In Romans Eight, Paul not only begins His discussion of the Spirit of Liberty by telling us that in Christ we are free to experience a new law (v.1-2), but further, we are free to experience a new love! Consider these words in verses 3-8:
3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God
did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin:
He condemned sin in the flesh,
4 that the righteous requirement of the law
might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to
the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on
the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things
of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God;
for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those
who are in the flesh cannot please God.
After contrasting two laws—the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life, the Apostle next pits two loves against one another: a love of wickedness and a love of righteousness. We will choose to be driven by the carnal versus devoted to the spiritual.
THIS NEW LOVE BRINGS A NEW MASTERY (v.3-4). Now, Paul is referring to the Mosaic Law—the Old Covenant. It is an inflexible master. The law made demands—its strength was in its clear set of expectations. But, its weakness is that it could establish the rules but could not provide the resources for keeping them. The problem, of course, is not in God’s demands, but our deficiency because of sin. All the Holy Law of God can do is condemn us. The wages of sin is death. The price must be paid.
That is why Christ came and took our sin upon Him—He kept the law perfectly, meeting every demand and then was condemned for our sin, so that we will not be! This is why he could commence this section with the incredible promise, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (v.1). The whole orientation of our life has now changed. We do not walk according to the flesh—the old sinful nature, but according to the Spirit—the new spiritual nature. The Christian has bowed to a new Master! Yet, even so, this is not the slavery of a rigid task-master, but He holds us with chains of love!
THIS NEW LOVE BRINGS A NEW MENTALITY (v.5-8). Repentance in the Greek text is metanoia, a composite word, meta, meaning change (we get the word metamorphosis from this) and noia, knowledge, thus—a change of mind. Before salvation we are carnally minded and that leads to death—our minds are deranged, our emotions are depraved and our will is defiant. Repentance means God has gifted me with grace to holy thoughts, nobler feelings, and a submissive will.
Paul returns to his oft-repeated theme—that in the flesh we cannot please God—no amount of resolution, religion, or reformation can do it. What we need is regeneration—the work where God’s Spirit brings His light into our minds—we see the truth, we see God in His holiness and ourselves in our sinfulness. We see Christ for who He truly is, and we become spiritually minded. The believer has a new mentality. Now, I love what I used to loathe and loathe what I used to love, “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man,” (Rom.7:22).
This is the testimony of a saved man or woman. Is it yours? That’s salvation.
Remember, also, that this love can mature and expand as we grow in Christ and walk in the Spirit. Is Christ’s mastery over your life extending to new realms of your activity? Is this new mentality opening up new vistas of spiritual understanding and discernment? That’s sanctification.
God make it so, in my life and yours!
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