Walking in Newness of Life

[rrobs]

Rom 7:6,
 

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

The law brought the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20) and sin brings death (Rom 5:12 & Rom 6:23). But now, since the day of Pentecost when the new birth became available, we are delivered from that which held us in bondage. So what should we do? Can we just sin as much as we want to? If that’s what you want to do, go ahead. But why, knowing what Christ did for you (a most unpleasant death), would you want to go on acting like you did before accepting Jesus as you saviour? We are exhorted to serve in newness of spirit, and that spirit simply does not disobey the law.

Romans 7:6 says that you should serve in newness of spirit and not in the law. You are no longer subject to that law which held you in death. You are now able to walk with the love of God that dwells in all born again believers (1 Cor 13). That love was simply not available before the new birth. The only guidance we had from God on how to conduct our lives was that law. Is the law unjust? No. The law was perfect in and of itself.

Rom 7:12,
 

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

The problem was not the law, but the impossibility of anyone being able to follow that law. The problem was with people, not the law.

Heb 7:19,

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

What is the better hope if not the first coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? He did follow the law to the letter. Unlike Adam, Jesus obeyed God even unto death. Jesus didn’t want to die the way he did. He asked God if there was some other way to redeem mankind. But he knew there wasn’t and he humbly said, “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luk 22:42). Because of his obedience to the Father, the new birth became available and we no longer are held in bondage to the law which made nothing perfect.

Rom 6:4,
 

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

When Christ died we died with him. But that’s not all. When we arose we arose with him. That is why we should walk in in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. (Rom 7:6).

Eph 2:10,
 

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Nobody was made perfect by the law. It served it’s purpose as a schoolmaster until the new birth became available (Gal 3:24), but now we can walk on a much higher plain. You are God’s workmanship, not your own workmanship. It’s all about what God, through Christ Jesus, has done for you, not what you can do for God. He made you able to walk with the love of God dwelling within. That means a completely different motivation for your actions. We don’t love because we must love, but because we want to love.

Eph 4:24,

          And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The new birth is a spiritual event. It does not affect your mind. You can think and act as though nothing changed, as you used to before God created that new man within. God will not force you to change. He created the new man in you, but he does not force you to change in any way whatsoever. Instead he exhorts you to put on that new man. He wants you to read the scriptures (specifically the letters of Paul) to learn about that new man. Then you can start to think of yourself as that new man instead of the old man. The more you learn about who God has made you in Christ Jesus the more you will walk according to the spirit. It will come quite naturally, without monitoring your every action as to obedience to some law. You do not need the old law to walk in love. All you need do is learn about that new love and you will change your behaviour in a major way. Guaranteed!

[Tom Geiger]

Would you also consider 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus as letters of Paul?