The New Living Way

The New Living Way

"... Now, at the present released from the Law, having died in that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of Spirit and not the old written code" -- Romans 7:16

Paul states that we are now united to Christ in his death and also raised with him into newness of life. What held them captive was sin but also the Law, it was a guardian until the appointed time God would send a Messiah (see School Master). Paul uses the metaphor of marriage to describe how we are released from the Law; like a wife whose husband dies, now she is released from the Law and can marry another, so also have we died with Christ and are released from the Law and bound to Christ in a new covenant. The purpose of this is that we live in a new living way of the Spirit and not fleshly through the old written code or Mosaic Law.

"So then brothers, you also have died to the Law through the body of Christ to the extent you exist by creation of another, the one raising you from the dead, so that you bear fruit of God" -- Romans 7:4

We were dead in our trespasses and sin, living in the flesh, the sinful passions, that were aroused by the Law in our bodies, bearing fruit unto death but God raised us and made us alive in Christ (Romans 7:5; Ephesians 2:1-7). Being made alive is to be born a new into the kingdom of God by the Spirit, this is the way Jesus said we must now enter, as He is the Way to the Father. We are born a new and given the gift of righteousness and grace. The incorruptible living word and the eternal living water of the Spirit is nourishment and transforms our souls, like as a tree planted by a river, the imperishable implanted seed grows up to bear fruit unto righteousness, fruit of God's divine nature.

When we believe we are sealed of the Spirit, Ephesians 1:13-14, which is equivalent to new birth. This is what was prophesied of, God would put His Spirit within us and give us a new heart. Now, as partakers of God's divine nature we are indebted to live according to the Spirit, not the flesh and its desires. We are to enter our reasonable service, Romans 12:1, so that the body of sin is put off and the new man of the Spirit is put on through being renewed of the "spirit" of our minds. We are guided into the truth by the Spirit, putting away pride and in meekness receiving the implanted word of God that has power to save our souls.

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery leading back to fear, rather receiving a Spirit of adoption in whom cries out Abba Father!” – Romans 8:15

The above is profound wisdom that comes from God through Christ to us. The scriptures tell us we have testimony of the Spirit that we are children of God. Also that we are not condemned, as we have been united to Christ in a new covenant, released from fear and condemnation so that we live in the new living way of the Spirit and not under the written code or law (Romans 7:1-6). We are free from the law of sin and death that exists in the body, through the new birth of the Spirit thus under a new law of the Spirit of life (Romans 7:22-24; Romans 8:1-2). 

"for indeed what was glorious has no glory on account of the surpassing glory" -- 2 Corinthians 3:7-10

The ministry of the Spirit and righteousness, in the new covenant established by the death of Jesus, exceeds the glory of the old which Paul states was a ministry of death and condemnation, and since the new has come the old no longer has any glory due to the surpassing glory that comes in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:7-10). 

“Because God said 'from darkness light will shine out of darkness,' who has flooded our hearts with the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). 

If we build up that which was tore down, we become a lawbreaker, we fall from grace and sever ourselves from the life flow of Jesus and do not have fellowship with God (Galatians 2:16-18; Galatians 5:1-6; Ephesians 2:13-18). 

“So that the righteous requirements of the Law are fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” --Romans 8:4

It is one of the most profound mysteries in Christ, that being a new creation, being born of the Spirit, we now have a way to fulfill God’s righteous requirements. "And he died on behalf of us all so that living, living no longer living themselves rather the one dying for them and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:15; Romans 6:4). Our life comes through Christ, abiding in him like a branch connected to a vine we will bear fruit of life and righteousness, fluffing God's righteous requirements.

"Now, grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, to his glory at the present and to the extent of the eternal day" (2 Peter 3:18)

Our life and godliness doesn't come through following laws, but through knowing Jesus, in whom we grow up to bear fruit of that inner spiritual new birth, the new man. Bearing fruit from growth is fruit of God, good deeds that glorify God. Growing in the knowledge of Jesus means to increase in both grace and understanding of knowing Jesus. As stated in the parable of sowing, the plants that bear fruit are those which have deep roots and understanding (Mathew 13:11-15; Mathew 13:19-23). 

The one who hears the word and understands it is the one who bears fruit, 

"But the seed falling on good soil refers to the one who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a harvest, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” -- Mathew 13:23

This understanding or knowing Jesus as the word of life is what causes us to bear fruit, which involves a deeper relationship with Him, a more profound understanding of His teachings, and a closer walk with Him in daily life. The Mosaic Law points to God’s righteous requirements, but there was a weakness, the Law was spiritual and man was carnal and fleshly so the Law was "weak through the flesh." 

But even though we were dead in sin God was rich in mercy through his great love and made us alive spiritually. Now we can walk i  his divine nature, "now, I say walk spiritually and fulfil, not fulfilling the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). We please God through faith, Hebrews 11:6, and the Law was not from faith but teaches one to live by a written code or laws which no one will be justified before God by (Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:12).

"since you have died with Christ to elemental principles of the world, why like as living in the world, to dogmas (to decree, ordinances; to suffer laws to be imposed on one’s self, to submit to, bind one’s self by) of do not handle, taste, touch! These exist to the extent perishable of its intended use according to human commands and teachings" (Colossians 2:20-22).

Paul states the Law actually caused sin to abound (Romans 5:20-21). The reason is the carnal man and mind has no power to fulfill the spiritual laws of God (Romans 8:7-8). So by nature the carnal man rebels against God, living to passions and desires of the sinful nature and energized by evil forces, being by nature children of disobedience and wrath (Ephesians 2:1-4). The solution to this rebellious nature begins by becoming a new creation, and continues through transformation, the renewing of the mind, without which no one has power to obey God truly.

Being a new creation, born of the Spirit and walking by the Spirit and abiding in the word of God is how we overcome the flesh and evil, Galatians 5:16 and 1 John 2:12-14, not by putting the body under harsh treatment. Paul is very clear in this, "Such sayings indeed have wisdom in self-imposed piety, false humility, and harsh control over the body, [which have] not any value against the gratification of the flesh" (Colossians 2:23). 

“For there is an annulment of the former commands through its weakness and uselessness, for the law matures [perfects] no one. Now, is the introduction of a more useful hope through which we draw near to God” – Hebrews 7:18-20

Following elemental laws, principles, and precepts, written code... is not how we find life and godliness. The New Covenant, established in the blood of Jesus, introduces spiritual principles whereby Jesus is the Way, the living bread, offering living water, and from God our wisdom, redemption, righteousness, and sanctification, so we do not boast in ourselves (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). "For by grace existing saved through faith, and this is not from you, the gift of God, not from works so that no one boasts" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

In the new covenant God puts his Spirit in us and writes his laws on our hearts and puts them in our minds. God gives us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Jesus, 2 Peter 1:3-4, in whose face shines the glory of God.* This is the profound mystery and truth of the new living way; the law of the Spirit of life doesn’t release us from God’s righteous requirements but provides a way for us to fulfill them.* 

"So we, with unveiled faces, like looking into a mirror into the face of Jesus which shines the glory of God, are being transformed from one degree of glory to another just as the Lord’s Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

Through God's glory, which shines in the face of Jesus (it was a veiled glory that shone in the face of Moses who gave the people the Law because God had planned before he created the world, an eternal purpose in Christ) we are being transformed into the image of his Son, who is the exact representation of his character and nature. This is how we mature or are perfected, and is the goal of the gifts given to the saints for the work of ministry, so we grow up, no longer children, into mature adulthood (Ephesians 4:10-16). What God purposed in time eternal is revealed to us in Christ.

"until we all attain unity of faith and knowledge of the son of God, to the extent of mature adulthood, that measure being the stature of the fullness of Christ" --Ephesians 4:13

There is no greater purpose of the church, which is why it is our reasonable service or best way to worship God (Romans 12:1-2). Because the church reaching the world rests on the basis of it being a light, and that light is knowing experientially life and godliness in Christ. Through the knowledge of him is life, as John states this profound insight, "In him exists life and that life exists the light of men" (John 1:4). We reach the world because we look more like Jesus to the world. Like salt adding flavor and like light shining in darkness (Matthew 5:13-16). 

But we remember what we are told in scripture, many do not come to the light, because their deeds are evil, so the world will hate us being a light like it hated Jesus. Jesus came to save, redeem, he came among his own and his own and most did not receive him, but to those who did, he gave the right to become children of God born from Him (John 1). What God eternally purposed in Christ, is a new creation whereby we are being conformed to the image of Christ. This is how he has a people of His own, a holy priesthood, a royal nation.

Maturity in Christ automatically produces obedience through transformation, renewing of the carnal mind to be like Christ's so that we find his will acceptable. It is fruit being produced of God, his workmanship, not by doing good works alone. We are not becoming like robots being controlled on a mission, but coming into existence like Christ, and in him is the life that is a light unto the world, thus so we become when we are brought to maturity in him. 

The Spirit is life through righteousness and grace reigns through righteousness. Like a tree planted by water, the incorruptible seed of a righteous God lives within us. This seed needs to be cared for and nourished so that it grows up to bear fruit. So is the new inner man of the Spirit, for in this is the law of sowing and reaping, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8).