Romans 8:2 The Life of The Spirit

This message from Romans 8:2 covers part of the outline/notes.

ROMANS CHAPTER EIGHT AND VERSE TWO

Charles e Whisnant, Pastor-Teacher

“THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HATH MADE YOU FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH”

November 13^th 2011

   

I am hoping when I give understanding of the words that I can help us understand the whole verse, and how it fits into Paul’s overall thinking and the point that what he is trying to make.

In order to produce a good interpretation we are going look at the words as Paul said them. Paul in verse two is going to give us reasons for his statement in verse one is true.

FOR:^{1063 HO GAR}

The purpose of verse two is to give us a reason for verse one. And FOR reminds us that verse one is not a detached statement. There is a reason for, an explanation of, what has just been said. You could use the word “BECAUSE.”

FOR THE LAW ³⁵⁵¹

·        How can we use the term “law” possibly mean that he is talking about the gospel, or the way of salvation by faith, as over against an attempt to justify ourselves by works under the law?

·        "The "law of the Spirit of life" has invaded and opposed "the law of sin which is in my members" thus freeing us from its bondage  We cannot obey God's law in the strength of the flesh, but as we reckon (that is, deliberately acknowledge) ourselves to be dead to sin and "alive unto God this doctrinal truth increasingly becomes practical truth in our lives."

OF THE SPIRIT⁴¹⁵¹ OF LIFE ²²²²

KJV reads “hath made me free” . What the Apostle Paul wrote:  Which Paul was meaning here was “it happened “once and for ever’.

·       The point here is the law of the Spirit freed me’ – made me free. It is not hath made” but ‘made’.  It has already happened ‘once and for ever’ it is completed; it belongs to the past.

·       And again the word “me” should be “you” Paul is writing about the Christian generally, and not about himself. That anyone who is a Christian.

Which means: The work of the Holy Spirit in the Believer.

·        Romans 8:10-11; John 4:10,14; 6:63; I Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Revelation 11:11; 22:1;

What I want to accomplish today is to learn what it means to have the life of the Spirit in the believer! And that the Holy Spirit produces entire sanctification, or what is called the “second blessing.”

Some on to teach that this “work of the Spirit” is the second work in the believer after salavation.

·        In the process of salvation, God implants in us a new law for a new life.  “The spirit of life.” Here is given the believer upon the New Birth,  a “Spirit who quickeneth” John 6:63 and it is the Spirit who gives life.

IN¹⁷²² CHRIST⁵⁵⁴⁷ JESUS ²⁴²⁴

HATH MADE YOU FREE ^{(1659/3165) (eleutheroo = the ending " -oo"} 

v  Means not only will it be set free but it will be seen as set free) .

v  Means to cause someone to be freed from domination.

v  The picture is that of the emancipation of slaves.

v  The idea is that the one set free is at liberty, capable of movement, exempt from obligation or liability, and unfettered.

v   Although the act of setting free results in freedom and liberty we must understand that this new freedom is not a license to sin. In fact true liberty for the believer is now living as we should and not as we please. 

v  In short, the Spirit, Who brought the life of God Himself into us, has set us free from the power of our flesh and free to be the person God wants us to be.

“FREE FROM THE LAW ³⁵⁵¹ OF SIN ²⁶⁶ AND DEATH”²²⁸⁸

 

·       The law of sin is that principle in us that pulls us downward into death and that used to control and condemn us

·       This is Romans 6 in a nutshell. Paul presents two opposite laws or principles. The characteristic principle of the Holy Spirit is to empower believers for holy living. The characteristic principle of indwelling sin is to drag a person down to death. It is like the law of gravity. When you throw a ball into the air, it comes back down because it is heavier than the air it displaces. A living bird is also heavier than the air it displaces, but when you toss it up in the air, it flies away. The law of life in the bird overcomes the law of gravity. So the Holy Spirit supplies the risen life of the Lord Jesus, making the believer free from the law of sin and death.