What Is 'The Law of the Spirit of Life' in Romans 8? — Salvation Already Completed Through Jesus' Baptism and the Cross
Rev. Paul C. Jong's In-Depth Sermon Collection on the Book of Romans
In the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul clearly states that although the Law is good, human beings have no power to overcome sin, and that they cannot attain salvation on their own. Therefore, he confesses that we are wretched beings who can only serve the law of sin in our flesh and are bound for hell.
“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Romans 7:19–20).
This is the fundamental condition of both you and me.
Even looking at today’s popular culture alone, the unrestrained lusts of the flesh are being exposed without any filter, and people are going mad over them and dying.
This generation, where people casually meet and part through the internet and chatting, is the very picture of where humanity stands today.
All of us, the entire human race, are born with sin, live feeding on sin, and are such wretched beings that we are bound for hell according to God’s law that says, “the wages of sin is death.”
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
Then how can we, who are in such a desperate state, be born again?
The Apostle Paul presents the answer to exactly that — how we can escape from the Law and the wrath of God, and how we can be born again.
Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
God established these two laws, and the Apostle Paul confesses that the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus set him free from the law of sin and death that came through the Law.
This does not mean that the Law itself is sin. The essential role of the Law is to define and reveal sin so that we may recognize its severity. The Law cannot remove sin; rather, it sometimes serves as a catalyst that makes us conscious of sin and activates it.
Since the Law does not give us the power to overcome sin, the more a person tries to keep the Law, the deeper they fall into despair, and eventually they cry out the existential lament: “Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
Even though the Apostle Paul was already a born-again believer, he agonized over the fact that his flesh still followed the law of sin and pursued fleshly lusts rather than living a life pleasing to God.
Therefore, the Apostle Paul lamented,
“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Yet, right after this, at the very end of despair, the Apostle Paul finally proclaims, “I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
This is because the Apostle Paul obtained salvation through ‘the law of the Spirit,’ as he mentioned in Romans chapter 8.
This is because Jesus Christ, our Savior, came to this earth to fulfill the stern demand of the Law that says “the wages of sin is death.” He received baptism to take upon Himself all the sins of the world, was judged on the Cross in our place, and fully paid the wages of sin, thereby saving all of humanity from sin.
You must now examine yourselves and clearly know whether you are in Christ or outside of Him.
If we do not believe the Word of salvation that our Lord has given us and do not abide in Jesus Christ, we can only remain under the law of sin and death.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”
“No condemnation” means that sin is not determined against them — in other words, God declares that there is no longer any sin in that person.
God is telling us that for anyone who is in Christ Jesus, regardless of whatever circumstances they may be in or whatever shortcomings they may have, they are absolutely without sin.
Therefore, we must become people who are not condemned — people who have become sinless by believing in ‘the law of the Spirit.’
Romans 8:2: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
This ‘law of the Spirit’ is the law of salvation by which God sent His Son, had Him conceived by the Holy Spirit, and had Him receive baptism from John to take upon Himself all the sins of the world. It also speaks of the law by which He died on the Cross and was resurrected, thereby completely blotting out our sins and giving us new life.
Originally, the word ‘baptism’ carries not only the meaning of ‘to wash’ and ‘to bury,’ but also the deep meaning of ‘to pass over’ and ‘to be transferred.’
The reason Jesus died on the Cross is that through this baptism, He took upon Himself all the sins you will ever commit throughout your entire life.
Because Jesus bore all our sins upon His own body, He shed His blood and died on the Cross as the price for them, thereby cleansing us.
On the other hand, ‘the law of sin and death’ refers to God’s commandments given to humanity — that is, the Law.
Many Christians know the ‘Law’ well, but surprisingly, they do not accurately know the specific power of the latter — the ‘gospel.’
Do you want to be approved by God, or do you want to be approved by yourself or by other people?
We must believe in Jesus Christ, but we must believe according to the written Word.
In John chapter 3, Jesus said, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Regarding the meaning of ‘water’ here, 1 Peter 3:21 provides a clear answer:
“There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
In other words, baptism is not about refining outward appearances, but is the mark of salvation — the spiritual remission of sins by which our conscience can seek God.
Living in this sinful world today, how can one receive the remission of sins without going through the gospel of the water and the Spirit?
Through the Word of Romans, the Apostle Paul has told us how we can come to Jesus Christ and receive new life, and how we can escape from the Law and the fearful wrath of God.
To receive new life, we must believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit — that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, saved us from sin through His baptism, the blood of the Cross, and His resurrection.
Therefore, just as the Apostle Paul finally declared, “I thank God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!” we too can praise today by faith in Jesus Christ, saying, “Thanks be to God!”
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Do You Want to Know the Book of Romans More Deeply?
Examine your faith in depth through the Word of Romans.
Those who are under “the law of the Spirit of life” are the ones who have received the complete remission of sins by believing in the baptism through which Jesus Himself took upon all the sins of this world, and the blood He shed on the Cross as the price for those sins.
Under which law do you currently stand?
Rev. Paul C. Jong, a truly born-again servant of God from The New Life Mission, clearly explains — based on Scripture — how Jesus Christ has already completed our salvation through His baptism (water), the Cross (blood), and His resurrection, walking through the Book of Romans verse by verse in his book “Already Completed Salvation — Romans — (I).”
Through The New Life Mission’s official website, you can freely download, read, and listen to Rev. Paul C. Jong’s book on Romans, as well as sermon collections on various biblical topics, in both eBook and audiobook formats.
The website also offers an online reading feature, allowing you to read sermon collections on diverse topics anytime, anywhere — so be sure to add it to your bookmarks.
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