Romans 8:1-3b states, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.”
This chapter continues on by discussing how we may be constructed from flesh, but we are not of the flesh because we have gained Christ.
You may now be asking yourself this: “Well, is there even a difference between of and from?”
Yes. In fact, it is a life altering, magnificent difference.
We are “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). It is astonishing that a man, both carnal and divine, who lived nearly two-thousand years ago already and still sacrificed so we can secure freedom for eternity.
But I understand, it does not always feel like our lives are filled with the Holy Spirit. This is because we are made from flesh.
Look around. With minimal effort, the darkness can be viewed. This all began at the Garden of Eden. I won’t go in depth on The Fall, but read Genesis again. God gave us a readily accessible (for many, but not all Christians) book of our very own history. In order to understand why we need the Trinity to infiltrate our lives and be truly ready for it to do so, we must first understand the how’s and why’s of where our present selves came from and the method in which the world formed as it did.
The author of this remarkable read is not some Joe Shmoe with no brains or experience.
People, this is a living, breathing Creator of you and the world. The one who provides your next breath. The Father who heals. The Lord who could destroy the world in a millisecond for drowning itself in sin, but instead says “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
To those of you who have access to the Internet to read this article, you have access to the Word. Many of our brothers and sister may never obtain this book of truth, yet their faith stands firm, even to the point of persecution. Those of us with the Word sitting on our nightstands, think of reading it like this. A daily devotional speaks of this in terms of a husband tucking away love letters for his wife in surprising places. It reads, “How would her husband have felt if he poured out his love to his wife in a letter and she was too busy or didn’t care enough to read it? The same is true with God. And He hasn’t just written us a few letters-- He’s written an entire book? If we want to show Him how much we love Him and desire to understand His heart, we need to read His word. The Bible is our love letter from God, from the one true Lover of our souls.”
I would not usually use such a long insert, but there is not many other ways that can best describe the love that exists in His Word. The words are who we are and where we come from.
We are made from flesh, but remember, we are not of the flesh.
Sin intrudes each life, but the Lord is so much bigger.
To the weak, to the hurt, to the addicted, to the doubtful, to the prostitute, to the sick, to the poor and homeless, to the drug dealer-- life and love are flooding your heart. It does not matter who are or where you are, the same goes for you. No sin is worse than another. No works can earn you any more love than you already obtain.
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10).
It is all about grasping the freedom and the sacrifice. The life and love I speak of, it is laying right before you. Reach out and just touch it at first.
It is scary to put your life in the hands of anyone besides yourself, but these are not just any hands. These are the ones dripping in blood with nails pierced through them for your every sin. Trust them.
You live in this world to be the very hands and feet of Jesus. Romans 8:14-15 states, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’”
Our Daddy provides you with the Spirit so you can withstand the oppression of the world. He gives you the weapon you need to conquer every last bit of darkness: love. We are not in the darkness because of what we have been given, but we are certainly here to fight it. The light always overpowers darkness. This is the freedom. Cling to it.
You should know, I do not have this stuff down. My life is not on a strict schedule consisting of multiple daily devotions, prayer groups, ministering to the lost, prayer time, etc. But despite this, I will trust in Jesus, my deliverer and defender, to love and transform.
Let the Spirit dwell in you and be gratified by the renewed life poured into you each breath you take in.
So explore where you came from through the living Word and invite the greatest Teacher of them all. Grasp the rope of freedom God is dangling down from the heavens. This rope will never turn to shreds, no matter how many times you slip. In fact, the more you grip it, the stronger it becomes. Just as significant as this, never forget-- where you came from does not have to be your forever dwelling. You are dead in sin, but made new in Christ.
