by Wade E Taylor
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2
The word tells us that Jesus is the “propitiation” for our sin. The root word for propitiation is the same as “purgatory.” Therefore, it can be said that Jesus is the purgatory for our sin. He paid the full price upon the cross for our sin, and after His resurrection, He ascended and applied the blood to the altar of heaven, which eternally established our redemption.
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood….” Romans 3:24-25
Just as we have been set free from the law of sin, we also have been set free from the law of death, or, the process of death working in our members as a result of Adam’s transgression. Not only have we been forgiven of sin, we are also released from the process of death. As a result, we can live to the fullness of all that the Lord intends for our lives.
“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16b-17
The penalty for partaking of the tree of knowledge was that Adam would die. In his transgression, he immediately died spiritually, and in time, he also died physically.
He who is without beginning, set aside His Deity and came as a man to die upon the cross. Through total obedience to His Father, Jesus paid the full penalty for Adam’s transgression. As Jesus ascended in His resurrected body, He became the power of an “endless” life.
“Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.” Hebrews 7:16
The Word says that the last enemy to be defeated, or overcome, is “death.”
“For He must reign, till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” I Corinthians 15:25-26
We cannot overcome death in heaven, rather, it must be done during our present span of life. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.
“The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
So we might have and enjoy this more abundant life, the Lord is seeking to take us beyond our present understanding of the Word, into the full working of the “law of the Spirit of life.”
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:4-6
For us to “walk in the Spirit” results from our heart obedience to the written Word and to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, which may seem as foolishness to many. For the Lord to accomplish this, we must present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice.
When I “mind” the things of the Spirit, I become spiritually minded, which brings life and peace, because I have released the Lord to move in and through my life experience. No matter what my circumstances might be, I am to believe that “all things work together for my good.” This changes my attitude from becoming a victim of the “law of sin and death,” to my obtaining life and health through the “law of the Spirit of life.”
As I come under the working of the “Spirit of life,” I am healed and released from the process of death so I might live as an end-time witness of the power of God. The world will be greatly affected by this witness.
May the “law of the Spirit of life” have its full work in your life, by the grace of God.