The Spirit of Life Has Set You Free
Romans 8:2
“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” -Romans 8:2
Picking up the theme of law again, Paul contrasts the two possible states of a human being to explain the reason for his bold statement that there is now no condemnation.
We see the law of the Spirit of life contrasted with the law of sin and death. In Christ Jesus, one has been set free by the Spirit of life—that is the Spirit of God—from the bondage of sin who has so long held mankind captive (7:14-24).
The law condemned us to death because sin had enslaved us but there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because having been united with Christ Jesus by faith: the Spirit of life has set us free (5:1-2).
There is something in our flesh—even now as Christians—that tries to convince us that to be a follower of Christ we must give up our freedom and our identity. But nothing could be further from the truth. It is only in Christ that we are truly free to do—to desire and to fulfill—those things which make us flourish as human beings.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” -John 8:36
For the glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God.1
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Irenaeus of Lyons, “Irenæus against Heresies,” in The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ed. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, vol. 1, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 490.