Tag Archives: sanctification

The Right Way To Fulfill The Law – Romans 8:4

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(Romans 8:4)  “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

We get the idea from the flesh that holiness is all about the external things.  Our church attendance, our giving, our prayers, our study, our witnessing, and all the other things that we know to be good must not be confused with the holy.  Those things we see, if they are truly motivated and empowered by the Holy Spirit, are the result of a holy life not the cause of a holy life.

The “righteousness of the law” is not fulfilled or performed by me.  The phrase “might be fulfilled” is in the Passive voice.  This means I am the recipient of the fulfillment, not the one actively doing it.  As I walk in my identity in Christ, which is “after the Spirit”, I find the holiness required by the law is actually performed in me by God Himself.  Just as my standing in righteousness is by Christ (Romans 5:1), my daily life of sanctification and separation is by Christ.  It is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2) I am now free to enjoy and allow reign in me.  The pressure is gone and I can allow the wave of God’s grace to wash over me in total relaxation in Him.

What does God get out of this?  Sure, I have the assurance of eternal life and the power of the resurrection life here and now.  But to what end does this all serve God to fulfill the righteousness of the law in me?

(Ephesians 1:4)  “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

God receives me as part of His creation that can now walk holy and without blame before Him in love.  I can cry with the saints surrounding His throne, “Holy, Holy, Holy!”  But now it is more than lip service.  “Holy, Holy, Holy” is a reality as I walk after the Spirit in a life that relies on His total fulfillment of all that I could never be.

Renewed Thought – True holiness is not about doing (or not doing), it is about being.

Breaking Free From Elementary Bondage – Galatians 4:3

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(Galatians 4:3)  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

Paul calls the Law of Moses “the elements of the world.”  When something is elementary, it is simple or basic.  We go to elementary school to learn the alphabet and add numbers.  These are the building blocks that guide us to a more complete knowledge.  The Law was designed to do the same thing – guide to a more complete knowledge.  Instead, when legalists apply the Law it produces something else:  Bondage.  Unless it is used for the purpose it was created, it is a system that creates slavery.  Just look at the history of Israel under the Law.  God gave it to them to point out their sinfulness.  Instead, they agreed to abide by it, added doctrines to it, and believed it would make them holy, just, sanctified and worthy.  They were locked in by the flesh to a sin-repent-sin-repent-sin-repent system.  This is slavery.  Instead of realizing their helplessness, they were “in bondage under the elements of the world.”  They rejected the very things designed to teach them their need for Jehovah.

The Law will place you into bondage too if you approach it as a means of sanctification.  It is a characteristic of Christian immaturity to use the Law or any man-made system as a way to prove holiness, feel more worthy, or demonstrate justification.  Early in my Christian life, I set up a performance standard for myself…and failed miserably.  Our youth group began to study Romans chapters 6, 8, and 12.  Suddenly, I realized how I could consistently live the kind of life I knew God wanted me to live – without the need for a set of spiritual measurements.  I realized my old sin nature was crucified with Christ.  I had a new nature that was a resurrected nature.  It is a realization that allowed me to walk in a more mature way.  It will transform your Christian life too if you allow it.

The Law will kill your Christian life but the Spirit will produce life in your walk.  A child is wobbly.  He walks unsteadily.  He isn’t sure about anything.  He needs a teacher to show the way and discipline his walk.  But you are in Christ and given the ability to live as an adult.  Christ will give you a steady footing.  He will give you confidence in your walk.  He will give you assurance.  When you are surrounded by people who tell you to walk and think as a child, remember who you really are.  When you are oppressed by thoughts that clamp shackles on your mind, remember who you really are.  You are not in bondage under the “elements of the world.”  You are a worthy adult member of God’s family!

Renewed Thought – Lord, help me to understand beyond “the basics” and appreciate who I am in Christ.  Capture every thought and bring it into obedience to You.  Live Your life through me so I can walk under grace.

Purpose of the Law and Power of the Cross – Galatians 3:23-24

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(Galatians 3:23-24)  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The point of the Law was to bring Israel to the point where they realized they needed a Savior.  Today, in the dispensation of grace, the Law is designed to bring us to the point where we realize we need a Savior.  God no longer prescribes the ceremonial Law as a reminder of our unrighteousness.  But when our conduct is measured against the Law, we realize we are unrighteous.  This is the purpose of the Law…pointing out our sin so that “we might be justified by faith.”

The Galatians were saved people.  But the gospel was under attack in their church.  They were being influenced by people who wanted to put them under a performance system.  Although their justification was assured, the power of the cross in their everyday life was affected.  You see, the cross is central in our sanctification as well as our salvation.  Once the cross is diluted, the power to deal with sin and live a victorious life becomes impossible.  We need to live with the constant reminder that we are saved by grace and we are called to live by grace.  When someone tries to place us under a system that demands performance in order to earn righteousness, we need to recognize it for what it is:  A trap that will bind us into a spiral of disappointment and frustration.  We need to recognize it in ourselves as well.  Sometimes we have a tendency to demand more of ourselves with expectations that God never places on us.  Sometimes we demand more of our wives, our children, our friends, and even our pastors and teachers than God ever demands of them.  This will drain our Christian lives, the life of our families,  and will drain the life out of our local church.  We need to constant remember the true purpose of the Law and power of the cross.

Renewed Thought – Legalism will prevent the unsaved from trusting Christ for salvation and will prevent us from trusting Christ for sanctification.