Day 50 "Live Your Life By The Spirit" (Romans: Chapter Fourteen)

The spirit versus the law. Definition of the spirit of the law: the aim or purpose of a law when it was written. Definition of law: a system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties; a rule defining correct procedure or behavior.

The religious leaders of Jesus' time seemed to be more concerned with obeying the letter of the law than with understanding the spirit of the law. If you want to see how Jesus felt about those who blindly follow the law (spiritual laws) without really understanding and living by the spirit of the law, then take a look a Matthew 23. Here, Jesus has a blistering attack on the Pharisees and Sadducees for trying to follow and teach others about the righteous laws but failing to live up to them themselves:

"But you have neglected the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!" Matthew 23:23-24

In the book of Hebrews, God's word tells us that the former law, the Mosaic Law, was set aside-

"The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced by which we draw near to God." Hebrews 7:18-19

"Because of this oath (by God), Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant."

Hebrews 7:22

"But the ministry Jesus has received is a as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises." Hebrews 8:6

"The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant."

Hebrews 8:8

"I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts." Hebrews 8:10

"He sets aside the first (covenant) to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10

"Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in his sight (God's) by observing the law; rather, through the law be become conscious of sin." Romans 3:20

"But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known." Romans 3:21

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."

Romans 3:22

Do you see it? The law, intended to identify our sinfulness and our inability to keep it, was useless in changing our hearts. God purifies our hearts through our faith in Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. Since Jesus did it all, what need is there for religious performance or adherence to a set of religious laws. No, what God's word is saying instead is that, now, having been saved completely by your faith in Christ, walk by the Spirit that God has placed within you at the time you accepted Christ as your Lord and savior. Live your life listening and being directed by His Spirit, not routinely trying to live blindly with no heart or emotions a set of religious rules or laws

The fourteenth chapter of Romans reminds us to live by the Spirit:

Verse 1: "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgement on disputable matters."

Verse 4: "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls."

Verse 7: "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone."

Verse 9: "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living."

Verse 10: "You then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgement seat."

Verse 12: "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."

Verse 13: "Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another."

Verse 19: "Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification."

Verse 23: "and everything that does not come from faith is sin."

Key verses for me:

Verse 8: "If we live, we live to the Lord."

Verse 17: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ this way is pleasing to God and approved by men."

Living by the Spirit is different than attending church for one hour a week and then trying to live in the world, the way the world lives. It is a spiritual consciousness that seeks to live one's life by the direction of God's Holy Spirit within you- 24/7. The more you give the Holy Spirit leadership in your life, the more sensitive you will become to its promptings.

Keep in mind, the opposite is also true- the more you resist the promptings of the Holy Spirit, the lesser you will hear the prompting in the future. Each of us has our own calling and purpose by God. Listening to God's Spirit within us will be the way for you to become all that God desires for you to be. Jesus died for us so that we could be complete in him. We were designed to follow the Spirit, not laws or set of regulations. If you embrace and implement love as a way of life, not only will you experience a better track record for yourself in keeping the laws, but you will also live by the spirit of the laws.

"Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Romans 13:10

"As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit- just as it has taught you, remain in him." 1 John 2:27

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Where the Spirit flows, there is great freedom and peace.

See you tomorrow...