For those of us in grace circles, who believe in the gospel of grace (Gal 1:6), and who understand the Old covenant vs. the New covenant, when we hear the term LAW we go on HIGH alert. We think of the law of Moses which Paul calls the ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7​)​. Much of our teaching has centered around law and grace and the two covenants and rightfully so. But today I would like to advance that conversation and to hopefully bring a better understanding of the origins of the law that brings death and YES, the law that brings life.

Before you switch me off, let me jump ahead of myself and draw your attention to Romans chapter 8 and verse 2:

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Can you see that this verse is describing two laws?

And without too much effort, we can also see that one brings life and the other death. I did not want to begin here but I point this out first so you will understand right from the start that, there is a law that brings LIFE and there and a law that brings death.

The purpose of this message is so that every believer would be able to easily see and identify these two laws at work in your everyday life and in rightly dividing any message or gospel presentation you hear against these two laws.

Because lets be honest, the law of Moses and in fact the entire Jewish religious system ended in 70 A.D. with the destruction of the temple and all the sacrifices that were offered daily all ceased !! I say this NOT to insult anyone or to cause a debate about the law itself for we've covered that topic before but simply to point out the fact that for almost 2000 years the Jewish people have not been able to practice what was laid out for them very specifically in the Torah / Old testament. We know that this was the shadow (Heb 10:1) and Jesus is the substance (Heb 11:1). Couple that with the fact that the law was never given to Gentiles ... ever.

So today we hear a lot of teaching that references the law, the law, the law. Lets go back to the beginning to Genesis and see the two laws my title references. This will help us define and identify them both. And also show us the origin of the law that brings life and death.

Genesis 1:27 says that God made man in His image and then he breathed into man and he BECAME a living soul (Gen 2:7). God's breath made man BECOME a living soul.

We don't know how much time passed but just one chapter later the serpent is telling Eve that IF she eats of the tree she can BECOME, she can become what God has already made her. I've said this before but it bears repeating. God did NOT say, the day you eat, I will KILL you. He said the day you eat you shall surely die. What he was saying was a "guarantee", that if you eat of that, you'll die !!

In these two incidents we see our TWO LAWS, life and death.

For Adam to know and believe that he was created in God's image and God's very breath gave him life, was LIFE to HIM. And if he believed that he would not have bought into the serpents claim that he had to DO anything to become.

For to believe that he had to DO something to BECOME was DEATH. Religion is birthed from this idea that we can and must DO something to BECOME what GOD has already made us. This law will always bring death. It did then and it still will today.

Lets fast forward to the New Testament:
John opens his gospel different then any other gospel, but like Genesis, saying: In the beginning was the word... Just twelve verses in he makes an amazing statement about Jesus.

But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

Jesus gives the power to BECOME !! In fact, you might say, Jesus WON BACK the right to BECOME a son of God. Also note, He gives that power to them that BELIEVE.

The next verse says: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:13

Because of Jesus you can be born of God and operate under this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and NOT the law of sin and death. Because of Jesus, God's Spirit lives in me and through me. To say its not I that lives but Christ lives in me, is LIFE.

When we think of the law of sin and death do not just think of the Mosaic law but any law that says, I must DO to BECOME what God has made me. Hundreds of years before the law of Moses was given, God said to eat of this meant sure death to Adam. From Adam to Jesus man had no choice but to live under a law that brought death. Jesus won back the choice. (This is why those Old testament saints REJOICED to see our day)

A recent poll revealed that 81% believe that Christianity is about keeping the rules. This is sad. Legalism says that the issue is the law, and living up to a righteous standard to please God. The legalists main issue in life is to live to God's standard. When they think they are succeeding it brings arrogance and when they fail it brings condemnation. Do you see in our study which LAW this is?

Then there is the moralist: The moralist believes that if he can learn and apply God principles, he will be successful. But we are not called to be led by PRINCIPLES but by a PERSON, the Holy Spirit.

Depending on principles (no matter how godly) is no different than Eve believing that the tree of good and evil could make her wise like God. Sometimes the intentions seem so good and harmless, but its the law of death. Proverbs 14:12 says, there is a way that seems right to a man, but that end thereof are the ways of death.

We've put emphasis and value on the wrong thing. Jesus said I have come that you might have LIFE and life more abundant.

I believe Jesus was 100% successful. Which means he gave us LIFE. When you KNOW and BELIEVE you are born God and He lives inside of you, that is LIFE. And additionally, believing that His death was your death and his LIFE is your life (Rom 6:3-4). When you allow Him to live IN and THROUGH you, you will experience that abundant life. Paul said it like this in Gal 2:20:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Lets end where we started. In Rom 8:2 it says,

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The word FOR means BECAUSE... so it would be really good to know what the verse before it says!!

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. BECAUSE !! (For) the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:1-2

Let me state this very simply first: There is only one of two places you can be, in CONDEMNATION or IN CHRIST, not both.

The flesh says - I can DO something to become. (Death)
The Spirit says - In Christ I already AM free from condemnation. (Life)

Verse 2 is PAST TENSE... "has made me free".
In Christ you are, Free from the DOING and living in the DONE.

There is so much more that could be said on this subject. My hope is that this has made the origin of the law of sin & death and the flesh easily recognizable to you. And also that you would walk in the only law that brings LIFE, the perfect law of liberty only found in Christ.