The Law of the Spirit of Life

“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Rom. 8:2. When people discuss liberation, people usually think about being set free from laws and precepts and hardly ever about being set free by laws and to laws. Yet this is the very thing that is mentioned here, and it is so splendid to get a sense for it.

What is it that sets us free from the law of sin and death? It is another law—the law of the Spirit of life. We need to understand that everything in life goes according to laws. Liberty from the laws of life amounts to death. Think of the laws of nature! If we imagine trees and plants defying the laws of nature by standing on their heads with their roots in the air, what would that result in? It would result in death and the grave for all of us. The earth would be barren. Or let us imagine the heavenly bodies leaving their lawful courses. The result would be collisions, destruction, and ruin. Being obedient to the laws of Him who alone has immortality—that is life.

Therefore it states that when Jesus was perfected through obedience, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Heb. 5:9. Those who do not obey Him abide in death, and He will take vengeance on them. 2 Thess. 1:8-9. Therefore the apostles had one goal: to lead souls to the obedience of faith, to obey the laws of the Spirit of life. Rom. 1:5.

What does it mean for a man to be spiritual? It means that he lives according to the laws of the Spirit. He does not live according to his lusts, opinions, and feelings; he lives law-bound in Christ Jesus. Receiving help and guidance from an elder brother, means that the brother gives him guidance according to the laws of the Spirit of life with which he is better acquainted because he himself has been liberated by these laws to a greater extent. There is no other true help to be had than to be strengthened in various ways to the obedience of faith to these laws. Therefore we also find these words in Malachi 2:6: “The law of truth was in his mouth . . . .” and in the next verse, “And people should seek the law from his mouth . . . .” This is what one can and shall and ought to seek from a servant of Christ! A spiritual man is a man who, to a certain extent—to a large extent—is the laws of the Spirit of life personified. He is like a living law book.

Many people suffer from an incorrect perception of life. They view God’s laws, the laws of life, as if they were evil and bothersome, even suffocating, instead of understanding that they are living and bring life. However, breaking these laws brings death and corruption of all kinds. The laws of the Spirit of life are God’s own nature, His fullness of righteousness and goodness.

Partaking of divine nature is the same as the laws of the Spirit of life becoming my laws of life; they become my nature. Each single law, each single commandment—as many as there are—contains life. They are rays of life that bring life wherever they are received.