THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS IN SCRIPTURE

On the other hand, Paul identified four valid laws in Romans 7:22-23. They are spiritual principles with which the believer must become familiar. (1 The law of God. (2 Another law in my members. (3 reconciled. The law of my mind. (4 The law of sin.

The Type of Laws

Two of them are objective, or detached from experience itself. They are principles that exist independently of human involvement--like the law of gravity. Two of these laws are subjective, i.e. they are matters that we experience.

Objective laws

The "law of God" and "the law of sin" are objective laws. They lie outside of mankind, and apart from experience. They exist independently of us, and yet we are subjected to them both. They are uninfluenced by us, but we are influenced by them.

It is vital that we realize the nature of these laws, or principles. Nothing that we can do will alter either of these laws. Our opinion of them changes nothing. Our love or hatred of them have no bearing on their existence. We cannot expand them or reduce them. They are completely independent of us. Nothing that we can do can alter the "law of God." We cannot add to it or take from it. We cannot will it out of existence, or summon it into existence. It is intrinsically good, and we cannot cause it to become evil.

Similarly, we cannot change "the law of sin." Like "the law of God," it is static or unchanging. It is not possible to make it good or cause it to be less a law of sin than it is.

The "law of God" is given within an intelligent framework. It is comprised of words and directives. It identifies sin and apprizes men of their guilt of it. This law, "given by Moses" (John 1:17), convinced Paul of the nature of personal "lust" (Rom. 7:7). It was not a "feeling" that convicted Paul, but a perception, or understanding. The "law of God" produced that insight.

This is an unwritten law, and differs significantly from "the law of God." It is the spirit of sin that is promoted by "the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:12). It is not sin itself, but the principle of sin, written in the natural order. Unlike "the law of God" it does not bring the knowledge of sin. Rather, if heeded, it will produce involvement in sin. The difference between the two is seen in the sin of Adam and Eve. Satan told Eve that eating of the forbidden fruit would bring the knowledge of good and evil. That is not, however, what it produced. The disobedience urged by Satan obscured the good and brought personal involvement in evil.

Subjective laws

"The law of my mind" and "another law in my members" are subjective laws. Both of these laws reside within the believer, and are experiential in nature. These are the source of the inner conflict which Paul describes. They are aligned against each other, and cannot be reconciled. When God writes His law upon our hearts and places it in our minds (Heb 8:10; 10:16), it becomes "the law of my mind." This speaks of a basic propensity to right; of a preference for the holy and spiritual and good. Experientially, the one that is reconciled to God is in agreement with Him. He wills to do the will of God (John 7:17), and is displeased when he does not.

As the "mind" of the believer is inclined to the holy law of God, his unregenerate "members" that are "upon the earth" gravitate to sin (Col. 3:5). This is the "flesh"--the part of us that has been unaffected by the grace of God. Our "members" are recalcitrant, and must be brought into subjection. The natural part of us competes with the renewed part. As the renewed mind is in harmony with the "law of God," so are our "members" in harmony with the "law of sin."

Both righteousness and unrighteousness have an appeal to believers. Righteousness appeals to our "mind," and sin appeals to our "members." There is an undeniable inclination to both good and evil. These propensities, however, is not found in the same part of our natures. The purified heart and mind (Acts 15:9; 2 Pet 3:1) are drawn to righteousness, and our remaining parts are drawn to sin. This condition is the source of the struggle of Romans seven.

Both of these subjective laws ("of the mind" and "in my members") are principles. They are to the renewed man and the fleshly nature what the law of gravity is to the impersonal creation. Neither of these laws can be altered. To put it another way, what God has blessed cannot be cursed, and what He has cursed cannot be blessed (Num. 23:8). A great deal of effort has been expended in religious circles to bless the flesh. It has been unsuccessful!

Inclination before involvement

Because of the existence of these laws, involvement in either sin or righteousness is necessarily preceded by inclination. An individual cannot be coerced to do either good or evil. The implications of this are disruptive to several popular doctrines.

Take, for instance, the doctrine that asserts there is a point in time when the believer becomes incapable of sin. Some call it "sinless perfection." Others have dubbed it "sanctification." The error of this teaching is that it requires the elimination of "the law of sin," which is in our members. But our text clearly states that this is not the case. Nearly 25 years after becoming an Apostle, Paul admits to the presence of this law in his own members. It is axiomatic that as long as this law is present, the possibility of sin remains. If this were not the case, the "law of sin" would cease to be a principle. A principle that cannot operate can no longer be called a principle.

It ought to be noted that sin itself is not said to be "in our members," but the "law of sin." The inclination is there, but the inclination itself does not produce moral guilt. It is only when the individual yields to the inclination that he becomes guilty of transgression.

The Believer's Basic Law

From the experiential point of view, the basic law that governs the believer is "the law" of the renewed mind. Any conflicting inclination is "another law." Within his own personality Paul saw a part that was unjustified and unsanctified. There were proclivities against which he willingly strove. These tendencies are called "another law." This is Paul's way of disowning them. They do not really belong to him; they are only resident in his "members." They are not a part of his will. He does not prefer them; in fact, he abhors them. They are not the result of a personal quest, nor have they been cultured in a disciplined manner.

All that live by faith have the same experience. Because, however, many are unable to correctly identify it, the Apostle provides us with an illuminated view of the situation.

The fact that the "saved" can speak in this way is proof that a fundamental change has taken place within them. The ungodly do not do so, because they are not in agreement with God. They do not have heavenly preferences, nor are they truly discontent with "this present evil world" (Gal. 1:4), and their "vile body" (Phil. 3:21).

The Consequence of Conversion

The consequence of conversion is repeatedly declared in Scripture. "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation . . . " (2 Cor 5:17, RSV). " . . . seeing that you have . . . put on the new nature which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator" (Col 3:10, RSV). "Truly, truly. I say unto you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God" ( John 3:3, RSV). "And you were buried with Him in baptism, in which Take, for instance, the doctrine that asserts there is a point in time when the believer becomes incapable of sin. Some call it "sinless perfection." Others have dubbed it "sanctification." The error of this teaching is that it requires the elimination of "the law of sin," which is in our members. But our text clearly states that this is not the case. Nearly 25 years after becoming an Apostle, Paul admits to the presence of this law in his own members. It is axiomatic that as long as this law is present, the possibility of sin remains. If this were not the case, the "law of sin" would cease to be a principle. A principle that cannot operate can no longer be called a principle.

The Main Law in Experience

From the experiential point of view, the basic law that governs the believer is "the law" of the renewed mind. Any conflicting inclination is "another law." Within his own personality Paul saw a part that was unjustified and sanctified. There were proclivities against which he willingly strove. These tendencies are called "another law." This is Paul's way of disowning them. They do not really belong to him; they are only resident in his "members." They are not a part of his will. He does not prefer them; in fact, he abhors them. They are not the result of a personal quest, nor have they been cultured in a disciplined manner.

All that live by faith have the same experience. Because, however, many are unable to correctly identify it, the Apostle provides us with an illuminated view of the situation.

Make no mistake about this; if the flesh is not "mortified," it will dominate. Its deadness, however, is only experienced by faith, the principle that lifts us out of it. Believers are to think like God. In fact, they have been "renewed" in order to think like Him (Col 3:10). In Scripture, this thinking process is called "reckoning." "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 6:11).

The Art of Reckoning

The term "reckon" does not imply that we are not, in fact, "dead." What it does signify is that there is a part of us that remains alive, or responsive, to sin. That is not, however, the essential part of us, and may therefore be denied. We "reckon" ourselves to be "dead indeed unto sin" by "abstaining from fleshly lusts that war against the soul." This abstinence is not an end of itself, but is the means to an end. Our real objective is to appropriate the things toward which "the law of our mind" inclines us. The pursuit of the "kingdom of God and His righteousness" can only be properly engaged in as we "reckon" our essential persons really dead to sin.

This contrary law within our unregenerate parts contradicts the "law of our mind." Thought has a preeminent place in the kingdom of God. Jesus did not induct an era primarily marked by emotion or feeling. While these things most certainly exist, they are subordinate to thought. The Gospel, which is "the power of God unto salvation," is comprised of thoughts addressed to the mind.

God has written His law upon the renewed part of us--our mind. We have a mandate to bring every thought" into captivity "to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor 10:5). We obey this commission by bringing our thinking into line with the law of God. When thoughts stray and are out of harmony with the holy law, we are to turn them around, taking them captive in order to obedience. There is no true obedience without the involvement of the mind.

Distracting Thoughts

The experience of distracting thoughts is not of itself comforting. When such unlawful thoughts occur, we are not to think that this of itself parallels the teaching of Romans seven. The point of identification therewith is the conflict of the thoughts with our basic desires and aspirations. We do not abhor them simply because they are not proper. They contradict our natures. They conflict with our primary desires. They distract us from our objectives. That is the experience delineated in Romans 7.

Paul says that the "other law" within his members brings him "into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." He does not mean that he is captured by sin and forced to transgress the law of God. He is not describing the consistent pattern of his life, or the majority of his experience. He is describing the exception, not the rule. Sin, however, is so repugnant to the righteous, that the occurrence of the exception is viewed as a "captivity." That is so because he cannot keep it from occurring.