Rom 8:1-4 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For 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: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Paul observed in the close of the seventh chapter of this book that he served the law of God with understanding. He further observed that with this understanding comes the realization that there is a law of sin in the flesh. This is why we are taught to keep the flesh under subjection. We literally are to subdue the flesh so that it does not reign over us.
How is it, then, that we are to subdue the flesh? It is clear that, left to ourselves, our flesh had no desire to be subdued. After all, the law of sin is in our flesh. We are not helpless puppets to the law of sin once we are brought to understand that, with the mind we serve God: God is greater than our flesh.
As a result of this (therefore), we are at this present moment under no condemnation once we recognize that we serve the law of God with our understanding. This is our present circumstance and not just a promise of future good. Once we are in Christ Jesus (drawn by the Father and quickened by the Spirit), we no longer suffer under the fear of condemnation. While the law of sin in our flesh may make us aware that we deserve to be condemned, the law of God assures us that the law of sin no longer has power.
We do not walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit in order to escape condemnation. Walking after the Spirit instead of the flesh is our proof that we have already been rescued from that condition. The law of sin and death is terrifying and overwhelming until we are made subject to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life far outweighs the law of sin and death.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is ours because Christ Jesus took upon Himself the law of sin and death. He satisfied that law according to the holy will of God. The law was spiritual, but it was also weak because of the carnality of man in that it could not save us. God sent His own Son, fashioned after sinful flesh, to do what we, in our carnality, could never do.
God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to become sin for us. Sin was condemned in the flesh, and in the flesh Christ bore it to Calvary and satisfied the law that we could never appease. Because of Christ, we have the righteousness of the law fulfilled in us. In that fulfillment, we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
May we humbly carry about the dying of our Lord Jesus in our bodies so that we may also manifest the life of our Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:10), who has made us free from the law of sin and death!
