Lesson 027 The Law of the Spirit of Life

The Law of the Spirit of Life

(Romans 8:1-17)

God’s Eternal Covenant involves two men from two creations with sons born to each creation; God’s design of the two creations encompasses personal beings, souls of spirit life, and bodies.  

The first man Adam was made a living soul, a soul of spirit life − Life eternal.  God breathed a soul of spirit life into a body of flesh (Genesis 2:7).  Mankind has its family ties to one father - the first man Adam.  The first creation of sons is born of his seed of the earth, earthy.  The seed for the body of flesh is placed in the womb; that which is born of the flesh is flesh (flesh reproduces flesh – bodies, not beings).  The body of flesh − of the earth earthy houses the personal being of spirit life of an earthly creation.  The body of flesh is a natural body.  The collective whole of sons of humanity is sons in the flesh – the first creation.  “In the flesh” means to be in a dead body.  A dead body is unclean and unholy.  A dead body has no Seed of the spirit of Life eternal.  The first creation is under the condemnation of death and the wrath of God. 

“… as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). 

The second creation of sons comes from the Seed of the second man, the Lord from heaven − the last Adam.  The second man is a Life-giving spirit.  

John 3:16 (ESV):  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only [begotten] Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

The Lord from heaven is Life eternal, a soul of spirit being of Deity, Life eternal clothed in the likeness of man – a body of flesh.  The body prepared for the Lord from heaven was a body conceived in the womb of a virgin − the seed of a woman (Psalm 22:9).  The creation of sons of God is born of the second man from His Seed.  

John 1:12:  “But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

The second creation of sons is alive unto God in the spirit.  In the spirit is not in the flesh.  A son of God cannot be other than he is; likewise, a son of humanity cannot be other than he is.  Each of the two separate creations is born of the seed of its father.  A son of God is a son of God and a son of humanity is a son of humanity.  The second creation has been made safe from the condemnation of death, made secure from the wrath to come and is sanctified together alive unto God. 

Sons of God are not an earthy creation; they have received the eternal Life – the incorruptible Seed − the Word of God planted in the heart.  Faith germinates the Seed.  Sons of God are a heavenly spiritual creation.  They are other than that which they once were – natural − in the flesh in Adam.  

The transfer of ownership of the dead body out of the creation of Adam to Life eternal is Paul’s “therefore” conclusion in Romans 12.  Death causes a complete severance – the body of flesh was crucified that the body of sin might be done away with.  The phrase “done away with” means “rendered inoperative or powerless.”  The body of flesh is not animated apart from the personal being it houses. 

As a new creation, we are completely severed from the creation in Adam; the deliverance from the body of the sin and the lawlessness of the pride of man’s self-will is final.  The idea is a complete termination, not a partial or temporary stay.  A son of God cannot be other than he is; Life overcomes sin in righteousness and overcomes death in Life.  “Therefore” is the sensible, rational and practical end of a new beginning for the son of God in Christ considering all that God has done through the Son of His covenant. 

Therefore, Paul exhorts the new creation concerning the transformation of the personal being by the renewing of the mind to God.  The appeal of Paul is not that the son of God should present his body (requiring action on his part), but rather he exhorts the son of God to remember the presentation of the body as already accomplished.  

A son of God is a living sacrifice; the apostle and high priest of his confession has made it so.  The son of God is holy; he is perfect – complete without spot or blemish.  As a living sacrifice, he is acceptable in the eyes of God – fit for service.  Considering all that God has done, performed, accomplished and finished − be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).

Now alive unto God, sons born of the Seed of the begotten Son are identified with the family of God and subject to the creation of which they now are.  Old things have passed away.  He who is has done it; it is finished; it is done!  Both the being in the body and the body are a creation of God.  In God’s eyes not a stain of guilt, not a spot of contamination remains. 

The Son of His Love has secured for God a sanctified people suited to Himself − His sons are set apart in the will of God and according to His pleasure from everything that they were naturally; such is the effectiveness and such is the result of the death of the Son of His Love. 

Romans chapter 8 explains the experience of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus for sons of God.  It is not a checklist of things to do – it is not minding this or not minding that.   The spirit of Life in Christ Jesus is personal freedom.  The priesthood of sons of God recognizes that the words of Jesus are spirit and life.  Spiritual realities are understood in the spirit life of their “being.”  The words of Jesus are spirit and life to see God as He really is and not as we see him according to the flesh through our own reasoning of the facts – likening Him to be as we are.  He is other.  Sons of God are now other. 

Romans 8:1:  “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

The King James Version has added these words to the text “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” The oldest manuscripts do not have these words at the end of the verse.  It is unlikely that that those words belong at the end of the verse because that would make our salvation dependent upon our walk (conduct or behavior) rather than our birth as a son of God − His Seed. 

Because death caused a complete severance from the first creation in Adam, Paul’s point is that now there is no condemnation because these sons are in Christ.  We are completely severed from the creation in Adam; the deliverance from the body of the sin and the lawlessness of the pride of man’s self-will is final.  We are alive unto God. 

Romans 8:2:  “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

The spirit Paul is referring to is not the Holy Spirit, but the spirit of Life eternal germinated.  Sons of God by faith having believed into Jesus have germinated the incorruptible Word of the Seed planted in the heart; thus, God’s creation of sons is man in His image and after His likeness. 

God’s expressed will – His law is that His creation of sons of humanity might become a creation of sons of God.  Two men within their respective creations have two laws, the law of the spirit of Life and the law of sin and death.  The spirit of Life has freed the one held by the law of sin and death.  The law of the spirit of Life overcomes sin in righteousness and overcomes death in Life. 

Romans 8:3-4:  “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 [of Life].”

The verb “could not do” in the Greek means “without power.”  The law could not set free.  Why?  Because the law is powerless to make alive, Life sets free.  God has accomplished His redemptive work through His own Son coming in the likeness of sinful flesh “for sin.”  This term “for sin” is used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) to mean a “sin offering.”  On the cross, the life of Jesus was made an offering for sin.  He was the righteous one, perfectly acceptable to God. 

In this righteous one, sin in the flesh was dealt with; in Christ, God delivered His sons from the penalty, the power and even the presence of sin.  At the cross, we are born children of God, justified.  At the resurrection, we are raised a son of God − sanctified and glorified.  With the redemption of the body, sons of God are adopted as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.  Free from the lawlessness, sons of God can do righteousness, so God can fulfill the righteous demands of the law in them because they are free.  

Sons of God are now other.  The sons of God are identified with the family of God and subject to the creation of which they now are.  Death results in a complete severance – old things have passed away.  The law of the spirit of Life has freed sons of God from the law of sin and death.  Freedom is the deliverance from sin and self.  Freedom is righteousness lived out.  Freedom is genuine love in practice.  We walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit of Life, because we are not in the flesh but in the spirit (Romans 8:9). 

Romans 8:5-8:  “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; … for to be carnally [fleshly] minded is death; … Because the carnal [fleshly] mind is enmity against God:  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. …”

What does it mean to mind the things of the flesh?  What is the flesh, but the creation in Adam.  They that are after the flesh, the creation in Adam mind the things connected with that creation.  What is that creation but dead and perishing.  In the mind of the flesh, one will not admit that he is a creation of God.  In the flesh, one contends to be his own person; that is enmity against God.  In the mind of the flesh, one does not want to look at what God has done.  One wants to think the way he wants to think and wants God to think like he thinks.  In so doing, man chooses to have his will for himself and his own desires rather than the will of God for him. 

Man desires to know – to see in his reasoning mind what is for his good from his perspective.  Faith does not seem reasonable, but it is.  God has a reason – a good reason for everything He does. 

Romans 8:5, 6, 9:  “… but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit; …but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  … But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you.  Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” 

Born of the Seed of the law of the spirit of Life, His sons mind the things of the spirit – life and peace.  Is that not simple?  So what is the problem?  Sons of God will not reckon on the truth and admit that they are a new creation and that death causes a complete severance.  Sons of God have died out of the creation of flesh.  Sons of God will say they are a new creation, but do they think of God as their Creator? 

Are sons of God dependent upon Him?  Are they responsible to Him for what they do, say and think?  The truth is that sons of God have changed creations and are now other than they once were; a son of God cannot be other than he is; he is a son of God; he has changed creations.  The problem is that sons of God take their thinking with them, they still contend to be their own person; that is enmity against God. 

If sons of God think the way they want to think and want God to think like they think, they are at enmity with God.  Sons of God are a new creation, but they carry their old thinking with them.  There must be a transformation of the person through the renewing of the mind. 

If sons of God would have their desire be for Him and His thinking rather than for themselves to “know,” they would be satisfied – they would experience their freedom − the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus – Life and peace.  When one changes his mind about the way he thinks, when one sees “how” God thinks, when one sees that is the way to think, then one “moves” from the earthly to the heavenly, from the fleshly to the spiritual.  With the renewing of the mind, there is the transformation of the person.  Transformation is not a behavior change.  So often one sets out to change the behavior, thinking a change of behavior is a transformation of the person.  Transformation of the person will indeed change the behavior, but a behavior change is not a transformation of the person; it is an attempt to transform without the power or ability to do so. 

God has the power of transforming; God also will do the transformation.  The renewing of the mind is freedom given to the sons of God to mind the things of the Spirit.  The transformation of the person is the result of thinking God’s thoughts after Him, seeing God as He really is and not as one sees him according to the flesh through the reasoning of the facts.  A son of God is free from thinking independently of God.  Sons of God that accept responsibility in submission to Love bring glory to God; faith “works” by love. 

Having been united to the Son of the covenant in His death, sons of God have been freed from the deceit of the heart, which causes them to choose their own will over the will of their Creator and Redeemer.  Having been freed from the deceit of his heart, the son of God is free to ask to have the eyes of his understanding opened to hear the voice of the Spirit of God who enlightens the eyes of the understanding that the son of God might see the will of God and choose to do it (Isaiah 30:21). 

Romans 8:10a:  “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin;”

The mortal body is consigned to return to dust.  Why?  The body is dead because of sin.  Why?  “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Romans 8:10b-11:  “but the spirit is life (in Christ Jesus) because of righteousness. But 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.”  

The sons of God born of the Seed of the spirit of Life are in a mortal body that is dead because of sin, but having received the Seed of the spirit of life − the righteousness, our mortal bodies will be quickened by His spirit.  Life overcomes sin in righteousness and overcomes death in Life.  Sons of God are in Christ Jesus.  Jesus’ body was raised by the eternal Life He is.  So also having received the eternal Life – the Seed of the spirit of Life, our mortal bodies will be quickened.  The body returns to the dust, but the law of the spirit of Life has made me free from the law of sin and death.  Verse 11 of Romans 8 is the assurance of the redemption of the body.

Dwelling in the mortal body of a son of God is the Holy Spirit who lives with him.  With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the mortal body, the body is sealed for redemption; the sealing of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of the redemption of the body (Ephesians 4:30). 

Romans 8:12-13:  “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live after the flesh.  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: ….”  

A debtor is someone who owes someone something.  What is Paul saying?  Do we owe someone something?  NO! No, we do not.  Sons of God are debtors not to live after the flesh; to live after the flesh one will die is Paul’s point.  What does a son of God owe the flesh?  What did the creation in Adam give to the son of God but a seed coat body to receive the Life eternal for a body of glory.  The Sons of God owe the flesh nothing.  

Sons of God are not debtors to God; they are alive unto God, born of His Seed.  All is His doing; all is the work of grace.  The idea of owing God for His gift of grace is enmity.  Sons of God are not debtors.  They owe no man anything except to love.  In Adam they indebted themselves to live after the flesh, but now completely severed from the creation in Adam, we owe the flesh nothing.  

The deliverance from the body of the sin and the lawlessness of the pride of man’s self-will is final.  

Romans 8:13b:  “…but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

Here then is the distinction between the flesh − the creation in Adam and the mortal body of sons of God.  The body is the dwelling place for the sons of God but the mortal body is not the creation of the flesh.  The collective whole of sons of humanity is sons in the flesh – the first creation.  “In the flesh” means to be in a dead body.  A dead body is unclean and unholy.  A dead body has no Seed of the spirit of Life eternal.

The Greek word for body in verse ten and thirteen has the meaning of a corpse not yet buried.  The mortal body is dead but holds within it the Seed of Life Eternal. Paul’s point is who concerns themselves with a corpse?   A son of God lives in the spirit because he is not concerned with the body.  

Thus, the son of God is exhorted to live what he is – live as a son of God in the spirit of Life.  The body is not his own.  It has been bought with a price.  The body is not animated apart from the personal being it houses.  Living in the spirit of Life, the son of God recognizes that the place of his dwelling, his body, is not his own, but God’s.  As a son of God, the body is a temple of God − a sanctuary.  The body is for the Lord and the Lord is for the body.  The body is a vessel of honor for the Lord and His purposes.  The body is the meeting place of worship and therefore it is holy.  The body is the meeting place to lead God forth.   

How do sons of God lead God forth?  In order to be led, one must follow.  To be led means to be shown the way.  What is the way, but Love.  How does faith work?  Faith works by Love.  What life have sons of God been given?  Sons of God have been given a “Love” Life. 

The Holy Spirit dwelling with the son of God in his body does the leading − He does the showing; He enlightens the eyes of the understanding that the son of God might see the will of God and choose to do the will of his Lord.  Sons of God have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.  Sons of God are not in bondage.  What do sons of God have to fear?  Nothing, sons of God have received the spirit of adoption; sons are accepted in the Son of the covenant.  

What is the spirit of fear? – The spirit of fear is death.  God in the Son of His Love took care of death.  The Son of the covenant partook of flesh and blood that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death − the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15).  The Son of His Love delivers them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

Man’s fear of death is the power that the devil has, but sons of God have received the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.  Therefore there is nothing to fear; perfect Love casts out fear (1John 4:18).  There is therefore now no condemnation.  The Father of Jesus is our Father. 

Romans 8:16-17:  “The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; …”

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the mortal body is the witness of His spirit with the spirit of the sons of God that they are children and as children heirs.  Heirs are the successors, descendants and beneficiaries of their predecessors being born of their seed.  

Children of God inherit everything that belongs to God; sons of God are His heirs - adopted as sons through the Seed of the Son of His Love.  Sons of God are joint-heirs with Christ.  Everything pertaining to Life and godliness belongs to His sons, they are the successors and beneficiaries of all that God has done; it is finished; it is done!  

Romans 8:17:  “…heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [Him], that we may be also glorified together.” 

Harkening [listening and obeying] to the witness of the Spirit, sons of God, His priesthood, will suffer as they stand in the gospel.  There will be opposition; many will not want to admit that they are a creation of God and will want to contend to be their own person.  Many will not want to look at what God has done; rather, they want to remain deceived in the imagination of their heart.  There may be persecution, but the suffering is all for the glory of God – “that we may be also glorified.” 

The priesthood of the Son of the covenant is to set forth a memorial of the spiritual sacrifice − the celebration of the remembrance of the union of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for the purpose of communion – for the purpose of partaking of and entering into His holiness.  

The sons of God are to declare, “You must be born again” to enter into the kingdom of God; for if one lives after the flesh, he shall die.  His sons must share the hope of life eternal and a holy calling; it is imperative; mankind is perishing. 

It is God’s desire that none perish but that all should come to repentance.  How will they hear unless the sons of God go forth with the Word of Life?  

1John 3:1-3:  “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:  therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”