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Mindful But Not Bound By The Law
John TiltonRomans 7:4-7
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.
Paul’s dissertation on the law is so insightful on the balance between the law of the Old Testament and the new covenant in Jesus Christ; and subsequently how the law applies to us today, even in our interpretations of today’s laws of man.
He is clear that dying to the law through Christ ushered in a release, grace and a Spirit led way; whereby rather then being bound by the law, through Christ we recognize the precepts of the law and therefore live beyond the law. It is so true that when we are and feel that we need to abide by rules and laws of “don’t do this” and “don’t do that;” that there is the propensity and desire more so to do what one shouldn’t be doing. It’s like trying to diet and not eat certain foods; more so do we battle with the process of dieting and craving foods we shouldn’t be eating. Yet, the law is not discarded, but rather becomes the principles that keep us mindful and obedient to God’s will and way. In the diet and food-craving scenario, it’s like focusing on and filling our mind with things other then the weight of dieting (no pun intended) and looking forward to what we can eat instead … its perception and positive thoughts that go beyond the rule and law.
This truly speaks to me as an, “A” type personality that looks for things to all fall in order and the need for things to have a rhyme and reason. I can tend to be constantly preoccupied and stuck on the rules and laws rather then living and walking in the Spirit of the Lord. I tend to immediately try to solve matters rather then pray and seek the Lord. These scriptures speak to me about the perspective of living above and beyond the law … yes, I did just say above. However, not above in terms of breaking the law, but living and walking through the Lord’s will and ways, garnered from His Word and resulting in time spent with Him in prayer; which is indeed living above the law.
Dear Lord, I pray that you will lead me by the Holy Spirit to be mindful of the law but not bound by the law in my obedience to your will and call on my life. May the law be a reference and illustrative to guide me in living and walking through your Spirit, beyond the weight of the law, knowing that as I live in your Word and give everything to you, you take and carry that weight.
