I Fought the Law and the Law Won

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."  Romans 8:1-2

Which law rules your life?

Is your mind set on God or the things of the world?

It is the all-important question.  Romans 7 and 8 deal exclusively with this question, and the answer requires faith—the kind of faith with eyes that see what human eyes cannot.

There once was a man named George.  George went to work in a factory every day.  He was punctual, hard-working, reliable, and went the extra mile at every opportunity.  George had no children.  His wife died at the age of 33 during childbirth.  He never met a stranger he didn't try to help, and he never met a child selling something that he didn't buy.  He was not a man of much means, and seemed to give even more away.  George had no interest in fame or fortune.  Everyone who knew George said he radiated joy, peace, happiness, but most of all George radiated God.  He told of and demonstrated God's love at every opportunity, though none was very grand by the world's standards.

When George passed away, there were only a handful of people from the local church in attendance at his funeral, though not a soul in town was unaware of George.  All had experienced his many kindnesses and selfless acts firsthand.

Though he gave as much as possible, George's retirement account from the factory had over $10 million at his passing, which he had bequeathed to a myriad of causes in dire need of the help; not the least of which was a boy living across the street whose college tuition was now paid.

George fought the law of sin and death by the power of Jesus' death on the cross—and it was the law of love that won in his life.  Those with eyes set on earthly things probably looked with pity on George's life.  They never really saw or understood his grand, God-given purpose.  George never fully grasped it, either.

What about you?

Romans 8:2-6 tells us, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."

May we put to death the law of sin in our lives once and for all by setting our minds on things above, as Colossians 3:2 reminds us, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Then it will be the law of love that wins.

Goodnight, Runners.