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Paul made a great discovery in receiving the revelation of the Triune God being processed through incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension to become the law of the Spirit of life installed in our spirit (Rom. 8:3, 11, 34, 16).
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The law of the Spirit of life is the automatic principle and spontaneous power of the divine life; it is the natural characteristic and the innate, automatic function of the divine life.
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A Christian should not live by the power of his will but by the power of the inner law of the Spirit of resurrection life in his spirit; this law possesses the greatest power; it overcomes death, transcends death, and is not bound by death (7:19; Matt. 26:41; Eph. 1:19-23; Col. 1:28-29; 2 Cor. 1:8-9; John 11:25; Heb. 7:16; Acts 2:24; Rev. 1:18):
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In Romans 7 Paul describes the wretchedness of his trying to do good under the law; he needed the Lord as the compassionate Samaritan-Neighbor to care for him as a fallen and law-stricken sinner by dispensing Himself into him as the law of the Spirit of life for the reality of the Body of Christ (vv. 24-25; Luke 10:25-37).
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We must see that sin and death are a law in us and that our willpower cannot overcome this law (Rom. 7:15-16, 18-21).
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If we have not seen that sin is a law and that our will can never overcome this law, we are trapped in Romans 7; we will never arrive at Romans 8.
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Every life has a law and even is a law; God's life is the highest life, and the law of the Spirit of life is the highest law (Prov. 30:19a; Deut. 32:11-12; Isa. 40:30-31).
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The divine birth has transferred us into a new realm, the realm of the divine life with its law in our spirit, a realm in which there is no sin, world, or flesh:
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In this realm all victories are spontaneous, automatic, unconscious, and effortless because the law of the Spirit of life is upholding us, not our own will.
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We have the law of the Spirit of life indwelling our spirit as the presence of God, the speaking of God, the meeting with God, and the dispensing of God (Heb. 8:10; Rom. 3:25; Exo. 25:22).
Morning Nourishment
Rom. 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.
The Spirit and life are mentioned in Romans 8:2, but only in connection with the working of [the law of the Spirit of life]. Life is the content and issue of the Spirit, and the Spirit is the ultimate and consummate manifestation of the Triune God after His being processed through incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection and becoming the indwelling, life-giving Spirit, who is life to all the believers in Christ. The law that has freed us from the law of sin, which is of Satan, who dwells in the members of our fallen body (7:23, 17), is of this Spirit of life. It is this law, not God nor the Spirit, that works in us to deliver us from the working of the law of sin in our flesh and to enable us to know God and gain God and thereby live Him out. This law of the Spirit of life is the spontaneous power of the Spirit of life. Such a spontaneous law works automatically under the condition that fulfills its requirements.
Both Satan and God, after entering into our being and dwelling in us, work within us not by outward, objective activities but by an inward, subjective law. The working of the law of the Spirit of life is the working of the processed Triune God in our spirit; this is also the working of the Triune God in us in His life. (Rom. 8:2, footnote 1)
Today's Reading
In Romans 7:7-25 Paul used his own experience, which he had before he believed in the Lord, to illustrate the wretchedness of trying to do good under the law in order to please God. Neither the human spirit nor the Spirit of God is mentioned in this section; rather, the will and the mind of the human soul (vv. 19, 23), which attempt to please God with the good of the natural life (vv. 18-19, 21), are referred to. Although this is the situation of an unsaved person, nearly all Christians pass through this kind of experience after they are saved. (Rom. 7:7, footnote 1)The power of sin is strong; our own power is weak. The power of sin always prevails, while our own power always fails. As soon as Paul realized that sin is a law, he knew that none of his methods would work. His determination was useless; he would never overcome the law of sin by his will. This was a great discovery, a great revelation to him.
Paul saw that a man cannot experience deliverance by the exercise of the will. As long as a man trusts in the power of his own will, he will not turn to God's way of deliverance. The day will come when you will prostrate yourself before God and acknowledge that you can do nothing and henceforth will do nothing. That will be the day you find deliverance. Only then will you understand Romans 8. Brothers and sisters, please do not belittle Romans 7. We must first have the knowledge of chapter 7 before we can have the experience of chapter 8. The problem is not whether you understand the doctrine in Romans 8 but whether or not you have emerged from Romans 7. Many have buried themselves in Romans 7; they are still trying to deal with sin by their will. The result is nothing but failure. If you have not seen that sin is a law and that your will can never overcome this law, you are trapped in Romans 7; you will never arrive at Romans 8....All your willing and struggling is in vain.
The realization of the Holy Spirit as a law is a great discovery....All victories are unconscious victories because the law of the Holy Spirit is operating and upholding us, not our own will....Only the indwelling Spirit can keep you from sin; you do not have to will not to sin. It is also the indwelling Holy Spirit who is enabling you to overcome; you do not have to will to overcome. Since this law dwells in you, you are delivered from the law of sin and of death. You are in Christ Jesus, and the law of the Spirit of life is in you. Spontaneously, you are free. As long as you do not rely on your own will and effort, the Holy Spirit will bring you into victory. (CWWN, vol. 49, pp. 386-388)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 49, ch. 25