The seventh chapter of the book of Romans is a classic on
the weakness of the flesh in our battle against sin. We are enslaved to
the law of sin each time we attempt living our lives by the keeping of a
set of rules, even the law of God. This will depending on the flesh to
do the will of God. Against sin, the flesh is hopeless. According to
Apostle Paul, each time he tried doing what he knew was right, he found
himself doing the exact opposite. In his frustration, he cried out for
help, and the deliverance that he got from the bondage to the law of sin
was in another law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
When the law of the Spirit of life comes, the Holy Spirit
implants in us new energies, dispositions, motives, desires, tastes, and
tendencies that are consistent with the will of God. This way, new
appetites for holy living are birthed in us that are stronger than the
cravings of the flesh. Responding to these new appetites and tendencies
birthed in us by the Holy Spirit is what it means to follow the Spirit.
It is impossible to walk in the victory that Christ makes available
apart from following the Spirit. Apostle Paul made this very clear when
he said in Galatians 5:16, "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill
the desires of the flesh".
In Christ, all that is needed to be victorious over sin was
wrought, we were crucified with Him; but through the Spirit, we are
daily enabled to walk in the victory that was wrought by Christ. The
former was an event that took place in a moment when we repented and
turned to God. But the latter is a lifelong journey of growing in
Christ-likeness. Christ died for us, but the Holy Spirit is working in
us to make manifest the victory of the cross. To jettison the work of
the Spirit is to walk in the flesh.
Toni
