Galatians 4 v 9 – 11 - Legalism - Christians turning to Covenant law is a backward step

 ‘But at this present time, having known God, or rather, having been known under God, how are you turning back once more on the basis of weak and destitute basic principles which you are desiring to be enslaved to afresh once more? 10 You are scrupulously observing days, months, seasons and years. 11 I am fearful for you in case I have perhaps laboured towards you penetrating into no purpose’, (Galatians 4 v 9 – 11).

Paul applies what he has just been saying to those Hebrew Christians who were turning back to the written codes of Covenant law. He says, ‘At this present time, you know God – or to put it in a better way, you have been known under God – so why are you turning back? Why are you going backwards, turning back once more on the basis of weak, destitute, rudimentary principles? (Galatians 3 v 23, 24; 4 v 1 – 3). Why do you desire to be enslaved to the Sinai Covenant, it’s written codes of law, and human nature once again?’ 

What is it that these Hebrew Christians were doing? They were ‘scrupulously observing days, months, seasons and years’. They were being very careful in observing Jewish Sabbaths and other fasting-days or festivals right down to observing specific single days. Jews had also added many other days, such as commemorating the destruction and rebuilding of the temple, and other important events in their history. Then there was the observance of the first day of the month, the new moon, and they were also paying close attention to seasons, such as the Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. They were observing years, such as the sabbatical year, which was about the time of the writing this Epistle, and the year of jubilee. 

Paul sums this situation up by saying ‘I am fearful for you in case I have perhaps laboured towards you penetrating into no purpose’. These Hebrew Christians had gone so far backwards down this route of observing the law that they had reached a point where Paul wondered whether they were Christians after all. He begins to speculate whether his endeavours have been without purpose, without a viable result.

Galatians 3 v 21 – 22 - The written codes of law are not how God’s promises are fulfilled

 ‘Therefore, is the law down from the announced promises of God? May it not be caused to happen! Because if law had been given having ability to give Life, indeed, the judicial approval and right wise-ness would exist from out of law. 22 But the Scripture shut up and enclosed all things underneath self-forfeiture and loss in order that the announced promise be given from out of entrustment and persuasion, to those who are persuaded and entrusting Jesus, His Anointed’, (Galatians 3 v 21 – 22).

In verses 19 and 20, Paul said that the God of the Sinai Covenant and its written codes of laws is one and the same as the God Who announced promises to Abraham. There is divine unity in spite of the various different aspects in which God reveals Himself to successive generations and different groups of humanity. Paul defines the implications of this in the following verses, and he considers another potential objection, which he once again expresses in the form of a rhetorical question - ‘Therefore is the law down from the announced promises of God?’ He immediately answers his own question, ‘May it not be caused to happen!’. 

This question proposes that God is fulfilling His promises to Abraham and his seed by giving Covenant law. In other words, it is proposed that Covenant law is the means by which God’s promises will be attained. ‘Not at all’ says Paul. ‘If it was possible that divine judicial approval could exist from out of individuals keeping the written codes of Covenant law, if Covenant law had the ability to give Life, then that would indeed be the arrangement that God would put in place’. But this is not possible, and Paul explains why.

‘Scripture shut up and enclosed all things underneath self-forfeiture and loss’. Self-forfeiture and loss encloses everyone. Everyone is trapped and imprisoned by self-forfeiture and loss, and there are no exceptions. There is an impulse and impetus inherent within our human nature, within the fabric of our flesh, inclining us towards self-forfeiture and loss. It is present within everyone, including those placed under Covenant law. Both Jews and Gentiles are trapped by it.

Why is this? Why does Scripture enclose everyone underneath self-forfeiture and loss? It is ‘in order that the announced promise be given from out of entrustment and persuasion, to those who are persuaded and entrusting Jesus, His Anointed’, (verse 22b). The announced promise given to Abraham – ‘in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed’, (Genesis 22 v 18a), is not and cannot be attained by any individual expending their energy and labour to keep the written codes of Covenant law. This is because everyone is trapped and imprisoned within self-forfeiture and loss. This means that as with Abraham, the announced promise is received by means of persuasion and entrustment, and the ‘object’ of this persuasion and entrustment is Jesus, His Anointed, the seed of Abraham. Because of the all-pervading principle of self-forfeiture and loss, knowledge of which only increases by knowing divine law, it means that hearing, persuasion and entrustment is the means by which the announced promise is attained – in other words, the promise is attained by means of faith. 

Galatians 2 v 20 – 21 - No judicial approval for people seeking to keep the law

 ‘I have been crucified together with His Anointed, but I am alive - no longer I [ego] - but His Anointed alive within me. And at this present time, what I am living within flesh, I am living this within faith, the Son of God having loved me and having surrendered himself above and beyond me. 21 I am absolutely not setting aside the free gift of God, because if judicial approval and right wise-ness [is] by means of law, then His Anointed died without cause’, (Galatians 2 v 20 – 21).

In verse 19 Paul made the general statement that –

‘I, [ego], by means of law, died to law, in order that I live to God’

Now Paul begins explain what he means and how this relates to the error of Peter, Barnabas and the other Christian Jews who were turning back to observing Sinai Covenant law. He says, ‘I have been crucified together with His Anointed, but I am alive’. In effect he begins to talk about his ‘old humanity’ and his ‘new humanity’ or new formation. He makes a similar statement in his letter to the Romans, ‘Knowing this, that our old human appearance is crucified together with [Jesus], in order that the body of self-forfeiture and loss is rendered down to being idle and inactive. We are no longer devotedly enslaved to the self-forfeiture and loss’, (Romans 6 v 6). In being brought forth by God, what he was, his natural, earthy fleshly constitution, has been crucified together with the Messiah. His old human appearance was tied and enslaved to energies, impulses and raw passions inherent within the fabric of his flesh. But when God brought him forth his old appearance changed. He died and yet he is alive. He has been brought forth as a new form, a ‘new self’. 

He says that he is no longer ‘I’ [ego]. What does he mean? ‘I’ is the locus of self-governance – ‘I’ choose, ‘I’ desire, ‘I’ think and feel. He means that he is no longer governing and regulating his speech and behaviour based on tied enslavement to the impulses and energies inherent within his fleshly constitution. Rather, by means of the Breath of God, the Messiah is alive within him and he has been set free from enslavement to self-forfeiture, in order to serve the Lord. The Lord is governing his speech and behaviour by means of the Breath within. Paul is no longer dead within fleshly unresponsiveness and insensitivity to God, but roused up from out of the dead towards responsiveness to God and Life in His Messiah by means of the Breath. 

Paul had not physically died, he was still living within his ‘vessel of clay’ or ‘earthly tent’. He was still existing within flesh, but now he was alive to God and living within entrustment and persuasion, a bond-slave of the Messiah, the anointed one of God ‘having loved me and having surrendered himself above and beyond me’. 

So how does this new ‘self’ relate to the behaviour of Peter and the other Hebrew Christians who were turning back to observing the written codes of Covenant law? Paul says, ‘I am absolutely not setting aside the free gift of God’. God brought Paul forth when he was in a helpless state. Paul did not have the ability to deliver himself from divine condemnation. His deliverance, his ‘bringing forth’ and ‘making alive’ is a free gift away from God, and away from His only-begotten Son ‘having loved me and having surrendered himself above and beyond me’ – above and beyond Paul’s ability. Paul says that he is not going to set aside this free gift. He is not going to dismiss it, which is what he would do of he went back to seeking to attain and maintain divine judicial approval by means of investing his labour and energy into observing the injunctions of the written codes of Covenant law.

The bottom line is this – ‘if judicial approval and right wise-ness [is] by means of law, then His Anointed died without cause’. 

If the means of attaining and maintaining divine approval is by means of observing Covenant law, by labouring to put into practice its written codes,

Then, if such a thing were possible, that is what God would have put in place.

But such a task is beyond the ability of anyone. More than this, if the means of deliverance and the maintenance of cleanliness was through obedience to the written codes of Covenant law, it would mean that the Messiah had died without purpose. His death would not have been necessary, it would have been superfluous, because this other method of deliverance and maintenance of cleanliness was already in place.

Principles of living a godly life [72] - Present hardship – Future honour [4]

 ‘For we appreciate that the whole of the original formation is jointly groaning and jointly suffering birth pains up to the present time. 23 Not alone, but on the contrary, even ourselves, possessing the first-fruit of the Breath [Pneuma], even we ourselves are groaning within ourselves, eagerly awaiting adoption as sons, the full ransom and release of our body’, (Romans 8 v 22, 23). 

The opposite of ‘the whole of the original formation’ (verse 22) is ‘even ourselves, possessing the first-fruit of the Breath’ (verse 23), or Christians. As Benson’s Commentary states, this shows ‘that the apostle is speaking, not of [animals] and inanimate creation but of mankind’. Generally speaking there is a discontentment or sense of lack of fulfilment within humanity. The whole of the empty, aimless, transient original formation that lacks usefulness ‘is jointly groaning and jointly suffering birth pains up to the present time’, (verse 22). Humanity, within its original formation, is united in a condition of sorrow, continued suffering and existential crisis. That fact that Paul is speaking about humanity is confirmed by his emphasis on ‘the attentive thinking and supposition of the original formation’, (verse 19). What is this attentive thinking and supposition? Paul has told us throughout his letter to the Romans. Existing within their original formation, humanity is ‘holding down the truth within injustice and what is not rightwise’, (Romans 1 v 18). They ‘became ineffectual, unproductive and without usefulness within their thinking, and their deep inner core, lacking synthesised understanding began and continued to be darkened. 22 Asserting to be clear and wise, they became dull, sluggish and insipid, 23 and they changed the honour and praiseworthiness of God into a likeness, an image, of mortal man, flying animals, four-footed beasts and crawling things. 24 Therefore God handed them over away from close beside, within focus on passionate desire of their hearts’, (Romans 1 v 21 - 24). Enslaved to their fleshly constitution, ‘the down from the flesh are existing thinking, judging and caring for that of the flesh’, (Romans 8 v 5), constructing and manufacturing that of the flesh, (Romans 1 v 24 – 32; Galatians 5 v 19 – 21).

But humanity existing within its original formation is not groaning in pain alone. On the contrary, ‘even ourselves possessing the firstfruit of the Breath [Pneuma], even we ourselves are groaning within ourselves’, (verse 23). Christians are also groaning within themselves in constriction. Why are Christians groaning within themselves? Because Christians are eagerly expecting ‘adoption as sons, the full ransom and release of our body’. We have seen that Christians are existing within their ‘clay vessel’, the original formation that is a ‘body of death’. They are ‘groaning and weighed down on the basis that they do not wish to be stripped out of clothing, but to be clothed over, so that ‘the subject to death’ be swallowed down by Life’, (II Corinthians 5 v 4). Christians are ‘eagerly awaiting adoption as sons’. The Christian has received the Breath of God and His Messiah and is already an adopted child of God, (verses15, 16.) But this adoption still has to be brought to completion, which will not be until the coming of the Messiah as King of kings. At that time they will receive ‘the full ransom and release of their body’. The original formation of flesh and blood, of a mortal body, cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Christians are groaning within, eagerly awaiting the release of their existing vessel of clay, eagerly expecting it to be changed.

Principles of living a godly life [71] - Present hardship – Future honour [3]

 ‘For the empty original formation has begun and is continuing to be placed under, absolutely not willingly or voluntarily, but by means of the placing under on the basis of confident expectation 21 that even the original formation itself will be set free away from the enslavement, the decay and ruin, penetrating into the freedom, the honour and glory of the children of God. 22 For we appreciate that the whole of the original formation is jointly groaning and jointly suffering birth pains up to the present time’, (Romans 8 v 20 - 22).

Paul is writing about judicial approval and rightwiseness, not only in terms of Christians standing free from divine condemnation at the Day of Judgement, but also in terms of divine judicial approval and rightwiseness in conducting their lives moment-by-moment at this present time. Paul introduced the theme of opposition between the Christian's physical fleshly constitution with its impulses and energies, and the movement or current of the Breath of God that indwells the Christian’s deep inner core, (verses 1 - 4). He has said that the Christian’s fleshly constitution has not been transformed and that in this sense Christians are existing within a ‘dead body’ that remains intrinsically unresponsive to God, grieving and weighing Christians down. But the Christian’s fleshly constitution is enabled to serve God by means of the movement, influence, current and energy of the Breath of God dwelling deep within them, (verses 4, 5) as the source of Life within the Messiah, (verse 10). The current of Breath of God enlightens the Christian’s mind and influences their own breath and impetus - the current, movement and inclination within them. Christians are not indebted to their flesh, nor obliged to follow its raw passions. Instead, Christians are putting to death the actions of the body down from breath, and as they do so they will live. 

In effect Paul is answering his earlier question. ‘What will rescue and deliver me from out of this, the death-body?’ (Romans 7 v 24). Paul’s logical reasoning in answering this question brought him to say ‘if you are putting to death the actions of the body down from breath’ then you are being led by the Breath of God. And, ‘as many as are being led by the Breath of God, these are existing God’s sons’, adopted as children and heirs of God. 

But it is plain that the redemption of Christians from out of divine condemnation, self-forfeiture and loss, by means of the Messiah, has not yet reached the end result. But Christians possess ‘confident expectation 21 that even the original formation itself will be set free away from the enslavement, the decay and ruin, penetrating into the freedom, the honour and glory of the children of God’, (verse 20b, 21). Christians expect that the empty, aimless, transient original formation itself will be radically changed such that it will be set free from enslavement to decay and ruin. This radical, fundamental change of the original formation will penetrate into ‘the freedom, the honour and glory of the children of God’. 

There is a sense in which Christians have already been brought forth as a new formation, but there is also a sense in which this bringing forth has not yet reached its culmination or end point. Christians possess welcome confident expectation that redemption will indeed reach its end point, such that even their original formation – their physical, flesh and blood constitution – will, in the future, be changed. But at this present time, Christians continue to exist within their unchanged ‘clay vessel’. 

In verse 22 Paul says that Christians know and appreciate that ‘the whole of the original formation is jointly groaning and jointly suffering birth pains up to the present time’. In this verse Paul seems to step back and take a broader view by looking at the whole of humanity, and perhaps even the whole original formation, which was originally seen as ‘very good’ but which has now fallen from that state. God’s plan of redemption and restoration is being worked out, but many of these fundamental changes are still to be fully brought forth. Thus the empty, aimless, transient original formation is ‘jointly groaning and jointly suffering birth pains up to the present time’. This ongoing process of change is painful for the original formation, causing it to groan and suffer birth pains. I interpret it in this way because in verse 23, Paul makes a comparison with Christians, as we will see in the next post.

The process that Paul has been talking about involves the original formation being ‘unwillingly and involuntarily placed under’. As we read in verse 20, ‘the empty original formation has begun and is continuing to be placed under, absolutely not willingly or voluntarily’. So finally, we can ask, ‘What is the empty original formation being subordinated to? Unwillingly being placed under what or who? The original formation is being placed under the delegated ruling authority of the Messiah as Paul explains in his first letter to the Corinthians when he looks at the culmination of God’s Kingdom. Initially, Jesus will return and come close having taken up the mantle of King of kings to rule the nations with an iron rod during the Millennium Reign. Paul writes about the culmination of this reign, ‘the end, when he [Jesus] will hand over the kingdom to the God and Father when he will have annulled all dominion, and all authority and power. 25 For it is necessary for him to reign up until he put all the enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished - death. 27 For ‘He puts all things placed under His feet’. But when it may be said that all things have been arranged under, it is evident that the one having placed all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things will have been placed under Him, then also the Son himself will be placed under the One Who has arranged all things under him, so that God may be all in all’, (I Corinthians 15 v 24 – 28).

Principles of living a godly life [70] - Present hardship – Future honour [2]

 Paul says that ‘…away and separate from the attentive thinking and supposition of the original formation, the unveiling of the sons of God is welcomed away from, and out of, eager waiting in full expectation. 20 For the empty original formation has begun and is continuing to be placed under, absolutely not willingly or voluntarily, but by means of the placing under on the basis of confident expectation 21 that even the original formation itself will be set free away from the enslavement, the decay and ruin, penetrating into the freedom, the honour and glory of the children of God’, (Romans 8 v 18 - 21).

In verse 20 Paul gives the reason why ‘the unveiling of the sons of God is welcomed away from, and out of, eager waiting in full expectation’. He once again uses the Greek word ‘ktisis’, which in the previous post I said means ‘original formation’. In terms of human beings, the word refers to their original arrangement or formation that they inherit - the sensuous, earthy, fleshly human constitution with its impulses and passions that as a result of Adam’s disobedience are opposed to God because of the fall into disobedience. This original formation is now described as ‘empty’ – as transient, aimless and lacking usefulness. 

But that is by no means the end of the narrative. The context of this passage is that Paul is talking about Christians being judicially approved and made rightwise. With regard to Christians he tells us that ‘the empty original formation has begun and is continuing to be placed under’. He states this in the aorist tense – in other words this ‘placing under’ is something that has started in the past and is continuing at this present time and will continue into the future. The ‘original arrangement and formation’ – the natural human constitution of flesh and blood - is in a process of being ‘placed under’ at this present time. The Greek word is ‘hupotassó’, meaning ‘to appoint or arrange under’. I will explain ‘under what’ in the next post. 

However, the Christian’s ‘empty original formation’ that lacks usefulness – their physical body of flesh and blood - is not willingly or voluntarily ‘being arranged under’ or ‘arranging itself under’. The Christian’s physical constitution per se, their ‘original formation’, is unresponsive to God and in fact, the energies and impulses inherent within the fabric of flesh are opposed to God. So the transient, aimless original formation has begun and is continuing ‘to be unwillingly arranged under’ ‘on the basis of confident expectation’ of something. This welcoming confident expectation is ‘away and separate from the attentive thinking and supposition of the original formation’ (verse 19). It is not arising from the empty original formation itself. It is not a welcome confident expectation that is ‘naturally emerging’ from the Christian’s flesh and blood. Rather, it arises separate and away from the attentive thinking and suppositions that arise from the empty original formation of our earthy constitution. It is something distinct and separate.

So the next question is, ‘Confident expectation of what?’ Paul tells us immediately in verse 21 – ‘confident expectation that even the original formation itself will be set free away from the enslavement, the decay and ruin, penetrating into the freedom, the honour and glory of the children of God’. The Christian’s welcome confident expectation is that ‘the original formation itself will be set free away from the enslavement, the decay and ruin’. Their confident expectation is with regard to a radical and fundamental change to the original formation itself, a change that will penetrate into ‘the freedom away from the enslavement, the decay and ruin, the honour and glory of the children of God’.

As Paul says elsewhere, the original formation of flesh and blood cannot inherit or even see the Kingdom of God. Christians are already existing as a new formation having been born again, but the process is not yet complete. But Christians possess confident expectation that their original formation, their inherited, fallen, fleshly constitution, will in the future, when redemption is made complete, be set free from its enslavement to self-forfeiture, decay and ruin. The Christian’s eager, confident expectation is that their physical body will be changed.  ‘…we will all be changed within an indivisible moment in time, within the jerk of an eye, at the final trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be aroused without decay, not perishable, and we will be made different’, (I Corinthians 15 v 52). 

It is on the basis of this eager, welcome confident expectation that at this present time the empty original formation is being ‘placed under’, (verse 20b). ‘Because we are existing within the tent, we are groaning and weighed down on the basis that we do not wish to be stripped out of clothing, but to be clothed over so that ‘the subject to death’ be swallowed down by Life’, (II Corinthians 5 v 4). There is part of the incentive or motivation for Christians ‘putting to death the actions of the body’, (verse 13). This is quite a different process from the legalist’s proposal that Christians turn to the written codes of Covenant law and try to use them as a spur towards holiness.

Principles of living a godly life [69] - Present hardship – Future honour [1]

 ‘For I consider that the suffering of this present time is not comparable to the honour and praiseworthiness about to be revealed towards us, 19 for away from the thinking of the original formation, the unveiling of the sons of God is welcomed away from eager expectation’, (Romans 8 v 18, 19). 

Paul has introduced the idea of the Christian’s liberation and standing within divine approval (verses 15 – 17a), but he says that Christians ‘are sharing suffering together [with the Messiah] in order that also they share praise and honour together’, (verse 17 b). But he goes on to say that this present suffering bears no comparison to the honour and praiseworthiness that is about to be revealed towards ‘us’, by which Paul seems to mean ‘Christians’. That would seem to be another of his general statements. He then goes on to explain this in more detail, in what actually in some ways prove to be a difficult few verses. So take a deep breath.

What is Paul saying? He is saying that ‘the suffering that we [Christians] are experiencing at this present time bear no comparison to the honour and praise about to be revealed towards us [Christians], for…’. The word ‘for’ is a conjunction, a ‘joining word’ used to express cause, explanation, inference or continuation. So we can perhaps use the word ‘because’. This then gives us ‘the suffering that we [Christians] are experiencing at this present time bear no comparison to the honour and praise about to be revealed towards us [Christians] because…’. We then come to the Greek word ‘apokaradokia’, a word made up of ‘apo’, meaning ‘away from’, which usually denotes separation or departure, and ‘dokeo’ meaning ‘attentive thought’ or ‘supposition’. This now gives us ‘the suffering that we [Christians] are experiencing at this present time bear no comparison to the honour and praise about to be revealed towards us [Christians], because away from the attentive thought and supposition of…’. The next question is, ‘Attentive thought and supposition of who?’ 

The Greek word is ‘ktisis’, usually translated as ‘creation’, such that in many translations we tend to find something like this – ‘For the earnest expectation of the creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God’. The word ‘ktisis’ means ‘original formation’, ‘what is formed’, ‘what is founded or planted’. So the issue is this – is Paul referring to the whole of ‘creation’, as in humans, animals, plants, mountains and so on, or does he mean something more restricted? The word occurs just 19 times in the New Testament in the form of a noun, 15 times in the form of a verb, and 4 times in reference to what is formed. In almost every case it is translated into English as ‘creation’, or ‘to create’ or ‘that which was created’. I translate it as ‘original formation’.  

Meyer’s New Testament Commentary points out that Christians are different from the ‘ktisis’, and even opposed to it. Since Paul is talking about the attentive thoughts and suppositions of the ‘original formation’ I suggest that he is referring to human beings as they are in their natural, earthy, sensuous human constitution within flesh and blood, their ‘death-body’. What he calls the ‘old self’ or ‘old humanity’ elsewhere.   As Meyer says, Christians are different, something that Paul has also been saying. There is a polarising difference between Christians who are brought forth as a ‘new formation’ in comparison to their old, inherited, natural original formation or ‘old self’. Paul has been saying that the old formation, as a result of Adam’s disobedience, is enslaved to and pays attention to flesh and its impulses and energies. But the new formation pays attention to the Breath. 

Paul is saying that separate and away from the thinking and suppositions of human beings existing within their original formation, ‘the unveiling of the sons of God is welcomed away from eager expectation’. The ‘unveiling of the sons of God’ would seem to refer to Christians effectively being brought forth as a free gift of God at this present time, and more especially to the completion and end result of their redemption in the future at the return of the Messiah. Separate and away from the thinking and suppositions of human beings within their original formation, this unveiling is being eagerly awaited. The Greek word is ‘apekdechomai’, meaning ‘eager waiting in full expectation’. The consistent theme across all the passages where this Greek word is used is the Christian’s hopeful and patient waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled in the future. 

I am suggesting that verses 18b and 19 are best fully translated and amplified something like this. ‘…the suffering of this present time is not comparable to the honour and praiseworthiness about to be revealed towards us, 19 because away and separate from the attentive thinking and supposition of the original formation, the unveiling of the sons of God is welcomed away from and out of eager waiting in full expectation’. [And breathe out].

Principles of living a set apart, godly life [66] – The Christian dynamic [2]

 ‘And if the Breath, [Pneuma] having roused up Jesus from out of the dead, is dwelling within you, [then] having been roused up from out of the dead, Jesus the Messiah will also give Life to your bodies that are dead by means of his Breath [Pneuma] dwelling within you’, (Romans 8 v 11). 

There we are. Paul is stating what I concluded in the previous post. But a number of commentators and scholars fall into an error here. They propose that Paul is now talking about the Christian’s future state - their ultimate approval at the great Assizes. But that is not what Paul is talking about. Barnes, for one, has it right when he says, ‘That this does not refer to the resurrection of the dead [and the Final Judgement] seems to be apparent….I understand it as referring to the body, subject to carnal desires and propensities, by nature under the reign of death’, (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible My parenthesis). 

It is important to recognise that for Christians, the rousing up from out of the dead has already begun. Let’s look at the context. Paul has been presenting the polarisation between the Christian’s fleshly constitution that in itself is dead - unresponsive to God, and Breath leading to Life by means of judicial approval. Christians have been brought forth by God and placed within the Messiah, in union with the Messiah, by means of the Breath that now dwells within their deep inner core. The Christian’s fleshly body has not been transformed, nor transcended. This means that the Christian’s fleshly constitution, the ‘tent’ or ‘clay vessel’ in which they exist - is a burden. It weighs Christians down because although their mind and ‘ego’, their ‘I’ as governor/regulator ‘inside the cup’, is enlightened by the Breath to perceive and entrust the Messiah, and desire godliness, their physical flesh per se remains dead, insensitive and unresponsive to God. In fact more than this, impulses and energies within their fleshly constitution are working to come to completion in opposition to God. But the Breath is the Life-principle within the Messiah. Christians, and only Christians, possess the free gift of the Messiah and the Breath. God gives these gifts to those He has selected when they have no natural power or ability to save themselves or to please God. God’s free gift penetrates into them ‘becoming another, ‘the having been aroused from out of the dead’, in order that they begin and continue to bear the fruit of God’, (Romans 7 v 4).

It is the Breath of God, moving on the basis of the principle of Life within the Messiah, that is given to dwell in the Christian’s deep inner core. It is the Breath that enables the Christian’s unresponsive, dead, fleshly constitution to begin and continue to bear the fruit of God. The Breath is the fundamental principle of Life within the Messiah. It is the Breath that is rousing up and giving Life to the Christian’s unresponsive, fleshly body that in itself is dead. ‘…having been roused up from out of the dead, Jesus the Messiah will also give life to your bodies that are dead by means of his Breath [Pneuma] dwelling within you’. 

Paul is not talking about the future. He is not talking about the Final Judgement. He is talking about Christians living a godly life within divine approval moment-by-moment here and now. If Paul was talking about the resurrection then we would expect him to talk about the return of the Lord Jesus and Christians being caught up to be with the Lord to receive their divinely allotted inheritance. But he does not do that because that is not what he is talking about. He is talking about the Christian’s fleshly body being roused up from out of insensitivity and unresponsiveness to God at this present time. This is confirmed by what he goes on to say next. 

Principles of living a godly life [65] – The Christian dynamic [1]

 ‘But if you [are] within Messiah, the body indeed lacks life by means of self-forfeiture and loss, but the Breath, [Pneuma], Life by means of judicial approval and right wise-ness’, (Romans 8 v 10).

Paul now continues with his theme of flesh and Breath. His focus is now on Christians and he says ‘But if [in contrast to those not possessing the Breath] you [are] within Messiah…’. What makes Christians different? OK. [Warning: Time to take a deep breath]. Unbelievers are existing down from the impulses and energies within their flesh that are seeking to work themselves across from within and into self-forfeiting speech and behaviour. 

But if you are within the Messiah then –

The body indeed lacks life by means of self-forfeiture and loss

But

The Breath, Life by means of judicial approval and right wise-ness

  

Paul maintains the dichotomy between flesh and Breath, and the corresponding results of death and life, even when looking at Christians. Verse 10 is virtually a restatement of Romans 7 v 25 – ‘So then, indeed I am willingly serving God’s law with the mind, but flesh, fundamental principles of self-forfeiture and loss’. On being brought forth by God, Christians have not lost nor transcended their fleshly constitution. They have not suddenly become incorporeal beings who have forsaken their physical body. Christians continue to exist within their physical, fleshly body, which is metaphorically compared in Scripture to a tent – ‘I exist within this, the tent’, (II Peter 1 v 13), and ‘existing within the tent we are groaning, being weighed down’, (II Corinthians 5 v 4). 

Why are Christians being ‘weighed down’? Because ‘the body indeed lacks Life by means of self-forfeiture and loss’. The Christian’s fleshly constitution, their physical body per se remains a hopeless case. On being brought forth by God the Christian’s earthy, fleshly body is not reconstituted nor is it transcended. The Christian’s fleshly constitution does not change. The Christian’s earthy fleshly constitution is indeed death by means of its fleshly impulses and passions working out to completion within self-forfeiting behaviour in opposition to God. Its passions and energies are still actively working in opposition to God, contrary to the Christians enlightened mind. Of itself the Christian’s flesh remains unresponsive, opposed to God, and it is also subject to physical death – it is mortal. Thus Christians are groaning and weighed down. 

Why does God allow this to be the case? Paul tells us elsewhere that Christians ‘have this storehouse within earthen vessels in order that the power above and beyond exists from out of God’, (II Corinthians 4 v 7). The godly service that Christians construct is not originating and emerging down from their physical body or its inherent strength and ability. This means that there is no room for Christians to boast. Christians have their storehouse of divine gifts within their weak ‘earthen vessels’ so that what they construct is down from the power that exists from out of God by means of the Breath.  

Now ‘this is the desire and purpose of God - you set apart, pure and clean….every one of you knowing and perceiving, acquiring possession and mastery of his [or her] vessel within purity and honour’, (I Thessalonians 4 v 3a, 4). The Christian’s divine summons – their calling from God - is towards enlightened self-mastery over the impulses and energies inherent within their fleshly constitution that are working in opposition to God. But how can Christians move towards this goal if their fleshly constitution is dead and unresponsive to God? They cannot attain this mastery by means of turning to the written codes of divine law because the law is made weak and powerless by the impulses and passions of their flesh. The law makes knowledge of self-forfeiture more evident, (Romans 7 v 8 – 10; 8 v 3, 4).

Paul gives us the answer – ‘but the Breath [Pneuma] Life by means of judicial approval and right wise-ness’. The Breath is the source of Life – of sensitivity and responsiveness to God – given to Christians as a result of the free gift of judicial approval secured by God’s anointed deliverer, the Messiah, and the source of the Christian’s union with the Messiah. The Christian’s tied enslavement to their flesh is cut, such that within Christians there is a contrary movement and current, and an enlightened mind, that opposes the flesh. [And relax]. 

Principles of living a godly life [64] – The polarisation separating Christians and ‘outsiders’ [4]

 ‘But you are not within flesh, but on the contrary, within breath, [pneuma], since indeed, Breath [Pneuma] of God is dwelling within you. But if anyone is not possessing the Breath [Pneuma] of the Messiah he is absolutely not existing of him’, (Romans 8 v 9).

‘But you…’, by which Paul means ‘You Christians…’. Paul says that Christians ‘are not within flesh’. It is obvious that Christians still retain their fleshly body – the ‘death-body’ that constitutes the ‘tent’ or ‘clay vessel’ that they ‘inhabit’ and that is intrinsically unresponsive to God. So what does Paul mean by the phrase ‘you are not within flesh’? He means that ‘contrary’ to those existing within flesh, walking around down from and within enslavement to flesh, those who are brought forth by God are no longer in their previous enslaved state – something radical has happened to them. They are no longer within their unpardoned, enslaved state of self-forfeiture. They are not existing down from flesh, (Romans 8 v 5). ‘Knowing this, that our old human appearance is crucified together with [Him], in order that the body of self-forfeiture and loss is rendered down to being idle and inactive. We are no longer devotedly enslaved to the self-forfeiture and loss’, (Romans 6 v 6).  

So what is the fundamental principle and source of this polarising difference between Christians and unbelievers? It is this - 

The Breath related to God and the heavenly realm that is indwelling them and is moving on the basis of Life within the Messiah

Christians possess a movement or current within them of opposition to the impulses inherent in their flesh. They possess sensitivity and responsiveness to God, an impulse towards loyal service, and enlightened knowledge and perception with regard to God and the Messiah. It is by means of this Breath that they are placed in union with their Messiah. The Apostle says that the differentiating and empowering source towards maintaining divine approval day-by-day is not divine law, for the reasons that Paul has been explaining since chapter 7 v 1. The differentiating and empowering source towards godliness and Life within the Messiah is the Breath of God. The contrast that Paul consistently makes is between flesh and the Breath of God. 

The next phrase is usually translated - ‘if indeed the Breath of God is dwelling within you’. The conjunction – ‘if’ - is causal, not conditional. Hence I translate it like this – ‘Since the Breath has presence and activity within you’, in your heart or deep inner core, (I Corinthians 2 v 16; 6 v 19; Ephesians 2 v 22; Galatians 4 v 6). Seeing that the Breath is at the very foundation of your emerging thoughts, intentions, desires and feelings, ‘you [Christians] are not within flesh’. You are no longer enslaved to flesh.

If we are in any doubt with regard to this polarising difference between Christians and unbelievers, Paul stresses it once more. ‘But if anyone is not possessing the Breath [Pneuma] of the Messiah, he is absolutely not existing of him’. The Breath that Paul is talking about he sometimes calls the Breath of God and at other times the Breath of the Messiah. (Usually translated as the ‘Spirit of God’ or the ‘Holy Spirit’]. Here Paul says ‘Breath of the Messiah’, because this movement and current proceeds from the Messiah, is procured by the Messiah, and leads the individual Christian to reflecting the image of the Messiah, (John 14 v 26; 16 v 7; Galatians 4 v 6). The Breath of the Messiah could only be given following the successful obedience of Jesus to the point of death and God’s subsequent approval by rousing him from out of the dead. 

Whatever an individual may say, if they do not possess the Breath of the Messiah then they are none of his - not a member of the body of the Messiah, not a Christian, not existing in a state of deliverance, but still enslaved to flesh. Therefore this whole discourse about divine judicial approval day-by-day has no reference to such an individual because they do not possess the Breath. This is a plain, clear differentiation between Christians and unbelievers that admits no exception. 

So the main point that Paul is making is that Christians are no longer existing down from being enslaved to their flesh, with its impulses and drives. They are existing down from the Breath of God and His Messiah, which they hold and possess in their deep inner core and that provides a current of opposition to their fleshly impulses. They are encouraged to work alongside this Breath, using their enlightened minds. So Paul does not turn to Covenant law, but to the Breath. 

Principles of living godly life [62] – The polarising dichotomy separating Christians and ‘outsiders’ [2]

‘For the flesh-mind, death, but the breath-mind, [pneuma], life and peace’, (Romans 8 v 6).

Paul has pointed out two polarised groups within humanity and he is explaining how their speech and behaviour works out day-by-day. We have -

The ‘down from the flesh’ – those without persuasion with regard to spiritual realities, who exist thinking, judging and caring for that of the flesh

And

The ‘down from the Breath’ – those brought forth within the Messiah by God, by means of the Breath that indwells them. They exist thinking, judging and caring for that of the Breath, such that the fundamental principle of judicial approval and the rightwise-ness of the Law is beginning and continuing to be made full and complete within them

The mind-set, thoughts, purposes, aspirations and inclinations of those enslaved to their flesh is death - insensitivity, unresponsiveness, opposition and ignorance with regard to God. By contrast, the mind-set, thoughts, purposes, aspirations and inclinations of those possessing the Breath related to God, His Messiah and the heavenly realm is Life. The movement or current of the Breath dwelling in their deep inner core is vitality, animation, sensitivity, responsiveness, enlightened illumination and perception with regard to God, joining and tying together into wholeness, health, welfare and safety. ‘Being declared judicially approved and rightwise from out of entrustment and persuasion, they are possessing peace towards God by means of the Messiah’, (Romans 5 v 1). 

There is the fundamental, polarising difference. ‘Outsiders’ are enslaved to constructing the ‘workings of the flesh’, (Galatians 5 v 19 - 21). But those brought forth by God within the Messiah are working out or carrying across from within the practical end result of the movement of the Breath within them – the ‘Fruit of the Breath’, (Galatians 5 v 22 - 23). In both cases the ‘mind’ is presented as an intermediary regulator. In the case of unbelievers, their mind is an intermediary regulator between the raw passions of their flesh, and their speech and behaviour. But their mind is enslaved to their fleshly desires and impulses, thinking, judging and caring for that which is of the flesh. Using their mind they plan and determine how to satisfy the impulses of their flesh. 

For Christians, if they are walking within the sphere and influence of the Breath, then the Breath is enlightening their mind and the current of the Breath is in opposition to the impulses of their flesh. Using their mind, they think, judge and care for that which is of the Breath and carry this across from within into their speech and behaviour. In this way the judicial approval and rightwise acts of the Law are being made full and complete within them, (verse 4). 

But sometimes the mind of the Christian is captured by the energies that are inherent and still active within their flesh, (Romans 7 v 23). The practical godly speech and behaviour of Christians does not just happen. Christians don’t merely ‘let go and let God do the work’. Rather, they are exhorted to use their enlightened mind as a regulator of their speech and behaviour. They are exhorted to ‘work to bring about your deliverance to its end point, 13 for God is working within you, namely to intend and to be active upon what is good or beneficial’, (Philippians 2 v 12, 13).   

 

Principles of living a godly life [54] – Deliverance through the free kindness and favour of God by means of Jesus the Messiah

 ‘Rejoice! The free kindness and favour of God by means of Jesus the Messiah our Lord! So then, indeed I am willingly serving God’s law with the mind, but flesh, fundamental principles of self-forfeiture and loss’, (Romans 7 v 25).

Paul has led us to a point of helplessness, even despair, concerning our inability to set ourselves free from, or to overcome the inherent impulses within our fleshly constitution. By means of God’s law we know that God disapproves of certain behaviours – but in knowing God’s Law we begin to perceive our self-forfeiture in every aspect of our being. As we are by nature, our fleshly impulses lead us to self-forfeiture and loss – to divine disapproval and judicial condemnation. Even as Christians who are persuaded of the good news of the Messiah and desiring to live a godly life day-by-day, the intentions that arise within our enlightened mind are being frustrated and opposed by these impulses and energies within our physical flesh. Paul asks, ‘What will rescue and deliver me from out of this, the death body?’

Then, suddenly, Paul talks about rejoicing and giving thanks. Why? Because the answer to his question is, ‘the free kindness and favour of God by means of Jesus the Messiah our Lord!’ We get a sense I think that he cannot contain himself any longer. He thanks God for effecting a deliverance that is beyond his own ability. There is a way of divine approval and Paul places it completely in God’s free favour by means of the Lord Jesus, Messiah. What divine Law cannot do, and what our human constitution cannot do, is being accomplished by means of the Messiah as a result of God’s free favour. 

Paul then succinctly restates what he said earlier in verses 20 – 23. ‘So then’. He sums up the position that he has arrived at thus far. He returns to the polarising dichotomy between his godly intentions as a result of his enlightened mind, and the opposing impulses of his fleshly constitution. This is where he is as a Christian at this present time. On the one hand, ‘I [‘ego’ as governor/controller/regulator] am indeed willingly serving God’s law with the mind’, in my ‘inner man’ or the ‘inside of the cup’. I am agreeing alongside good, clean, praiseworthy divine law and my intention is to honour and praise God in my speech and behaviour. But my ‘flesh [my death-body], is serving fundamental principles of self-forfeiture and loss’. So I sometimes fail to do what ‘I’ [ego/governor/regulator] intend. Because impulses inherent in my fleshly constitution working in opposition to God, are taking me captive and working themselves out from within, They are carrying across into self-forfeiting speech and behaviour that Covenant law condemns and God disapproves of.

Paul maintains the important concept of separation between ‘ego’ – ‘I’ as inner controller/governor/regulator – and the raw energies inherent within his fleshly constitution. He established this position in Romans 7 v 17 - 23. He says, as a Christian, ‘I’ [ego] am not deliberately originating these raw impulses in my flesh from out of nothing by using my mind. Nor am I closely identifying with them. Rather, these impulses and inclinations are inherent within my earthy, sensuous, fleshly constitution, within the fabric of my flesh. Therefore, as a Christian, when I see myself behaving and speaking in ways that God disapproves of, ‘I’ [ego] am not fully, completely and wholeheartedly co-operating with bringing these impulses to fruition. They have taken me captive within self-forfeiture and loss and ‘I’ am grieved by such behaviour. 

Principles of living a godly life [53] – Christians and deliverance

 ‘I am a wretched, afflicted man! What will rescue and deliver me from out of this, the death-body?’ (Romans 7 v 24).

As Paul has reasoned through and analysed the process that leads him as a Christian to speak and behave in ways that God disapproves of, and the situation seems to be depressing and hopeless. And that is indeed the sub-conclusion that Paul reaches in this verse. Paul refers to his physical body as ‘the death-body’ or as it is in some translations, ‘body of death’. Even now, as a Christian, he does not simply desire to speak and act in a particular way and it then happens without fail. As a Christian he does not merely intend to avoid a certain manner of speech or a particular behaviour and then it simply happens as he chooses. This contrariness is certainly my experience as a Christian and I am sure that it is your experience too. What is causing this problem? It is not divine law itself that is at fault, but his physical, fleshly body - his human constitution inherited from his ancestors. His physical flesh possesses raw passions, desires, impulses, energies and inclinations – in short, an impetus that seeks to work itself out to completion by carrying across to the other side from within so as to be manifest in his speech and behaviour. These energies within our fleshly constitution are working in opposition to God such that they lead us away from life. If we follow these impulses and inclinations, they produce increasing levels of blindness and ignorance with regard to spiritual realities, and a hardness or callousness deep within us with regard to spiritual realities, and this in turn leads to further wayward speech and behaviour. These energies, inherent within the fabric of our flesh, lead us to ignorance, insensitivity and unresponsiveness to God – to withering away, dying away and death – hence Paul calls it our ‘death body’. Paul has outlined this process for both Gentiles and Jews in Romans 1 v 18 – 3 v 20 and thus he says, ‘I am a wretched, afflicted man!’. Even as a Christian, enlightened and illuminated with regard to God, the Messiah and the gospel, and closely identifying with delight in the Law of God down from the man within, he still does not manage to live a life of perfect godliness. This is because the contrary impulses within the fabric of his physical flesh take him captive.

This gives rise to Paul’s rhetorical question – ‘What will rescue and deliver me from out of this, the death body?’  Who is able to leave their body in order to be free from these raw passions and impulses so as to serve God in perfect purity? The answer is self-evident, no one has such ability and power. But that is not quite the question that Paul asks. He is no longer looking to himself and his own ability to observe divine law, because he has shown how weak and lacking in ability he is. Instead he looks outside of himself. In effect he asks, ‘Is there anything ‘out there’ that will rescue me from out of my physical constitution, my death-body?’ Every translation reads, ‘Who will rescue me?’ The Greek word can mean ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘which, or ‘why’ – but the word ‘what’ fits better with the next verse than ‘who’. What can deliver Paul? ‘The free kindness and favour of God’, (verse 25a).

Principles of living a godly life [50] – Christians, ego and divine law [4]

 ‘Now if I [ego] construct this, that I am not intending, I [ego] am no longer fully working it out to completion, but on the contrary, the self-forfeiture sitting and dwelling within me. 21 Therefore I am finding the law or principle that my intention is to manufacture and construct the good, [but] that inner malice and harm is at hand, present with me. 22 Because I closely identify with delight in the Law of God down from the man within; 23 but I perceive another law or principle within my members, waging war against the principle of my mind and taking me captive within the principle of self-forfeiture and loss existing within my members’, (Romans 7 v 20 - 23). 

In verse 20 Paul restates what he said in verse 14, and in the light of what he has said in the intervening verses, he now states it as a sub-conclusion. Self-forfeiture is creating energy, impetus, inclination and movement within his fleshly constitution, within the members of his physical body. This impetus brings to completion speech and behaviour that is not his intention, or even speech and behaviour that he despises. In other words, he is not always completely successful in exercising enlightened self-control and bringing his godly intentions to completion. 

So what is the process and situation that he is describing and how does it relate to good and praiseworthy divine law, and to divine approval moment-by-moment? In verse 21 Paul says that he finds a fundamental principle or process. He says - 

I am desiring and intending to do good in the inner man

Foulness and malice is dwelling within me, in my fleshly constitution

This leads him to a sub conclusion in verse 21. ‘Therefore I am finding the law or principle that my intention is to manufacture and construct the good, [but] that inner malice and harm is at hand, present with me’.  

He then explains this a little more. ‘Because I am closely identifying with delighting in the Law of God down from the man within’. Paul reaffirms not only that the Law down from God is good, but that he is closely identifying with it, agreeing with it and delighting in it. He says that this is coming down from the ‘man within’ as a Christian. In other words he is talking about the intangible realm within him – the ‘inside of the cup’ – and he confirms this in the next phrase, where he refers to his mind. 

This next phrase, (verse 23), is complex, so I will break it down into its parts. He also perceives another fundamental principle or process taking place within him. But this other principle is not taking place within his mind, but rather within the limbs and organs of his body – within the fabric of his fleshly constitution. This fundamental principle of energy, impulse, inclination, impetus and drive within his physical flesh is working in opposition to the first principle that is at work in his mind – in his ‘inner man’. These two fundamental principles within him are in opposition to one another. 

The result is that the impetus within his fleshly constitution is sometimes taking him captive. At this present time, as a Christian, Paul exists in his physical constitution and he is not able to fully, totally and completely live a perfectly clean, godly life day-by-day, because the principle or impetus existing within his fleshly constitution is sometimes taking him captive within self-forfeiture and loss.

Principles of living a godly life [46] – Divine Law [31] – Flesh, Breath and divine law

 ‘Because we know that law exists related to Breath pertaining to God [pneuma]. But I am fleshly, having been sold across the other side under self-forfeiture and loss’, (Romans 7 v 14).  

Paul continues his explanation of why good divine law does not cause his no share and self-forfeiture. In this verse he changes from the past tense that he has been using since verse 7, and begins to use the present tense. In the previous verses Paul used the past tense in talking about himself, referring to himself before he was a Christian. But he now begins to describe himself at the time of writing. He goes a step deeper to look at some fundamental principles and in doing so he turns to two important and pivotal themes - the polarising difference between Christians and unbelievers, and the opposition between Breath and flesh. These themes run through all of his thinking. He mentions the importance of Breath in the first two chapters of his first letter to the Corinthians, as well as in his letter to the Galatians, and he brings into focus once again here.

He is speaking to Jewish Christians who know divine law, (Romans 7 v 1), and he begins with a view that both he and they share in common – ‘we know that law exists related to Breath pertaining to God’. Divine law is related to Breath, a current or movement that pertains to God and the unseen realm. In other words divine law is not of human origin. It is not merely a moral, ethical or philosophical tradition constructed by scholars in the past and that has then been handed down from generation to generation. Law is of divine origin, it exists in relation to Breath pertaining to God, and the implications of this are that God approves of divine law and that the law is clean and pure. It is virtuous, set apart from the standards, principles and values of the worldly arrangement, and therefore it is good, reflecting life and sensitivity to God, and what God desires and approves of. This divine origin by means of Breath is a fundamental principle that underpins divine law.

Paul then places the Breath pertaining to God and the unseen realm in polarising contrast and opposition to flesh – ‘But I am fleshly’. It is a fundamental principle that I exist consisting of flesh, says Paul. He now begins to use the present tense and he says in effect, ‘I do not exist as breath – I exist as a physical, fleshly being. Although at this present time he is a Christian, this does not mean that he no longer has a physical, fleshly constitution. 

So what is the implication of being fleshly? He tells us right away, ‘having been sold across the other side under no share and self-forfeiture’. The phrase ‘having been sold’ is a ‘perfect participle’ - a form of verb used to indicate an action that was completed before another action began. The action that was fully completed before he became a Christian, and that occurred because of his fleshly constitution, was that he had been carried across to the other side, ‘sold’ under self-forfeiture and loss. What we have seen him describing in the previous verses is his emergent knowledge by means of good, virtuous divine law, was that his self-forfeiture and loss was super-abundant. 

The Greek word translated into English as ‘sold’ is the verb ‘pipraskó’, which primarily means ‘to sell’ or ‘to be sold’, ‘across the other side’. When something is ‘sold’ it passes from one side to the other. It describes the literal act of selling goods or property, as well as being used in a metaphorical sense to describe being carried across under the power or influence of self-forfeiture and loss, reflecting the pervasive nature of this process. Thus, Paul was carried across the other side – penetrating to divine disapproval - as a slave under the rule of self-forfeiture and loss. The emphasis is not on the word ‘sold’ as if any usual act of selling and purchase had taken place, but rather on the effect - he had been carried across under the influence of self-forfeiture. The Greek preposition ‘ὑπο’́ - means ‘underneath’ - with the accusative, implying direction - so as to be ‘under the power of’ self-forfeiture and loss. That is the fundamental principle that underpins what it means to exist as ‘fleshly’ or ‘down from the flesh’. 

Principles of living a godly life [44] – Self-forfeiture, loss and divine law [1]

 ‘Because self-forfeiture and loss, having taken hold of a starting point by means of the injunction, thoroughly deceived me and by means of it, slew me. 12 So that therefore law is indeed set apart, and the injunction set apart, righteous and intrinsically good’ (Romans 7 v 11, 12).

If we are in any doubt as to what Paul has been saying in the previous verses, he restates what he said in verse 8 so that we are clear what happens to us as ‘unbelievers’ existing within the realm of the flesh. Paul says, ‘I encountered knowledge gained by means of divine law and I initially thought it was a means to gain and maintain divine approval – ‘Do this and I will live’. But instead, self-forfeiture and loss took hold of an initial starting point presented by means of the injunction or commandment. 

Here is the principle or the fundamental process –

Knowledge of divine law raises our self-forfeiture and loss to life, which then begins to take hold within us

By means of the knowledge that he gained from divine law, self-forfeiture and loss thoroughly deceived Paul. He initially supposed that he was going onward to life and that divine law would lead him to life, to divine approval. But self-forfeiture and loss roused up by means of knowing the law, deceived him and slew him. Knowledge of his self-forfeiture put him to dying away and death. By means of the law he found that his self-forfeiture and loss was much greater and more extensive than he initially thought when he first encountered the injunction. 

So this is Paul’s reply to the objection that he stated in verse 7 – ‘Shall we say ‘The law of self-forfeiture and loss?’ Is it divine law itself that creates self-forfeiture and loss within us? On the contrary, divine law itself is good, clean and set apart, and God judicially approves the injunction.

When Christian legalists are faced with those Christians who say that they are freed away from law through the Messiah, they sometimes make out as though such Christians are saying that divine law is ‘bad’, or that the law itself creates self-forfeiture and loss. In reply they then firmly insist that divine law is good and right, and that it promotes cleanliness and godliness, and that David loved divine law, (Psalm 119 v 97, 113, 163, 165). They imply or even say directly that if you do not love divine law and look to it as a means to promote a godly life then there is something wrong with you as a Christian. They question your loyalty to God or even whether you really do believe after all.   

Nevertheless, despite these protests by Christian (or Jewish) legalists, Paul says in verse 6, ‘But now we [Hebrew Christians] are rendered entirely idle away from the law’. He agrees with legalists that divine law is good and judicially approved. But he also says that by means of divine law, self-forfeiture and loss is roused up and is revealed to reach every part and facet of our being. Divine law is not leading to life and holiness, but to withering away and death – to divine condemnation.

I point out once again that at the moment Paul is still looking at those who know law but who are walking around day-by-day down from their flesh, down from the inclinations of their long established physical constitution. He is looking at those who are not entrusting God and His Messiah. 

However, he has one more anticipated objection in mind before he turns his attention to Christians.

Principles of living a godly life [43] – Human nature and divine law [3]

 ‘For separate and apart from law, self-forfeiture and loss is lifeless, 9 and how much I [ego] was living separate and apart from law. But the injunction having come, the self-forfeiture and loss came up to life, and I [ego] withered away. 10 I discovered the injunction penetrating towards life - this penetrated towards death’, (Romans 7 v 8b - 10).

Imagine getting your first motorcycle or car, and having passed your driving test, you go out to enjoy driving for its own sake. It doesn’t matter where you go – it’s the freedom of movement that you now have and the sheer enjoyment of driving. After a while you find yourself in a small town that you have never been to before and it feels wonderful to have the freedom to explore this new location. But as you are driving, someone points out that you are driving in the wrong direction down a one-way street – you are breaking the law. Whilst you were unaware of breaking a law you were free and enjoying yourself. You had no awareness that you were breaking the law, or of any fines or penalties that you might be incurring, or the potential danger you were in. But then someone pointed out that you were breaking the law – a rule of law ‘came in’. As a result, the incurring of all kinds of fines and penalties ‘sprung to life’ in your mind. That is the kind of initial process that Paul describes in relation to divine law in verses 8b and 9. 

The result of knowing divine law is that our sense of freedom, moral rightness and ability begins to wither away. Our former persuasion of being alive vanishes, because by means of knowing the law we see that we have incurred loss of the divine inheritance and self-forfeited away from God’s favour. Our awareness of loss and self-forfeiture springs to life. 

The result was that Paul discovered something in his personal experience. He discovered that the divine injunction towards life, ‘Do this and you will live’ – the injunction towards sensitivity and responsiveness to God and a share in the divine inheritance – was penetrating towards death. It was penetrating towards guilt and condemnation. By means of knowing the divine injunction he came to know loss and self-forfeiture away from God’s favour. Worse still, he came to see his self-forfeiture of this injunction permeating into more and more aspects of his thoughts and behaviour.

So, as a general principle, ‘the injunction having come, the self-forfeiture and loss came up to life, and I [ego] withered away’. The law comes in and I become more and more aware of my self-forfeiture and loss. The meaning is ‘coming up to life again’ - implying that it was previously dormant but was now roused up into new life. Worse still, ‘I’ withered away. This is placed in contrast to ‘I was living’. The effect of the divine injunction was to bring Paul to an awareness of his ‘withering away and dying off’. The essential idea here is that the Law did not answer the purpose that many Jews would claim for it, to cleanse and to give comfort, but that its influence was to produce aggravated, unpardoned guilt and woe. He now saw himself a dead man, dead in sin, dead in law, under a sentence of death. That he had within himself the impulse and energy leading towards death, and all his hopes of eternal life by investing his energy and work is seeking obedience to the law, died at once. ‘I discovered the injunction penetrating towards life - this penetrated towards death’.

Such is the result of knowing divine law. ‘Do this and you will live’ (Luke 10 v 28), but any failure to ‘do this’ does not originate in the injunction itself, but rather in knowing the injunction and by means of this knowledge becoming aware of the extent of loss and self-forfeiture. Our ‘ancient human constitution [is] being corrupted and ruined down from deceitful passionate desires and yearnings’, (Ephesians 4 v 22) – the raw passions and energies inherent in our fleshly constitution.