"that the requirement of the law should be fulfilled in
us, not according to the flesh walking, but according to the Spirit."1
The Law is not of faith and faith doesn't nullify the requirements but instead faith upholds the "requirement of the law."
Notice, requirement of the law, the Mosaic Law was "written code" of the
righteous requirement of God, we must be able to understand this. The written code or "letter of the law" pointed to the "requirement of the law," the requirement of the law pointed to God's righteous requirement, as Jesus said that the greatest requirements was to love God and the one like it to love your neighbor. The Pharisees adhered to the "letter of the law" neglecting the "requirement of the law."
"... much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."2
In the new covenant justification is by faith, not by works of the law. The law doesn't increase faith and faith doesn't nullify the "requirement of the law." The "requirement of the law" is different from the "letter of the law" or written code. The "letter of the law" is adhering to rules, regulations, decrees, written codes of do not touch, do not handle, do not taste... as Paul writes these are of little help battling the flesh. Adhering to the "letter of the law" is another form of walking in the flesh. The "requirement of the law" is fulfilled by those walking in the Spirit, walking by faith.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices... but you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness."3
Moses wrote down the "letter of the law" but he wrote about Jesus, the embodiment of God and his righteous requirement. Paul writes, he was a Pharisee and was blameless by the "letter of the law," such was the hypocrisy of the Pharisee, they adhered to the "letter of the law" but not the "requirement of the law." Jesus asked Paul why he persecuted him, surely the mistreatment of God's children is an important matter. Jesus said, the Pharisees were pretty on the outside but inside full of dead men bones, while adhering to the "letter of the law" they lusted and hated their brothers in their hearts therefore committing adultery and murder, breaking the "requirement of the law." Pretending to be righteous, and judging others harshly by the "letter of the law," they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. Indeed, the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but divinely powerful towards the demolitions of strongholds."6
The law is spiritual, but the flesh is carnal. The flesh contains sin, the sinful nature. As an unbeliever, identity is in the sinful nature but as a believer we have a new identity, born of Spirit, but we are still in a body of the flesh and sin dwells there. The flesh and the carnal mind is at enmity against God, Paul writes. The law causes the enmity of the flesh to increase and sin to abound, thus I will not have dominion over sin, the flesh, under the power of the law but under grace. I am empowered from within.
"Indeed, sin you will have not have dominion over, indeed, not existing under the law but under grace."7
Under the law, one exists or "rests" in the Law, he finds justification in the works of the law. But under grace we rest in Christ, by grace through faith. Paul writes of these who to the "letter of the law" return, "You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."8 This would be trusting in works of the law, not in justification by faith. This word for sever, (from katá, "down to a point," intensifying argéō, "inactive, idle") – properly, idle down, rendering something inert, "completely inoperative." Justified by faith I am made righteous by the blood of Christ, therefore to try to find righteousness in works of the law, severs. Sever from the blood of Christ? which makes me righteous. Such is a strong statement. We see we can be saved by faith and turn back to the law for justification.
"For freedom you were called brothers, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."9
In context Paul is writing about those who would want to adhere to the "letter of the law." Hopefully we see this as another form of walking in the flesh, but we must address the issue of people taking opportunity in other ways, as some say, "using grace as a license to sin." If I go back to the letter of the law I sever myself from Christ, if I go back to sin, I am a wretched man, controlled by sin, because as a believer in my inner being I delight in the laws of God, born of Spirit, I have a new nature. I still battle sin in the flesh, I must learn to have dominion over sin or I am a wretched man. The carnal mind is hostile towards God, the flesh wars against the Spirit, thus I am to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Such is under grace, the dominion over sin.
"... not existing under the law but under grace."
We see two opportunities or ways to serve the flesh; both are habitual practises, the lusts of the flesh and the adhering to the "letter of the law." The Bible is clear, it is under grace, not the "letter of the law" as it is of little value in overcoming the flesh. Adam and Eve could have removed the temptation of sin by loving God, Cain could have ruled over sin by loving his brother. They chose the flesh over the requirement of God. The Pharisees chose to adhere to the letter of the law but neglected loving God and their brother. In the story of the prodigal son we see the older son adhere to the "letter of the law," being obedient to his father but breaking the "requirement" of the father, in not loving his brother.
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision (under the law) nor uncircumcision (not under the law) counts for anything, but only faith working through love."10
Paul writes the only thing that counts is, "faith working itself through love." Here we see the believers battle. By faith I please God and faith without love is nothing. Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith, we fix our eyes on him. My faith increases through hearing the words of Christ, which are Spirit and Truth. By faith I walk in the Spirit, my mind must be renewed, set on the things of the Spirit, not the things of the flesh. So we see these two laws, the Law of the Spirit, if I set my mind on the Spirit, life and peace, and the law of sin, if I set my mind on the things of the flesh, corruption and death. In the new covenant we are empowered to have dominion over the flesh.
"Finally, my brethren, be empowered in the Lord, and in the dominion of his might."10
The requirement of God's righteousness is fulfilled by those who walk by the Spirit, by faith. not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. But you say, that's just another fancy way of saying I uphold the Law. Then you do not have understanding. Adhering to the letter of the law will not give dominion over the flesh. This word for dominion, krátos, "force, strength, power, might, dominion" it is from a root meaning "to perfect, complete," – properly, dominion, exerted power. It speaks of vigor, of strength, energy, determination, and of growth as in "the vigor of one's youth."
"When I was hungry you did not feed me, thirsty you gave me no drink, a stranger you did not take me in, naked you did not clothe me, weak and in captivity you did not look upon me... Lord, when did we see you... as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."11
We know the end of this story, while they confessed him Lord, these people did not believe, have faith, have experiential knowledge or relationship with Jesus. Such a relationship is "faith working through love," thus those who truly "know" Jesus love the least of these. Their faith is telling and surely love is the litmus test of those who live by faith, not the letter of the law. Their excuse "when did we see?" was not valid, they did things for men to see, not for God who truly sees. Thus it points to the issue of their hearts, their adherence to the "letter of the law" but neglecting the "requirement." However, also to the issue of the law, its inability to give men life; vigor to strengthen men, and freedom from bondage.
"... weak and in captivity, you did not look upon me."11
This word for weak, asthenés, derived from A "without" and sthenos, "vigor, strength" – properly, without vigor, living in a state of weakness.12 It is the anointed message of Jesus Christ, to look upon these that are weak; good news to the poor, healing of the broken in heart, sight to the blind, deliverance to the oppressed and captive.14 When a little child, under your care, you did not care for me. When I was in bondage you did not deliver me, when I was weak you condemned me giving me no vigor, "weak and in captivity, you did not look upon me."
Then Sings My Soul
"... much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."2
In the new covenant justification is by faith, not by works of the law. The law doesn't increase faith and faith doesn't nullify the "requirement of the law." The "requirement of the law" is different from the "letter of the law" or written code. The "letter of the law" is adhering to rules, regulations, decrees, written codes of do not touch, do not handle, do not taste... as Paul writes these are of little help battling the flesh. Adhering to the "letter of the law" is another form of walking in the flesh. The "requirement of the law" is fulfilled by those walking in the Spirit, walking by faith.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices... but you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness."3
Moses wrote down the "letter of the law" but he wrote about Jesus, the embodiment of God and his righteous requirement. Paul writes, he was a Pharisee and was blameless by the "letter of the law," such was the hypocrisy of the Pharisee, they adhered to the "letter of the law" but not the "requirement of the law." Jesus asked Paul why he persecuted him, surely the mistreatment of God's children is an important matter. Jesus said, the Pharisees were pretty on the outside but inside full of dead men bones, while adhering to the "letter of the law" they lusted and hated their brothers in their hearts therefore committing adultery and murder, breaking the "requirement of the law." Pretending to be righteous, and judging others harshly by the "letter of the law," they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. Indeed, the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but divinely powerful towards the demolitions of strongholds."6
The law is spiritual, but the flesh is carnal. The flesh contains sin, the sinful nature. As an unbeliever, identity is in the sinful nature but as a believer we have a new identity, born of Spirit, but we are still in a body of the flesh and sin dwells there. The flesh and the carnal mind is at enmity against God, Paul writes. The law causes the enmity of the flesh to increase and sin to abound, thus I will not have dominion over sin, the flesh, under the power of the law but under grace. I am empowered from within.
"Indeed, sin you will have not have dominion over, indeed, not existing under the law but under grace."7
Under the law, one exists or "rests" in the Law, he finds justification in the works of the law. But under grace we rest in Christ, by grace through faith. Paul writes of these who to the "letter of the law" return, "You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace."8 This would be trusting in works of the law, not in justification by faith. This word for sever, (from katá, "down to a point," intensifying argéō, "inactive, idle") – properly, idle down, rendering something inert, "completely inoperative." Justified by faith I am made righteous by the blood of Christ, therefore to try to find righteousness in works of the law, severs. Sever from the blood of Christ? which makes me righteous. Such is a strong statement. We see we can be saved by faith and turn back to the law for justification.
"For freedom you were called brothers, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."9
In context Paul is writing about those who would want to adhere to the "letter of the law." Hopefully we see this as another form of walking in the flesh, but we must address the issue of people taking opportunity in other ways, as some say, "using grace as a license to sin." If I go back to the letter of the law I sever myself from Christ, if I go back to sin, I am a wretched man, controlled by sin, because as a believer in my inner being I delight in the laws of God, born of Spirit, I have a new nature. I still battle sin in the flesh, I must learn to have dominion over sin or I am a wretched man. The carnal mind is hostile towards God, the flesh wars against the Spirit, thus I am to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Such is under grace, the dominion over sin.
"... not existing under the law but under grace."
We see two opportunities or ways to serve the flesh; both are habitual practises, the lusts of the flesh and the adhering to the "letter of the law." The Bible is clear, it is under grace, not the "letter of the law" as it is of little value in overcoming the flesh. Adam and Eve could have removed the temptation of sin by loving God, Cain could have ruled over sin by loving his brother. They chose the flesh over the requirement of God. The Pharisees chose to adhere to the letter of the law but neglected loving God and their brother. In the story of the prodigal son we see the older son adhere to the "letter of the law," being obedient to his father but breaking the "requirement" of the father, in not loving his brother.
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision (under the law) nor uncircumcision (not under the law) counts for anything, but only faith working through love."10
Paul writes the only thing that counts is, "faith working itself through love." Here we see the believers battle. By faith I please God and faith without love is nothing. Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith, we fix our eyes on him. My faith increases through hearing the words of Christ, which are Spirit and Truth. By faith I walk in the Spirit, my mind must be renewed, set on the things of the Spirit, not the things of the flesh. So we see these two laws, the Law of the Spirit, if I set my mind on the Spirit, life and peace, and the law of sin, if I set my mind on the things of the flesh, corruption and death. In the new covenant we are empowered to have dominion over the flesh.
"Finally, my brethren, be empowered in the Lord, and in the dominion of his might."10
The requirement of God's righteousness is fulfilled by those who walk by the Spirit, by faith. not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. But you say, that's just another fancy way of saying I uphold the Law. Then you do not have understanding. Adhering to the letter of the law will not give dominion over the flesh. This word for dominion, krátos, "force, strength, power, might, dominion" it is from a root meaning "to perfect, complete," – properly, dominion, exerted power. It speaks of vigor, of strength, energy, determination, and of growth as in "the vigor of one's youth."
"When I was hungry you did not feed me, thirsty you gave me no drink, a stranger you did not take me in, naked you did not clothe me, weak and in captivity you did not look upon me... Lord, when did we see you... as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."11
We know the end of this story, while they confessed him Lord, these people did not believe, have faith, have experiential knowledge or relationship with Jesus. Such a relationship is "faith working through love," thus those who truly "know" Jesus love the least of these. Their faith is telling and surely love is the litmus test of those who live by faith, not the letter of the law. Their excuse "when did we see?" was not valid, they did things for men to see, not for God who truly sees. Thus it points to the issue of their hearts, their adherence to the "letter of the law" but neglecting the "requirement." However, also to the issue of the law, its inability to give men life; vigor to strengthen men, and freedom from bondage.
"... weak and in captivity, you did not look upon me."11
This word for weak, asthenés, derived from A "without" and sthenos, "vigor, strength" – properly, without vigor, living in a state of weakness.12 It is the anointed message of Jesus Christ, to look upon these that are weak; good news to the poor, healing of the broken in heart, sight to the blind, deliverance to the oppressed and captive.14 When a little child, under your care, you did not care for me. When I was in bondage you did not deliver me, when I was weak you condemned me giving me no vigor, "weak and in captivity, you did not look upon me."
Then Sings My Soul