As the Holy Spirit saves us by renewing us, He frees us by His law of life from the law of sin and death. In Romans 8:2 Paul says, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and of death.” In this verse “law” does not denote a commandment but a principle that operates automatically and spontaneously. A law is a natural regulation, a constant and unchanging rule. Every kind of life has such a law. The law of a certain life is the innate ability of that life. This ability is inborn, spontaneous, automatic, constant, and instant. Therefore, as long as a particular life exists and is free, it can naturally develop its characteristics and manifest its abilities. It does not require human teaching or urging; rather, it develops very naturally without the least effort. Such natural characteristics and innate capabilities in a life constitute the law of that life.
The life of God is the highest life, the life that surpasses every other kind of life. Thus, the characteristics and capabilities of the divine life are most high and surpassing. Because these highest and surpassing characteristics and capabilities constitute the law of the life of God, this law naturally is the most high and surpassing. Through regeneration we have received the life of God, the divine, eternal, uncreated life. Since by regeneration we have received the life of God, we have naturally received from the life of God the most high and surpassing law of this life.
In Romans 8:2 Paul speaks not merely of the law of life but of the law of the Spirit of life. The law of the Spirit of life is nothing less than the processed Triune God becoming the life-giving Spirit to dwell within us. This means that the processed Triune God is Himself the law of the Spirit of life. Just as sin is actually a person-Satan-so this law is also a person-the Triune God. Today our God is not only the mighty One, the Redeemer, and the Savior. He is even more than just our life and life supply-He is a law working within us. After being processed, the Triune God has been dispensed into us to become a law in us. Now He is not only something organic but also something automatic. Whatever this processed and indwelling Triune God does in us, with us, and on us is a function of the law. Our God is not merely an objective worker, working by activities outside of us and beyond us. Our God has become a subjective law, working all the time within us not by activities but by law. It is a wonderful fact that the highest law, the Triune God as the law of life, has been installed into us and now works within us not by activity but by law. He is a law operating within us, working not merely as the mighty God but as a law that operates automatically.
The two laws in Romans 8:2 are actually two persons. The law of sin and death is Satan, and the law of the Spirit of life is the Triune God. In order for Satan and the Triune God to become, respectively, the negative and positive laws operating in us, it was necessary for both persons to enter our being. If Satan had not come into man, he could not be the law of sin and death within man. In the same principle, if the Triune God had remained outside of us, He could not be to us the law of the Spirit of life. Because the Triune God has been processed and dispensed into us and now dwells in us, He has become to us the law of the Spirit of life. This law, which is the automatic and spontaneous divine power, is in our spirit. Therefore, this law, having the divine Spirit and eternal life as its elements, is powerful and dynamic.
The Spirit works in us to free us by His law of life from the law of sin and death. Apart from the working of the Spirit, the law of life is of no avail. This law is actualized in the Spirit. This means that the Spirit is the reality and practicality of the law of life, which now operates in us automatically.
Because the highest law, the law of the divine life, is operating within us, there is no need for us to strive to overcome the law of sin and death. Instead of striving, we should simply allow the law of the Spirit of life to work within us. But although this law works in us automatically, it still needs our cooperation through our faith and obedience. For such a cooperation we need to pray without ceasing to keep ourselves in the divine fellowship. If we do nut cooperate, the freeing Spirit, who is the law working within us, will be frustrated. But if we cooperate, the Spirit will operate by His law of life to free us from the law of sin and death.
Furthermore, as the Spirit works in this way, the Triune God is dispensed into our entire tripartite being, into our spirit, soul, and body. Through the working of the Spirit by His law of life the riches of the divine life are being dispensed into us. While the Spirit is saving and renewing us, He is dispensing the divine life into us. While He is freeing us, He is dispensing the elements of God’s life and nature into our being. Eventually, this dispensing will become our spiritual constitution. We shall be constituted of the divine elements through the dispensing work of the Holy Spirit.
The dispensing Spirit gives life even to our mortal bodies. Romans 8:11 says, “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from among the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from among the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.” This verse reveals that as the life-giving Spirit dwells in us, that is, makes His home in us, He will impart the divine life not only into our spirits and souls but even into our mortal bodies. Through the indwelling Spirit our bodies are enlivened by the divine life.
According to Romans 8:11, it is possible for divine, eternal life to be given to our mortal bodies. In this verse Paul says that if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from among the dead dwells in us, He who raised Christ Jesus from among the dead will give life to our mortal bodies, and this will take place through the indwelling Spirit. When we put together verses 10, 6, and 11, we see that not only is our spirit life, and our mind life, if it is set on the spirit, but life may also be given to our mortal bodies through the Spirit.
The Bible reveals that, as human beings, we are tripartite. This means that we have a spirit, a soul, and a body. In Romans 8 we see that first our spirit becomes life through regeneration. Then if we are faithful to set our mind on our spirit, our mind will also become life. This will prepare the way for the Spirit to give life to our mortal bodies. As a result, our bodies will receive the divine life.
Romans 8:11 speaks of our “mortal bodies.” The word “mortal” indicates that our bodies are subject to death. However, if we contact the Lord when we are physically weak or sick, the Spirit will dispense the divine life into our weak and sick bodies. In this way our bodies are strengthened and healed. This is not the healing by an outward miracle; on the contrary, this is the healing by the inward dispensing of life. This kind of healing does not take place suddenly. On the contrary, healing through the divine dispensing takes time. Gradually, through the Spirit’s giving life to our mortal bodies, we are healed, perhaps without being aware of it. Therefore, the believers may be healthy and strong through the gradual and continual dispensing of the divine life by working the Spirit into their whole being, even into their mortal bodies.
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