The Spiritual Laws that Govern Us

I. The Existence of Four Laws
A. The objective "Law of God" in the Ten Commandments - Rom. 7:22, 25; 8:3, 7
B. The subjective "law of my mind" in our soul - Rom. 7:23, 25
C. The subjective "law of sin and death" in our members - Rom. 7:23, 25; 8:2
D. The subjective "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" in our spirit - Rom. 8:2
II. The Significance of the Laws
A. The law of our mind In our soul is related to the natural human life (this life was given to us in creation and includes our mind, emotions,will with our conscience and agrees with the written Law of God - Gen. 2:7; Eccles. 7:29
1. The law of our mind in our soul is to do good - Rom. 7:12, 19, 21-23, 25
B. The law of sin In our members is related to our body (Having become "the body of sin" and "flesh" through the fall - Rom. 5:12; 6:6) with the sinful and serpentine life
- Rom. 7:14-24; cf. Eph. 2:1-3 with John 8:44 and 1 John 3:8
1. The law of the serpentine life is to sin producing death - Rom. 7:15,17,20-21,
23-25; 8:2b
C. The law of the Spirit of life in our spirit is related to the divine(eternal) Life (this Life was given to us in regeneration - Rom. 8:10-11; Titus 3:5-7)
1. The law of the divine life in our spirit is to enjoy and experience God Himself - Rom. 7:25a; 8:1-39
III. The Anatomy of the Law of the Spirit of Life
A. The personification of the law
1. The Triune God Himself in His economy - Rom. 8:2-3
a) The sending of the Father - Rom. 8:3
b) The Person and work of the Son - Rom. 8:3
c) The dispensing and operation of the Spirit - Rom. 8:2, 9; 1 Cor. 15:45b
B. The content of the law
1. Incarnation - Rom. 8:3
2. Human living - Rom. 8:3
3. Crucifixion - Rom. 8:3
4. Resurrection - Rom. 8:11
5. Ascension - Rom. 8:34
C. The operation of the law
1. It operates through the human spirit - Rom. 8:2-4, 9-10; John 3:6; 4:23-24
a) Being in union with the Lord - Rom. 7:4, 6; 1 Cor. 6:17
b) Being the place of the Spirit's indwelling - Rom. 8:9, 11
c) Being in the condition of life - Rom. 8:10
d) Being in the state of a law for our being - Rom. 8:2, 10
2. It operates by focusing on Christ and not on self - Rom. 8:1-2; 7:24-25
a) Being "in Christ" and "through Christ" - Rom. 6:11; 7:25a; 8:2
3. It operates to free us from the law of sin and death - Rom. 8:2
4. It operates automatically and inwardly - Rom. 8:4
5. It operates to change our tendencies - Rom. 8:5
a) Recognizing our tendencies - Rom. 8:5
b) Recognizing our inner reactions - Rom. 8:6, 13
c) Recognizing where we are by our inner conflicts - Rom. 8:7-9, 12, 15
d) Recognizing what makes us "living" - Rom. 8:13
e) Recognizing His leading to cooperate - Rom. 8:14
f) Recognizing what is coming out of bondage and what is coming out of a love relationship - Rom. 8:15
g) Being in the consciousness of God's goal - Rom. 8:15-18
6. It operates to give life to our being - Rom. 8:11
7. It operates by changing our relationship with God
a) No condemnation - Rom. 8:1
b) Producing a continuous love-relationship with God - Rom. 8:15, 28,
35, 39