For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:2 (AV1611)
In the first installment of these weekly devotions, Plumer reminded readers that there is no such thing as an unchanged Christian. The one who is justified by faith in Jesus Christ is also one who is necessarily being renewed and sanctified by His Holy Spirit. In this devotional, Plumer shows how that operation takes place, namely, by “the law of the Spirit of life”. He also clarifies for readers what this “law” means.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
“The Spirit of Life”
For “the Spirit of life” Tyndale has [in his translation], “the Spirit that bringeth life.” For “set free” Peshito has “emancipated”[1] We had the same word in Romans 6:18, 22. It occurs again in 8:21. Our Lord used it when he said, “The truth shall make you free; the Son shall make you free,” (John 8:32, 36).
What is “the law of the Spirit of life”?
In Romans 7:21 the word “law” was explained as having the same import as here, that of a powerful impelling principle in the soul. If the former, “the law of sin”, was potential for evil, much more is this, “the law of the Spirit of life”, mighty for good; for it liberates believers from the law of sin and death. That exposition is supported by Owen of Oxford and many others.[2]
How does the “law of the Spirit of life” work?
It makes the work of grace by the Spirit efficacious in destroying the work of sin and death in the soul. It has destroyed the dominion of sin. It is destroying its power, and it shall finally destroy the whole force of sin and death in the soul, not leaving spot, or wrinkle or any such thing. The whole efficacy of this law in Christ Jesus is by the Spirit.[3]
DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL REMARKS
The Believer Has A Mighty Power
There is a power in true piety, a mighty power. It is a “law” (v. 2). It is “the law of the Spirit of life.” If anything is efficient, [it is this]. No greater wonders have ever been manifested in this world than in the case of martyrs and confessors, who have leaped for joy at the prospect of a death intended to be made horrible by the cruel arts of persecutors. The best men now in this world, were once darkness, but now are they light in the Lord; once aliens and strangers, but now brought nigh by the blood and Spirit of Christ. The law of the Spirit must be prodigious[/md4] when it has already weakened and shall finally abolish the law of sin and death.
[Thomas] Chalmers says,
It is like the awakening of man to a new moral existence, when he is awakened to the love of that God whom before he was glad to forget, and of whom he never thought but as a being shrouded in unapproachable majesty, and compassed about with the jealousies of a law that had been violated. It is like a resurrection from the grave, when, quickened and aroused from the deep oblivion of nature, man enters into living fellowship with his God; and he, who ere now had been regarded with terror or utterly disregarded, hath at length reclaimed to himself all our trust and all our tenderness.
Where Does This Power Come From?
If there is power anywhere displayed in this world, it is in the glorious gospel of the happy God. But let us never forget that all the vitality and power of even true religion is from the Holy Ghost (v. 2). If he shall not take of the things of Christ and show them unto us, we shall never see them aright.
Chalmers says again,
The doctrine of the Holy Ghost is too much neglected in practice. It is not adverted to that all acceptable virtue in man is the product of a creating energy, that is actually put forth upon him; and that it is his business to wrestle in supplication with Heaven, that it may be put forth upon him.
Jesus Christ taught that the gift of the Holy Ghost was the sum of all good things. Oh that all his people acted on that truth. It is only by the Holy Ghost that any man can say that Jesus Christ is Lord; or that he can see in Christ anything but a root out of a dry ground. Until the gospel is carried to the heart with power by the Holy Ghost, it is amazing in what undisturbed possession the strong man keeps his goods. Tyrannical despotisms,[5] when fully set up, are the most quiet governments in the world. They open not the house of their prisoners. They silence outcries and clamor by measures the most effectual. Pass through a country thus ruled and you shall hardly hear a complaint. So it is with the wicked. They are under the cruel tyranny of the devil. Their noblest faculties are loaded with the chains of iniquity. The dungeons of the Bastille[6] exhibited no sights so mournful as those revealed to a man, when he first fairly sees himself a prisoner of sin and Satan, a man wholly after the flesh.
Plumer’s words here serve as a sobering and ever-timely reminder to all Christians; that, as the 19th Century Baptist pastor James Smith once remarked, “Believers live far below their privileges.” May we who are united to Christ recognize and take advantage of “the law of the Spirit of life” within us (Rom. 8:2), “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires” and “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:24-25).
[1] Plumer is referring to the Syriac Peshitta (sometimes spelled, ‘Peshito’). For more on this translation, see: “The Bible in the Language of Jesus” by Philip M. Forness, https://textandcanon.org/the-bible-in-the-language-of-jesus/
[2] Given the context, Plumer is likely referencing John Owen (1616-1683) and his work, The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers. Owen explains the law this way, from Romans 7:21 and Romans 8:2, “A law is taken either properly for a directive rule, or improperly for an operative effective principle, which seems to have the force of a law. In its first sense, it is a moral rule which directs and commands, and sundry ways moves and regulates, the mind and the will to the things which it requires or forbids. This is evidently the general nature and work of a law. Some things it commands, some things it forbids, with rewards and penalties, which move and impel men to do the one and avoid the other. Hence, in a secondary sense, an inward principle that moves and inclines constantly unto any actions is called a law. The principle that is in the nature of every thing, moving and carrying it towards its own end and rest, is called the law of nature. In this respect, every inward principle that inclineth and urgeth unto operations or actings suitable to itself is a law. So, Rom. viii. 2, the powerful and effectual working of the Spirit and grace of Christ in the hearts of believers is called "The law of the Spirit of life." And for this reason doth the apostle here call indwelling sin a law. It is a powerful and effectual indwelling principle, inclining and pressing unto actions agreeable and suitable unto its own nature. This, and no other, is the intention of the apostle in this expression: for although that term, " a law," may sometimes intend a state and condition,—and if here so used, the meaning of the words should be, "I find that this is my condition, this is the state of things with me, that ' when I would do good evil is present with me,'" which makes no great alteration in the principal intendment of the place, —yet properly it can denote nothing here but the chief subject treated of; for although the name of a law be variously used by the apostle in this chapter, yet when it relates unto sin it is nowhere applied by him to the condition of the person, but only to express either the nature or the power of sin itself. So, chap vii. 23, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members," That which he here calls the "law of his mind," from the principal subject and seat of it, is in itself no other but the “law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus," chap. viii. 2; or the effectual power of the Spirit of grace, as was said. But "the law, as applied unto sin, hath a double sense: for as, in the first place, "I see a law in my members," it denotes the being and nature of sin; so, in the latter, “Leading into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members," it signifies its power and efficacy. And both these are comprised in the same name, singly used, chap. viii. 21. Now, that which we observe from this name or term of a "law" attributed unto sin is, That there is an exceeding efficacy and power in the remainders of indwelling sin in believers, with a constant working towards evil. Thus it is in believers; it is a law even in them, though not to them. Though its rule be broken, its strength weakened and impaired, its root mortified, yet it is a law still of great force and efficacy. There, where it is least felt, it is most powerful. Carnal men, in reference unto spiritual and moral duties, are nothing but this law; they do nothing but from it and by it. It is in them a ruling and prevailing principle of all moral actions, with reference unto a supernatural and eternal end. I shall not consider it in them in whom it hath most power, but in them in whom its power is chiefly discovered and discerned,—that is, in believers; in the others only in order to the farther conviction and manifestation thereof.” (The Works of John Owen, Vol. VI. Edited by William H. Goold. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 158-59).
[3] Plumer adds, “This is substantially the view taken by Chrysostom, Calvin, Diodati, Beza, Vitringa, Doddridge, Scott, Stuart and Chalmers. But Ambrose, Pareus, Witsius, Hodge, Haldane and others prefer another explanation, which may be thus stated: Believers are not under the moral law as a covenant of works, or as a means of sanctification. They are not under law but under grace. They are thus freed from the moral law by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that is by the gospel, of which the Spirit is the author-the gospel revealing a scheme of gratuitous justification. The obvious objections to this exposition are such as these: 1. It is unusual to call the gospel a law. It is sometimes done, Rom. 3:27, but it is in such a connection and with such explanations as leave no room for mistake. 2. It is still more unusual to denominate the moral law by such terms as are here employed. Calvin: "I dare not, with some, take the law of sin and death for the law of God, because it seems a harsh expression." This consideration is the more weighty inasmuch as Paul has been in the preceding context carefully guarding against views derogatory to the excellence of the law. 3. Believers are so far made free from the law of sin and death within them, that sin no longer lords it over them, nor has dominion over them, nor controls their wills, nor shall it prove to them a law of death, for it shall itself be utterly destroyed. It does indeed vex and harass the good man, but like the house of Saul it waxes weaker and weaker, while the gracious principle, like the house of David, waxes stronger and stronger. 4. The plea for connection with v. I quite overlooks all of that verse but the first clause of it. 5. The subsequent context may without any violation of the laws of language as well be connected with verse 1, if we follow the former as the latter exposition. But if any still prefer [this view], we have no contention with them.”
[4] Prodigious — Very great and remarkable.
[5] Tyrannical despotisms — Oppressive absolute powers or governments.
[6] The medieval state prison of Paris, the Bastille Saint-Antione.
