8:2- For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus set you [all] free from the law of sin and death.
The Lord's servant, Paul, writes to the church at Rome reminding them of the grace found in the current dispensation of grace, our Sacrifice having been made in Christ Jesus on the cross at Calvary. The righteous wrath of God was fulfilled in the perfect submission of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, requiring nothing to be added on our part to that which was already perfect; no more sacrifices, no more appeasement.
Has sin worn on you? Have you ever felt that perhaps you haven't done enough, or done too much of the wrong thing- that somehow you simply aren't worthy? Take heart in Paul's words, in what the Lord has done for us, and the grace that accompanies it.
He begins this verse with that ever-important word "for." The hope in the present verse relies on hope of the previous verse-
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
No condemnation. None. Not in any word or deed. And who is this grace extended to? Those who are in Christ Jesus. Notice here in verse 2, that this law that we are now under comes from the Spirit of Life who also is in Christ Jesus. It is this very law, that is in Christ Jesus, that has free those who are also in Christ Jesus.
What was this law of sin and death that we were set free from? A law that brought condemnation rather than relieved of condemnation. Look at the next verse:
For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.
The law was weak. All it could do was condemn. When we sinned while we were under this law, this law of works, it simply rested on us. We brought judgment on ourselves and it never went away. In this new law, we see something different- there is no condemnation, for we have been set free from it by the new law, a law of grace and peace brought about by Christ's work on the cross- he condemned sin in his own flesh.
Take heart! Sin can no longer condemn! Your shortcomings have been made right in Christ! No longer must you judge yourself by your own imperfections, for Christ has made all things aright in him.
Grace and Peace,
Mike Senders
