Part 3 – Walking In Grace, While Living In A Body of Sin

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called The Basis For Living The Christian Life.

We all live in very close proximity to the Sin nature; “… God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned Sin IN the flesh (body)” (Romans 8:3b). Sadly, religion erroneously promotes law-keeping as the remedy for Sin, when actually “the Law” empowers “Sin in the flesh (body).”

The sting of death is sin; and the strength (Gk. dunamis, power) of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:56 (KJV)

Here in Romans 7 below, the Apostle Paul reveals how he had tried to perform the Christian life in accord with “the Law.” He struggled to do right, but then he would only sin and fail. He said “I hate” (v17) what “I do.”

“For that which I do I allow not: for what I would [that is, wish to do], that do I not; but what I hate, that do I…. 18 For I know that in me (that is, In My Flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would [that is, wish to do] I do not: but the evil which I would [that is, wish to do] not, that I do…. 21 I find then a law (an operating principle), that when I would [that is, wish to] do good, evil is present with me.

Paul was saved, delighting in the law of God after the inward (soul) man(v22), however he says;

23 But I see another law in members [body parts], warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to ‘the law of sin’ which is In My Members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the (renewed) mind I myself serve the (living) law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Frankly, it’s impossible for us weak, sinful creatures to live the Christian life as we see here. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:17; cf.  Rom. 7:15, 18-19, 21). Paul finally realized that struggling while under the Law, his performance only gendered to defeat and misery.

Only Jesus Christ can live the Christian life: it is His life! We have victory, not in our performance, but in Christ’s performance (v25). The four verse below introduce the new paradigm for Christian living.

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but (walk) after (in accord with) the Spirit.
2 For the law (operation) of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law (operation) of sin and death.3 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:

4 (So) that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after (not in accord with) the flesh, but after (in accord with) the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1-4)

The indwelling Holy “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2) fulfills the indwelling ‘living Law’ of “the Spirit of life” that is in us!

Christ’s death saved us from eternal death, while believing and learning to rely upon Christ’s life within us saves us from misery and defeat. He delivers us from the struggle to live the Christian life. Paul tells us we need not to keep the burdensome “sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14). Now the Spirit within us fulfills whatever He requires of us in any given moment… as we walk by faith in God’s Word of truth given to us!

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty (freedom); only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 This I say then, Walk in (accord with) the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust 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: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if (since) ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
(Galatians 5:13-18)