Slaves to the Holy Spirit

In the same way, my friends,[b] you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.

—Romans 7:4-6

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,[c] not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks[d] one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  

—Matthew 5:17-20

“They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”  

—John 14:21

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

—1 John 5:1-2

I recently encountered a question – as followers of Christ should we distance ourselves from the Old Testament? My answer is no, but please allow me to explain.

Through the law, the covenant, the prophets and other writing of the Old Testament, God reveals Himself. I once heard John MacArthur say that the law was written on stone and the stone crushes people as they discover their inability to keep it. The law forces us to see that we need the Savior, Christ Jesus, who ushered in the new covenant through His blood, cleanses us of unrighteousness and writes the law on our hearts. As followers of Christ, we have redemption by grace through faith. What are we to do with the law?

Paul was Jewish and a Roman citizen. He wrote to Messianic Jews in Rome, followers of Christ living under the Law of Moses. They knew the law and scheduled time with a list of tasks to accomplish in order to live up to its requirements. Their focus was on the list of requirements and they sought to earn favor with God through vigilant focus on proper actions. They were slaves to the list and it is quite possible their focus was on the list, not God. 

Using marriage as a sort of strange analogy – that spouses are no longer bound by their marriage vows after one of them dies – Paul explains that through Christ Jesus we are free from the law. Jesus fulfills the law, so it no longer controls us (see Matthew 5:17). Writing to Messianic Jews, Paul explains they are no longer slaves to the law, rather they are slaves to “the new life of the Spirit” (v.6). We are not slaves to a list of requirements; however, through Christ Jesus we are slaves to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and convicts, teaches, prays and does so much more.

If that is true, why have I heard it said that we are still bound by the Ten Commandments, and why, in the verses above, do Jesus and John say that loving Christ Jesus and loving God require keeping the commandments?

While God’s holy word says we are no longer slaves to the law, He does not tell us to throw it away. In fact, He promises to write it on our hearts, to imprint His holy word on our spirits and souls, influencing who we are. But how will this happen if we never read it, never study it, never endeavor to apply it to our lives?  

Jesus summarizes the law with two commandments: love God with all your heart, mind and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:34-40). On the night of the Last Supper Jesus gives a new commandment, that we should love others as He loves us (see John 15:12 and 15:17). Through His blood on the cross the law is fulfilled and the new covenant is sealed, and through Christ Jesus the law is written on our hearts (see Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 11:19-20 and Hebrews 8).  

We are free from the law and no longer slaves to it, yet the law is written on our hearts. When we accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive His Holy Spirit and through His indwelling we increasingly gain His character, His holiness, His being within us. Christ Jesus is the Word, which includes His law. Seeking Him involves prayer and studying and meditating on His holy word and He reveals Himself through these and other means of grace. God’s holy word promises that when we seek we find, and we gain aspects of His character through communion with Him.

God is love and as we grow towards sanctification His love within us increases and ideally overflows through us. When His love flows through us and others see it, they will know we are His disciples (see John 13:35). Thus, love is connected to action.

 Furthering this message, post-Easter Jesus met Peter on the shore for breakfast, and three times He asked Peter if Peter loved Him. Each time Peter answered yes, and Jesus replied, “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep” and “Feed my sheep” in succession (see John 21:15-19). Among a variety of other messages, Jesus reminded Peter that words are cheap. It is easy to profess love, but more difficult to act in a manner demonstrating love, and Jesus calls us to act, but our focus should not be on external activity or result in regimented legalism. We should focus on Christ Jesus and the resulting transformation of our spirits and souls and His holiness, love, life and light, acting as He leads. 

What does this mean? Jesus fulfilled the law. We may not be bound by the law but as the Word dwells in us, the law should live and be revealed through us – we should love God and love others, and our discipleship should be evident to the world. 

May God bless you and comfort you and fill you with His light, life and love. Go in peace, Amen.