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In the last verse of Romans 7, it is “the law of sin.” In the second verse of Romans 8, it is “the law of sin and death.” Call it what you will, but it is the blight of mankind. It was this law that made the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh an absolute necessity. Had there been any other way to nullify the effects of this law, that way would have been chosen. Simple fact: The law of sin necessitated the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8.2). We will have more to say about the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” on another day, but the reader is encouraged to note that it was this law that made us free from the law of sin. One law made us free from another law! Freedom from law involves law. To attempt to serve God without recognizing law is tantamount to eating ice cream with no ice, or no cream! It is a violation of essence! God is authority; His word is law. What He speaks comes to pass without regard to other laws; His trumps all others. With these brief comments we frame our future discussion of the law that makes us free and we transition back to our topic, the law of sin.

While the law of God is to be loved (see Psalm 119.97,113,163,165), the law of sin is detestable! It is the law that dooms all of humanity – that is – all of humanity that is found outside of Jesus Christ. The law of sin is not the law of Moses, though people who lived under the law of Moses were subject to the law of sin. The law of sin began its reign in Eden, dramatically affected the world of the antediluvians, brought hardship and misery to Abraham and his descendents, continued unchecked throughout the Old Testament period of the Israelites, and blossomed profusely at the time of the birth of Jesus. The law of sin is connected inextricably with the righteous character of God. Being holy and without any shadow of turning even, God’s demands for justice must be satisfied; He cannot eternally overlook [wink] at sin (though He may choose to do so for a period; see Acts 17.30-31).

Sin demands a penalty and the penalty is always the same. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6.23). The law of sin is indeed, the law of sin and death. Sinners find absolutely no escape from that abysmal law! It is abysmal for that very reason – from it there is no escape! God’s righteousness demands that justice be satisfied, hence the standoff for the centuries preceding Christ. As soon as man sinned (and we all do after we come to the age of discernment) he was helplessly trapped by the long arm of the law of sin; trapped with absolutely no hope of escape apart from the Father’s intervention through Messiah. For the thousands, hundreds of thousands, yea, multiplied millions, there was not a single person who escaped the prison erected by the law of sin! A hardened criminal might boast, “There ain’t no prison ever been build that can hold me!” But, the prison house of sin is absolutely and eternally escape-proof!

What is life without hope? Hope is the light that dispels the darkness; hope is the motivation to go on when everything to date has failed. In spite of the law of sin, the psalmist could sing, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.” (Psalm 16.9). There was hope because Messiah would come! Beautiful, beautiful hope!!

Questions:

1. Why can’t God just excuse sin? Wouldn’t that be the merciful thing to do?

2. How did sin affect Adam and Eve? How does it affect us? What consequences of their sins do we still experience? (Note: We are NOT under condemnation because of their sin; but we do suffer consequences stemming from their disobedience)?

3. How does hope square with the idea of the inescapable prison-house of sin?

4. What was Messiah to do regarding this hopeless situation? (Read Isaiah 42.7 & Luke 4.18)

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One