Part 7

The Indwelling "Law of The Spirit of Life In Christ Jesus"

 

Romans 8:2 For the law (regulating principle) of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law (spontaneous regulating principle) of sin and death (in the flesh).

The word "law" here is the Greek "nomos," meaning "regulating principal of operation." We see this when we consider our physical life; our heart's beat and pancreas controls glucose by the "natural, automatic, spontaneous "laws" of operation, so long as we are alive. But of course, an infection may interfere with their normal operation. Likewise, the "Law of Spirit of Life in Christ" also operates spontaneously within believers to regulate us, but of course we do also have an infection called "Sin (as the nature) in the flesh" (Rom 8:3) that opposes our co-operating with the indwelling "Spirit of Life." Consider these versesconcerning the inner conflict between the Spirit and the flesh.

Rom 8:3 ...God sending his own Son ...condemned "Sin In The Flesh"

Gal 5:16-18  This I say then, Walk in (accord with) the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust (desires) of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the Flesh Lusteth Against The Spirit, And The Spirit Against The Flesh: and These Are Contrary The One To The Other... ¹⁸ But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Believing Christians are not called to "imitate Jesus," but rather to be "born of God" by receiving Christ's "Spirit of Life" that He might spontaneously live through them.

John 1:12-13 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: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Romans 8:11 (AMP) And if the Spirit of Him (God) Who raised up Jesus from the dead Dwells In You, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His (Christ's) Spirit Who Dwells In You.

Unless and until one is born of God they lack Christ's Life. If we're "born of God" we literally possess Christ's eternal resurrection Life and nature... so that we then can grow to be who we are "in Christ."

2 Peter 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be Partakers Of The Divine Nature...

Sadly, many born-again believers are ignorant of Christ's life literally dwelling within them to be their life, so they resort living by self-effort of their unrenewed soul, just as the unsaved do. All of the Christian's "doing (works)" are to be of Christ's life working in and through them according to Christ's timing. Consider that nobody can demand a peach tree to yield peaches in the winter! It's just not according to the peach tree nature to answer your demand. But in its season, the peach tree will spontaneously produce its fruit, according to the law (regulating principle) of the peach tree life. Likewise, Christ knows the season for everything in our life and He will produce fruit through us... in His time.

It was always God's eternal plan that man would have God's very life by Christ's resurrected "Spirit of life" indwelling their human spirit. The origin of the real life for man is... "the Father's Life" that is in "the Son," who now dwells within us by His resurrected"Spirit of life."

Psalm 36:9 For with thee (Lord) is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

1 John 5:12 ONLY >> He that hath the Son hath life (Zoë); and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (The Son bears the life of their Father)

Romans 8:9 ... SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU. Now if any man have not the SPIRIT OF CHRIST, he is none of his.

Man was created with a human spirit inclined toward God, being to meant to receive God's Spirit.

Zech. 12:1 The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.  

Eccles. 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth (ascends, inclined) upward,…

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle (oil lamp) of the LORD, (to receive the Oil of God's Spirit)

John 1:12 But as many as received him (Christ),to them gave he power to become the sons of God, …

It was God's breath that animated Adam's in "spirit, soul and body" by the breathing "the breath of life" into Adam.

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust (physical) of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath (spirit) of life (chay, masculine plural, lives); andman became a living soul.

God then intended that Adam would receive of Christ by eating of "the Tree of Life," which is Christ.

• Adam had fellowship with God from outside of him, speaking into Adam's human spirit, but God intended that Adam would eat of and take in of "the Tree of Life" (Christ's Life).
• But before Adam could receive of the "Tree of Life," he fell to independence from God by eating of the forbidden "Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil."
• Man thereby gained the "knowledge of good and evil" but thereby mankind became independent and dead toward God. Adam had illicitly gained "Knowledge" by that other tree, expecting to make himself to be independent "as gods," just as the Serpent had told Eve it would (cf., Gen 3:5).

Since the fall of Adam, all men have four needs.

1.      Mankind needed to be justified of his sin debt to be reconciled to God (Rom 5:10a).

2.      Mankind needed freedom from the Power of Sin operating in man's flesh (Rom 6:18).

3.      Being dead toward God all men need to become regenerated in their human spirit to make them eternally alive unto God, and much more... make them able to live righteously.

Paul wrote; "... he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5) "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved (sozo, completed) by HIS LIFE." (Rom 5:10)

God Remedied the Three Needs of Man. Each remedy flows from the Cross of Christ...

1.      Deals with the negative of "Sins," the acts of a sin nature

- God the Father gave Jesus to shed His blood for all sins, FOR US. (Rom 3:24)

2.      Deals with negative of the "Sin nature" of the Old Adamic Man

- Jesus died AS US, making Sin "of no effect," disarming Sin of power (Rom 6:6-7)

3.      To bring about the Positive of the cross, the germination of new life in man by the resurrected "Spirit of Life in Christ" to dwell in believers.

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration (in our spirit), and renewing of the Holy Ghost (in soul);

By Jesus' resurrection, Christ's life was released as "The Spirit of Life" to enter and regenerate man's spirit with Christ's own resurrected "Spirit of Life" with its spontaneous "LAW of Life."

1 Cor. 15:45 The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made (became) a quickening spirit.

2 Cor. 3:17a Now the Lord is that Spirit

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

1 Cor. 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

How does Christ's Life in the Believer and Make Believers Like Him?

Its by a rebirth that is of God's "Seed (Gk., sperma)... which is Christ" (Gal 3:16, cf., 1Peter 1:23).

1Peter 1:23 born again, not of corruptible SEED, but of incorruptible, by the word (Christ) of God (cf., Jn 1:1)...

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby ... by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, …

Having Christ's Spirit "Seed" we have His DNA. We as believers can say, "as he is, so are we in this world. " (1 John 4:17) Being crucified with Christ... Christ in us is now our only governing life.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The growth of His Life within us is from our Center (our spirit) to our Circumference (our soul).

Having been made alive "in spirit," we're then able to have...

• The conscience of our spirit is active to govern us from within, either permitting or convicting us.
• Fellowship with God by Christ's indwelling union with us.

·         We have "the mind of Christ" (1Cor 2:16), intuitively knowing what we need to know.

The Regeneration of our Spirit by His Spirit (Titus 3:5) affects our Soul... to govern our body.

• A Renewed our "mindset" (phroneo), emotion and will, as subservient to the Spirit …

• Affecting our thoughts, affections, decisions and desires.
• To "mortify the deeds" of the body and enliven the body (Rom. 8:13, 11) under His governance.

Christ Sanctifies us completely… as He flows from our spirit, to our soul, to then the govern our body.

1 Thes. 5:23 …God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body …

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Willing & Doing by the Order of "the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ."

Philip. 2:13 it is God which (by Christ's Spirit) worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

·         "To will" is soul function.

·         "To do" is often a body function, so our body must come under subjection.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye (as a soul) through the Spirit do mortify the DEEDS of the BODY, ye shall live (have life operating effectively through you).

The "Unction (anointing)" of Christ's Spirit … by the "Law of the Spirit of Life" gives innate knowing.

Our Spirit-ears innately hear, our Spirit eyes innately see... by the sense we have of Christ's Spirit of Life.

1 John 2:20, 27 ye have an unction (anointing) from the Holy One (Christ), and ye know all things. ²⁷the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

The "Law of Life" operates according to God's Sinless Nature in every believer's spirit.

The Natural Operation of the Law of His Seeded Life In Us "Cannot Sin."

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

"The Law of the Spirit of Life" supersedes… "the Law of Sin & Death" operating in our flesh.

Romans 8:2 the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath (already) Made Me Free From (dominion of) The Law Of Sin And Death (operating from our flesh; cf., Rom 8:3b).

Christ's Life Must be Permitted to Lead Us … By the Sense of Christ in our Spirit.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God (in believers), they are the sons of God. 
Romans 8:4 the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 If (since) we live (have life) in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

We Live Out of Our HEART. Our heart reacts by our soul's thinking, leading to our doing.

Romans 8:5-6  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind (Gk., phroneo, mindset) be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  

He knows our heart. The "Spirit of Life" reveals our heart

Heb 4:12 the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow... adiscerner of the thoughts and of the heart.

Living by the outer written Law makes the Inner  "Law of Spirit of Life in Christ" of no effect.

Galatians 5:4 Christ (as LIFE) is become of no effect (emasculated) unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

Men Need God's "Light to shine" though the darkness enshrouding our "hearts."

2 Cor. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our "hearts", to give the light of the knowledge of the glory (expression) of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The "vail" is "taken away" when the heart is Turned away from Outer "Mosaic Law"... to behold the inner Light of Christ's Spirit… bringing us liberty and transforming the heart.

2Cor. 3:15-17 ...when Moses (Law) is read, the vail is upon their heart. ¹⁶Nevertheless When It (The Heart) Shall Turn To The Lord, the Vail Shall Be Taken Away.¹⁷Now the Lord (Jesus) is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with open (unveiled) face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, arechanged (Gk. metamorphosis, transformed) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Only by the spirit organ of our heart, can we hear & know Christ.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep (maintain) thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues  of life (our whole being).

BUT a Closed Heart (by its self-will) - IMPRISONS the flow of the Christ's Spirit.

Proverbs 2:1-11 if thou wilt receive my words (God's spirit speaks into man's soul), and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear (openness of heart) unto wisdom, and apply (cause to yield, stretch forth, open) thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; ...Then shalt thou understand the fear (reverence) of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom (Christ the WORD): out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. ... Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom (of Christ's) entereth (flows into) into thine heart, andknowledge is pleasant (agreeable) unto thy soul…

We must exercise our self to turn our hearts to the ever-present "Spirit of LIFE" within us.

If we stir our emotions, … BUT DON'T TOUCH SPIRIT…Nothing genuine happens in us.

Emotions often arise out of a group dynamics involving lively music and expressive demonstrations that are no different than the emotions that arise at a rock concert.

Then also, even if we fill the mind with Bible information, BUT DON'T TOUCH SPIRIT… still nothing beneficial genuine happens. Only  ...the spirit giveth LIFE. (2Cor 3:6b).

We must grow to love the Lord Himself as our all, enough to allow Him to… lead us.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the (grown) sons of God.

To live by "the Law of the Spirit of Life"… we simply love Christ and... walk with Him accordingly.

For us to "love God" we must sometimes must learn to deal with our straying heart's mind by resetting it

upon the spirit.

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually mindedis life and peace." (Rom 8:5-6)

Having received His life and love... and with the proper mindset, we can be co-transmitters of His life and Love to others.

We must obey the Conscience of our Heart as the 1^st Sense of Life

Philip. 2:12-13 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed (listen or hear as a subordinate – co-operator), not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Paul Recognized the Control of "The Law of the Spirit of Life" guiding (limiting) his every move.

Acts 16:6-7 Now when they (Paul and Barnabas) had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were Forbidden of (by) the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,⁷After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not (said NO!).

Paul's own life offers us guidance for maintaining a peaceful heart with a clean conscience. 

Acts 24:16 I (Paul) exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

This is how we may have and live by "the Law (regulating principle) of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus."