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Scripture Reading: Rom. 5:20; 6:14; 7:4-11; 8:2-11, 16, 26-30, 37
In this chapter we continue the fellowship that we began in the previous chapter. Let us first read some verses that will be a foundation to our fellowship.
The law entered in alongside that the offense might abound; but where sin abounded, grace has superabounded. (Rom. 5:20)
Sin will not lord it over you, for you are not under the law but under grace. (6:14)
So then, my brothers, you also have been made dead to the law through the body of Christ so that you might be joined to another, to Him who has been raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the passions for sins, which acted through the law, operated in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter. (7:4-6)
Please notice the phrase the law entered in alongside in 5:20. This means that the law came in alongside, or in addition to, Adam and Christ. Romans 6:14 goes on to tell us that we are not under the law. Then in 7:4-6 we encounter two more thoughts: being dead to the law and having been discharged from the law. We must remember the following four facts: the law entered in alongside Adam and Christ; we are not under the law; we are dead to the law; and we have been discharged from the law.
What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But I did not know sin except through the law; for neither did I know coveting, except the law had said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, worked out in me coveting of every kind; for without the law sin is dead. And I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was unto life, this very commandment was found to me to be unto death. For sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. (7:7-11)
The law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death. For that which the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit. For those who are according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. Because the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, for neither can it be. And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Yet if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not of Him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. (8:2-11)
The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God. (v. 16)
In like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. But He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers; and those whom He predestinated, these He also called; and those whom He called, these He also justified; and those whom He justified, these He also glorified. (vv. 26-30)
In all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us. (v. 37)
In the previous chapter, we learned that in Romans 5 through 8 there are four important figures: Adam, Christ, the flesh, and the Spirit. We also saw that these chapters speak much concerning a matter that is quite troublesome to many believers — the law, which was given through Moses.
We must realize that according to Romans 5:20, the law is something that came in alongside Adam and Christ. The word alongside connotes something that is not in the original plan but is in addition to it. Besides Adam and Christ, there is the law. Romans 7:6 tells us that in Christ we are no longer under the law. In light of this truth, I have the boldness to tell you to forget about the law. Do not remember it or pay any attention to it. We have been made dead to the law (v. 4), and we have been discharged from it as well. We have been discharged from the law, much like an employee is discharged from an employer. If we have been discharged by an employer, and he tells us to do something for him, we can rightfully deny him his request because we have been discharged from him. We must see that since the law is something that came in alongside, in Christ we are no longer under the law. We no longer have anything to do with the law, for we have been made dead to it and have been discharged from it. We must nevermore be employed by the law.
Notwithstanding this, the enemy, Satan, always bothers us with the law. It is not simple for us to forget about the law. Even if we try our best to forget the law, the enemy always tries his best to remind us of it. Although you may have read in the previous chapter that we are dead to the law, that we have been discharged from the law, and that we therefore have nothing to do with the law, what has been your attitude toward the law? Can you really say that you have had nothing to do with the law? I am afraid that you are still very involved with the law — not only the law given to us through Moses but the law that you have made for yourself. Moses is not the only law-giver; we too are law-givers. We are the strongest proponents of the law. The laws that we give ourselves — to be humble, to love our neighbors, to love the Lord more — are good laws. Yet we must realize that such laws are troublesome and will in fact take us nowhere. We need to arrive at the destination of being conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God, but the law is not the “train” that will take us there. We have to get off the wrong “train” and board another “train.” What is the other “train”? At the time that we were saved, we received the living Christ as our personal Savior. At that time, He came into our spirit. Christ as the Spirit is now dwelling within our spirit (2 Tim. 4:22; Rom. 8:11). This indwelling Christ as the Spirit is the “train” that will bring us to our destination. We must forget about the law and instead have fellowship with the Spirit, go along with the Spirit, and get aligned with Him. Forget about the law. Do not follow it any more. You have been discharged from the law, so you should no longer think and behave as if you continue to be employed by it. We have nothing to do with the law. Instead, we have everything to do with the living Spirit who indwells us.
Many times, the enemy comes to us under the guise of a “good angel” (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14). As such, he may suggest to us that we should love the brothers, do good, and try to have a right way of living. In other words, he gives us laws. Although these laws are apparently good, do not believe that they are from the Holy Spirit. They are from the enemy. You should therefore have the boldness to resist them. Whenever the thought comes to you that you should love the brothers or be humble, you must right away say, “Satan, go away! I do not accept any word from you.” Forget about all the good doings, and forget about all the laws. Instead, keep in line with the Holy Spirit and in the fellowship and presence of the Lord. Tell the enemy, “I do not understand what it is to be humble or to be proud. I do not understand what it is to do good or to do evil. Such things are a foreign language to me. In my ‘country,’ such things do not exist. In my ‘country’ the only thing is Christ. The only thing is the Holy Spirit. I do not receive any foreign things — things not of my ‘country.’ I receive things only of this ‘country,’ and all the things of this ‘country’ must be, and are, Christ.”
Even if you try by yourself to keep the law of being humble, you will be proud. Although you may be humble outwardly, you will be proud within. You may say to yourself, “Although the worldly people are too proud, I am humble.” In this light, it is not good to be humble or to love others as a result of striving to keep the law. When you go along with the Holy Spirit and remain in fellowship with the Lord, you will not know what it is to be humble or proud, loving or full of hate. You will simply know that you are going along with the Lord in the Spirit. If you take this way, you will be very humble unconsciously. Others may see your humility, but you will not sense it in yourself. All that you will feel is that you are living in Christ. Then you will declare, “I do not understand what it is to love, and I do not understand what it is to be humble. I only understand that I am contacting Christ moment by moment.” Christ will be your love, and Christ will be your humility. This is the right “train” to be on. This is what Romans 5 through 8 tells us. We are not under the law; we are dead to it. We are living to God in fellowship with Christ in the Spirit (Rom. 6:10; Gal. 2:19).
In the Christian life there are two things that are very different from each other. One is keeping the law; the other is being conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God (Rom. 8:28-29). Of these two things, only the latter is the eternal purpose of God (Eph. 1:5). The eternal purpose of God — His mind, His eternal thought — is not that we would keep the law. Even if we were able to keep the law perfectly, keeping the law would still not be the eternal purpose of God. The law is at best something that is only “alongside” God’s intention. God’s eternal purpose is that we would be conformed to the image of His Son so that His only begotten Son would become the firstborn Son among many brothers. Originally, God had only one Son, the only begotten Son (John 1:18). But His intention, His eternal purpose, is to produce many sons so that His only begotten Son would become the Firstborn among many sons.
Perhaps you have been a Christian for many years. What is your general idea of what it means to be a Christian? Is it your idea that the meaning of being a Christian is to be a person who keeps the law and does good in order to please God? Or is a Christian a person who needs to be conformed to the image of Christ? According to typical Christian thought, a “good Christian” is actually a Christian who keeps the law. In other words, if you are trying to be a “good Christian,” you are in actuality not trying to be a man of Christ but a good man of Moses. If this is your case, in regard to your living you are a Christian in name only, for in reality you are trying to be something else.
Before we came into the recovery, very few among us would have been able to declare the following: “I have been regenerated by God for the purpose of being conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God. Therefore, I have nothing to do with the law and desire instead to stay in line with the Holy Spirit, for it is only in this way that I will be conformed day by day into His image.” Most of us could have only said that as those who had been saved by God, our duty is to be good Christians who do good and keep the law. May the Lord open our eyes to see that the eternal purpose of God is not that we would do our best to keep the law. We must give up this thought. The eternal purpose of God is that we be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God.
I wish that in the course of this chapter I could remind you thousands of times to be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God. But I am afraid that even after so many reminders, you would forget everything after you put down this book. I fear that even after I contrast keeping the law and being conformed to Christ’s image, tomorrow morning you will kneel down to pray, “Lord, this is a new day. I do not want to be wrong anymore. I wish to do right. I wish to do good. I wish to be humble and nice to my spouse. Lord, help me do all these things.” If you pray in such a way, it shows that instead of being conformed to Christ’s image, you are trying to be a good man of Moses. Years ago I prayed similar prayers day after day because I had not received the vision of conformation. Even today I am sometimes drawn back to the old deceit by the enemy. We must cease praying in such a way. To do so is to live according to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of by the tree of life. Rather than trying to keep the law, we need to be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God.
How then are we conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God? The way is very simple. The Spirit of the Son of God is now in us (Rom. 8:9). We need to stop trying to keep the law and do good. Be simple. Simply keep yourself in contact with the Spirit who indwells you. Simplify the whole situation by realizing that the Spirit of the Son of God dwells, works, and acts within you all the time. Simplify the situation by no longer trying to do good and trying to be a good Christian. Simplify yourself to just one item: knowing the indwelling Spirit of Christ and keeping in contact with Him moment by moment. To take this way is to take the tree of life (cf. Gen. 2:9). The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is complicated, for with it there are many things, including good, evil, death, and knowledge. The tree of life, however, is simple, for with it there is only one thing — life. The tree of life is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as the Spirit (John 14:6; 1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:17).
The more we simplify, the better. We even need to forget about all the teachings that we have heard in the past. It would be good if we could simplify our prayer. Instead of praying that the Lord would help us keep the law and do good, it would be good if every night, we were to pray, “Lord, I praise You. You are my life. You are my all. Now You are in my spirit. How great this is, Lord! The Spirit, which is Your reality, now dwells within me. Now I am going to bed and know that You are going with me.” Then the next morning, it would be wonderful to offer some praises and thanks to the Lord: “Lord, here I am. I know that You are in my heart and spirit. I appreciate Your presence, Lord. I am in You, and You are in me. O Lord, how wonderful this is. What a joy and blessing! Lord, I worship You. Thank you, Lord. Hallelujah!” This is the best way to pray in the evening and in the morning. I am not giving you another law or a different law. Rather, I am telling you to make the Christian life simpler. Simply know the indwelling Spirit of Christ and remain in contact with Him moment by moment. Rather than doing a lot of things to complicate ourselves, let us pay attention to the working of the Holy Spirit within us. Aspects of this work can be seen in a number of verses in Romans 8.
Romans 8:2 says that the law of the Spirit of life has freed us in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death. The only thing that we have to do for the law of the Spirit of life within us to operate is to “switch it on” in much the same way that we would switch on a light. Have we not been saved? Is not the Spirit within us? Why then would we not be simple enough just to “switch on” the law of the Spirit of life within us? With a lamp there is the current of electricity. In order to appropriate that current and cause the lamp to shine, there is no need for us to do anything beyond simply switching on the lamp. It is the same with the law of the Spirit of life. There is nothing for us to do except “switch it on” and never “switch it off.” If we are going to visit a brother, we need to learn to tell the Lord, “Lord, I praise You that You are within my spirit. That is good enough. Now I am going to visit my brother. I know that Your presence goes with me.” Then as we talk with the brother, the Lord will be with us, and we will talk, fellowship, and act in the mingled Spirit.
The law of the Spirit of life within us is very powerful. We can illustrate this with the law of gravity. When we throw something into the air, it comes down naturally because of the law of gravity. There is no need for us to struggle to bring down an object that we have thrown upward; the law of gravity will bring it down for us. The law of gravity is so powerful that an airplane needs much power to overcome it. If the law of gravity is strong, how much stronger must the law of the Spirit of life be? The law of the Spirit of life sets us free from the law of sin. Although the law of sin is strong, the law of the Spirit of life is more powerful. If we simply follow the Lord and go along with Him, the law of the Spirit of life will work powerfully for us. All we must do is “switch it on.” Whatever we need, whether humility or love, the almighty, omnipotent Christ will supply us. If we live in this reality, our Christian life will be very simple. It is possible for us to be a powerful Christian. The most powerful Christian is the simplest one. The most complicated Christian, however, is the weakest. Make yourself simple by “switching on” the law of the Spirit of life.
Romans 8:27 speaks of “the mind of the Spirit.” When we get in line with the Holy Spirit, our mind is filled up by the Spirit and controlled by the Spirit. As a result, our mind will become a mind of the Spirit. However, sometimes our mind is not a mind of the Spirit but is instead a mind of trying to do good — a “mind of love” or a “mind of humility.” With such a mind, we try our best to do good, to love others, and to be humble. Instead of having such a mind, however, our mind must be a mind of the Spirit. Nothing but the Spirit should control and direct our mind. Our mind must be under the control, the direction, of the Holy Spirit. This results in our mind becoming the mind of the Spirit.
Romans 8:6 says that the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. When our mind is occupied by and filled with the Holy Spirit, life and peace fills our entire being. Within, we will sense that there is life and that everything is living, satisfying, and full of light. Moreover, there will be peace, comfort, and joy. When our mind is occupied, directed, and controlled by the Spirit, we will experience and sense the reality of life and peace.
Romans 8:14 says, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” We need to be led by the Holy Spirit. Rather than making any kind of decision to do this or that, we should simply sense the Spirit’s leading and follow the Spirit as He leads us from within.
Romans 8:16 speaks of the Spirit witnessing with our spirit. It is not only that the Spirit witnesses and our spirit witnesses also. Rather, it is that the Spirit witnesses with our spirit. This indicates that our spirit must take the initiative to witness first; then the Spirit will witness with our spirit. The fact that the word our is used in reference to the human spirit reveals that the Spirit of God today, the all-inclusive Spirit of the Triune God, dwells in our regenerated human spirit and works in our spirit. These two spirits are one; they live together, work together, and exist together as one mingled spirit (1 Cor. 6:17).
Romans 8:26 says, “In like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” We may not know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit knows. Because He knows, He helps us pray. What we say when we pray out of our own knowledge cannot come close to matching what we utter when the Holy Spirit prays within us. When the Holy Spirit prays within us, He intercedes with unutterable groanings within our being. Such prayer has no words; it is only groaning. This is the best prayer.
Several things are related to the Spirit in Romans 8. There is the law of the Spirit of life, the mind of the Spirit, the leading of the Spirit, the witnessing of the Spirit, and the help of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, causes these things to operate within us day by day. However, we must give Him the opportunity, the chance, and the ground to operate in such a way. If we try to keep the law and do good, the Holy Spirit will be disturbed by us, and we will interfere in His conformation work within our being. Hence, we have to cease all our doings, forget about the law, and simply give the ground, the liberty, the chance, and the opportunity to the Holy Spirit to let Him work in us and take care of us. Then we will sense the life and the peace.
God’s goal, His ultimate aim, is to conform us to the image of Christ. His goal is not simply that we go along with the Holy Spirit and sense life and peace; He desires that we be conformed gradually, and eventually completely, to the image of Christ. Because we need to be conformed to the image of Christ, there is the need not only for the Spirit within us but also for many things outside of us. Romans 8:28-29 tells us that all things work together so that those who love God and are called according to His purpose can be conformed to Christ’s image. Hence, we have the Holy Spirit within us and the “all things” outside of us.
The phrase all things implies all persons, all matters, and all things. All these things work together for good to us to conform us into the image of Christ. When we cook, we must use water and fire. The water is within the pot, and the fire is outside the pot. In this illustration, we are the pot, the Holy Spirit is the water, and “all things,” including our spouse, children, and circumstances, are the fire. The Lord knows just what level of fire we need, whether low, medium, or high. In other words, the Lord knows our need and measures “all things” to us accordingly. Never complain about your environment. Do not think that your wife is not the best one. Actually, she is the wife you need and is therefore the best one. The Lord will measure all these things to us. These things will work together for good, that is, for our conformation.
A brother once reported to me that through an unforeseen change in his circumstances, he was able to sit in a second-class seat on the train rather than the third-class seat for which he had paid. In light of this, he said to me, “Oh, Brother Lee, praise the Lord! All things work together for good for us.” When he said this, I inwardly knew that this brother had to learn something more concerning the “good” mentioned in verse 28. Some time later, the same brother was struck by an automobile as he was riding a bicycle. He was hurt to the extent that he had to go to the hospital. When he was in the hospital, he was heard saying, “Praise the Lord! All things work together for good. If I had been riding my bicycle a little faster or slower on that day, I would be dead. But the Lord cared for my life, and I am still alive. Surely all things work together for good.” I am afraid that many of us hold this brother’s concept. This brother’s concept was erroneous; he did not realize the true and accurate meaning of all things working together for good. Not many days later, when he was still in the hospital, he received light on this point and realized that his accident had been arranged by the Lord for his conformation and submitted himself to the Lord.
God’s goal in giving us “all things” is not that we would have comfort or profit. Rather, His goal in giving us all things is that we would be conformed to the image of Christ, the firstborn Son of God (v. 29). This conformation is the “good” that is spoken of in verse 28. The Lord has given us a wife or husband, children, parents, the brothers, our job, and our circumstances, and He causes these “all things” to work together for the purpose of dealing with us and causing us to be conformed to the image of Christ. This is the unique purpose, the ultimate goal, that God seeks to attain. The Holy Spirit within us and the “all things” outside of us work together, like the water in the pot and the fire under the pot, to conform us to the image of Christ.
The eternal purpose of God is not that we would be able to keep the law. Remember, the law is only something that came in alongside. The eternal purpose of God is that we would be conformed to the image of His Son so that His Son would be the Firstborn among many brothers. How does God complete this work? On one hand, the Spirit of His Son dwells within us. On the other hand, He assigns to us a certain amount of “all things.” These “all things” outside of us cooperate with the Holy Spirit within us to work together and conform us to the image of Christ. This is the way to be matured in the life of Christ.
Now I believe that we are impressed with a clear picture. Formerly we were in Adam; now we are in Christ. The reality of Christ, which is the Spirit of Christ, is indwelling us. Now we have nothing to do except go along with the Spirit, follow Him, and get in line with Him. The Lord is so wise. He assigns to us a certain amount of “all things” that cooperate with the Holy Spirit who is within us to cause us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
I hope that in the future, whether it be in one week or five years, we will see more of the image of Christ in one another. It would not be good if after a number of years we only have a larger mentality and a greater degree of Christian knowledge and doctrine. Rather, may we see something more of Christ in one another. Our need today is that Christ would increase and grow within us. This is what the Lord is seeking after. Let us be simple and just follow the Holy Spirit. In all the other things the Lord Himself will take care of us. Then we will be matured in the life of Christ and conformed to His image day by day.
