A New Way of Living

Romans 7:4-6

Scripture (Romans 7:4-6 ESV): "Likewise, my brothers, you also 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. For 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. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code."

Devotion:

Paul continues his discussion about what it means to no longer be under the law. It again reminds us of the picture of swapping a heavy, cumbersome backpack for one that's light and fitted to your back. This is the kind of transformation Paul is talking about in Romans 7:4-6. We've been given a chance to exchange a life weighed down by the law for a life empowered and enlivened by the Spirit. Swapping the weight of the old heavy backpack for the new light one doesn’t restrict us further, it actually sets us free to go farther. (I enjoy a good pun). We can now do stuff for God we could never have done, weighed down by the need to keep the law perfectly and failing.

That is what our union with Christ does. By joining in His death and resurrection, we've effectively died to the law's demands and penalties. Again, I must stress that this isn’t because the law itself is bad, on the contrary the law holds up a mirror to our lives, that shows us that our relationship with God is so far gone that we need to be changed radically from the inside. When we accept the gift of grace, we're no longer striving to please God by ticking off boxes of the law, but instead we're invited to live in a relationship with Him, powered by the Holy Spirit. This is what bearing spiritual fruit is all about.

But the "fruit" Paul mentions isn't just good behavior (although it certainly includes good behavior). It's about a life that naturally expresses God's character—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These aren't traits we can develop in ourselves, or on our own. They grow in us as we submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and as we pursue Jesus.

Serving in the "new way of the Spirit" means our motivation changes. We're not driven by fear of punishment but moved by love for God and gratitude for what He's done for us. This is a life of freedom and purpose, where obeying God isn't a burdensome duty but a joyful response to His love.

Prayer: