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New Testament Laws: Governing Principles


🧩 New Testament Laws: Governing Principles

Paul uses “law” metaphorically to describe various spiritual dynamics:

Law

DescriptionReference

Law of the Mind                                                                                  The inner desire to obey God, contrasted with the law of sin in the flesh.Romans 7:20-25
Law of Sin in My Members                         Exists in the body because of one man's sin. This fleshly nature wars against the Spirit and the mind. The fleshly mind has no power to submit to God thus transformation by renewing of the mind is needed.Romans 5:12-15; Romans 7:23; Romans 8:7; Galatians 5:17; Romans 12:2
Law of FaithThe principle that justification comes by faith, not worksRomans 3:27
Law of ChristThe ethic of love and service modeled by Christ. "Bear one another's burdens and this way fulfill the law of Christ." Can we forsake the law of Christ in regards to his brethren in the name of another gift, like evangelism? See The Greatest Gift, Love. 

Galatians 6:2
Law of RighteousnessThe pursuit of righteousness through works vs. faithRomans 9:31-32

Law of Liberty
      		The freedom believers have in Christ, governed by life and loveJames 1:25; 2:12
Law of Obedience           Faith is the root of obedience. Unbelief is         the root of sin.           Hebrews 4:6; Romans  14:23

Certainly, these laws apply to the believer in the new covenant, and they are not like following written code or principles but exist truth manifested to the soul by the Spirit with the purpose to transform the mind to set men free.

🧬 Harmonizing the Laws

Paul’s use of “law” is not always legislative—it often refers to spiritual forces or governing realities:

  • Law of sin and death: Condemns and enslaves. 
    • Sin was in the world before the Mosaic Law was given (Romans 5:13). 
    • Death reigned from Adam until Moses (Romans 5:14). Paul states in Romans 5:16-18, that because of Adam sin spread to all men, and so did judgement. So because of Adam's sin, sin reigned in death, as God said to him if you eat of the tree you will surely die.
    • The Law exposed sin and made sin increase, Romans 5:20. Sin was charged against Israel, Romans 5:13.
    • The Gentiles were not of the commonwealth of Israel, Ephesians 2:14-15, nor of the promises until Christ, therefore not under the covenant of fleshly circumcision nor under the Mosaic Law given to God's people.
    • Therefore the law of sin and death is that which reigned in the world since Adam.
  • Law of the Spirit: Liberates and transforms. 
    • The law of sin and death exists in the body, death reigns in the body, but because of our new spiritual birth we are free from its judgment and condemnation. 
  • Law of the mind: Desires righteousness but evil can war against it to bring it into captivity to the law of sin in the body. See The Law of Carnality. Romans 7:20-25. In the new covenant God puts his laws in our mind, Hebrews 10:16.
  • Law of the Heart: God puts his Spirit within and his laws are within, written on our hearts, see Law of the Heart
  • Law of Christ: Embodies love and service. What we do to one another as brethren of Christ we do to Christ himself. We are to operate in the light, unto maturity speaking truth in love.
  • Law of Faith: Receive righteousness by grace through faith. Romans 2:27, this law states our boasting is in Christ alone. By grace are we saved, justified, given the gift of righteousness, through faith, it is a gift of God... lest we boast (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:29-30).
  • Law of Liberty. We are to speak and act as if we are to be judged by the law of liberty, James 2:12, See Law of Liberty. 
  • Perfect Law: To be blessed so to do the will of God, or to become mature. Able to look intently into the perfect law, which exists the implanted word of God, becoming a doer (James 1:21-25).
  • Law of Love: We can say there is such a law, the command of Jesus to love one another as he loves us. The New Testament scriptures express this concept in many ways. I am to build up others in Christ, care for them in their spiritual and earthly needs, life their burdens... Loving other believers is a sign we know Christ. 
    • The argument: You say you love Christ, whom you do not see and do many mighty works in his name, but you do not love his brethren, whom you do see. Therefore you disobey the commandments of Jesus and prove yourself not to know him and be of his kingdom. 

These laws are not contradictory—they reflect the tension between flesh and spirit, death and life, condemnation and grace. The believer lives in the overlap, where we await consummation of our salvation: physically still in this body under the effects of the law of sin and death, yet spiritually liberated and guided to make sin useless in the body, awaiting bodily redemption.


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