Page 20 - Laying Down the Law

commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and
the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become
death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing
death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment
might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I
am carnal, sold under sin.

Paul writes here in the past tense. He is writing of his former experience before
receiving the Spirit of Christ. This is evident by his describing himself as “carnal” and
introducing the passage with the words “when we were in the flesh...” Those who are
born of the Spirit are no longer carnal (flesh dominated) men, they are spiritual. God
gave the law to unrighteous, carnal men, to reveal to them their inward condition. He
wanted His people to understand that they lacked the inner image and likeness of
God. They may desire to do well, but the power to perform it was not in them.
Yahweh wanted His people to understand that if they were to be judged
according to their words and actions, they all stood condemned. They must all die.

Romans 3:9-12
For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under
sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who
understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not
one."

The wages of sin is death, for the word of God states “the soul that sins must
die.” All men sin. If we say we have no sin we lie and the truth is not in us. All are
therefore under the sentence of death. Yahweh wanted men to perceive this truth.
Man desperately needed a Savior.
The church today focuses almost exclusively on one aspect of the work of the
Savior; atonement. The church loves to speak of how sins have been forgiven through
the sacrificial offering of Yahshua on the cross. Forgiveness and atonement are truly
awesome works of grace, but they do not complete the work of salvation. Christ did
not come merely to provide forgiveness for man’s sin. He came to set man free from
the bondage of sin.

John 8:34-36
Yahshua answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin
is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son
abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

What the Scriptures testify is that the Law was given until the time appointed for
man to receive the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Those who have received the Holy
Spirit are new creations. They are born of righteous seed. The Law was not made for