are abolished, but how shall they be accomplished? and the answer is, not by the flesh being placed again under the law, but by being wholly condemned on the cross, and by walking in the Spirit as a child of God, reckoning my old self dead.