The Law fulfilled in us

“The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Cor. 15:56,57).

Oh, how I love God’s Law, it is my meditation all the day. This might sound strangely like Psalm 119:97, but it is my experience. But I can also say that I have known that same Law to be the strength of sin. Odd, that the very same transcript of God’s character can have two very different results!

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Ps. 19:7). Yet, the strength of sin is that very same Law. How can this be? Certainly, this isn’t doubletalk! Surely, the Bible is one whole, and “the scripture cannot be broken.” (Jn. 10:35).

It isn’t doubletalk. It is very plain to see and essential that we do see. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh ….” (Rom. 8:3). The problem is not with God’s Law; the problem is with our fallen nature. Our natural rebellion weakens the authority of the Law of God—in our minds. Nowhere else in the universe does God’s laws pose a problem, except in the reprobate heart of man. No one else has consternation with righteousness (except for the arch rebel and all his cohort hosts).

But our problem became God’s problem. Why? Because the Father couldn’t live without us. While we are lost, He cannot be comforted. Until we are safely home again and beyond the possibility of falling into Satan’s hands, They cannot rest. The Plan of Salvation is the Father’s design, and perfectly agreed upon by His self-sacrificing Son, our wonderful Counsellor and Savior.

So, what can our Creator do to fix our resistance to His Law, the Law of His coming government where He wants us all to be? He must give us a new heart. All our work to reconcile ourselves with His Law can never result in reconciliation. This is His work, wholly His department. We are born rebels and cannot change ourselves. Without His new heart we will live and die rebels.

“God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:3,4). Jesus showed us that to attempt obedience through our old rebellious strength could never work. The true example, which He gave, was to live in a right relation with the Giver of the Law, not to rely on even His own strength to keep the Law.

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (Jn. 5:19). “I can of Mine own self do nothing.” (Jn. 5:30). “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.” (Jn. 8:28). “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” (Jn. 15:5).

Thus, through His example of walking in His Father’s love, He condemned obedience through any other means than through that Spirit of holy love. “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.” (Jn. 17:23).

Already being His children because we have bowed to the authority of His Law and have sought His infinite mercy and comfort, we can have “the righteousness of the law … fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”