In Romans chapters 6 ,7, and 8 Paul is teaching about the relationships between our flesh, our spiritual self, and our bondage to three laws. The first law is the law of the flesh. Our fleshly bodies are ingrained with a tendency for sin by following our base natures. The law of the spirit comes upon us when we accept Jesus and the Holy Spirit indwells us. This helps us fight against the law of the flesh. The law of God is made up of the rules God has set out to His people, beginning with the Ten Commandments.
Our physical bodies can be alive in the flesh, but dead to the Spirit because we are following the law of the flesh. Even gracious, loving, people are the walking dead if they have rejected Jesus. Their bodies have mortal life but because their spirits are dormant the law of the flesh reigns in their life, leading them toward sinful behaviors which results, eventually, in spiritual death (which does not refer to a cessation of awareness, but the eternal separation from God. All spirits are immortal: where they spend eternity is determined on the day of judgment).
When we become aware of our sinful nature the battle begins. In Romans Chapter 7, verses 15 through 25, Paul launches into a well known (and somewhat confusing) rant about how in his inner, spiritual being he knows the good he ought to do, but his carnal nature forces him to do something else. And he knows the things of the carnal nature ought not to be done, but he sometimes does them anyway. How then does he have ANY hope of pleasing God? Verse 25 says it: “I thank God – through Jesus Christ, our Lord!” (NKJV).
Paul has been talking about the Law of Moses and how this law does not bring righteousness, for no mortal being can keep the Law perfectly. The Law is a yardstick which shows how far from righteousness mankind is. Jesus came, not to replace the Law but to fulfill it. Those who choose to follow Jesus are no longer measured by the Law: they accept the justification offered through His death and resurrection.
Upon truly accepting Jesus the Holy Spirit indwells us and begins to lead us toward righteousness. Paul calls this being enslaved to Christ. He points out that any slave can choose to disobey his master, but that does not change the state of enslavement, only the treatment you will get. All humanity is enslaved either by righteousness or unrighteousness, there are no spiritual free agents – except maybe newborn babes who do not yet have the capacity to make choices.
The Holy Spirit prompts: believers choose to obey or ignore (disobey) His promptings. If we want to claim the blessings of God, we need to obey: to grow in righteousness and Christ-likeness. We must begin shucking off our old sinful nature and embracing Godliness. Refusing is counted as rebellion. This rebellion may not bring immediate punishment, but it will cause God to withhold His blessings, and when we get to Heaven, there will be an accounting of your life for Him. If you want to stand tall at this heavenly awards ceremony, follow the Spirit’s prompting, embrace righteousness. Do not remain a spiritual zombie.
