Part 4 - The Application of Faith

Sanctified: In the Rule of Christ

A fourth aspect of the sanctifying work of Christ is the separation of the believer from the rule of the law to the rule of Christ (See Part 2: Separated in the Rule of Christ). God's law is good and sets His standard for righteousness. It is the measure against which God judges sin. But the law can only condemn and not justify a person because of the fallen nature of man. Part of the work of Christ is the setting apart of the believer out from under the law into His rule. This is a place of grace where God works to conform the believer into the image of Christ. The reckoning and abiding in the place of God's grace in Christ is another essential to being fruitful in Christ.

The strength of sin is the law

The first letter to the Corinthians states, "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law" (1 Cor. 15:56). The strength of sin is the law. This is the law of Moses. It details what a righteous lifestyle is. One of its purposes is to show the sinfulness of the fallen nature of man. There are many other laws spoken of by Paul in his letter to the Romans, meaning unbreakable principles. Some of these are the law (principle) of the unregenerate nature (Rom. 7:21), the law of God (Rom. 7:22), the law of the mind willing to do good (Rom. 7:23), the law of the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2), and the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). However, when Paul simply speaks of the law, he is referring to the law of God as given to Moses. This is not just the Ten Commandments but also the laws that Moses listed in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). At first, it may seem strange that the strength of sin is the law, but Paul expounds on this in the seventh chapter of Romans.

Paul writes, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, 'You shall not covet.' But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful" (Rom. 7:7-13).

This passage shows how the strength of sin is the law. Some of the phases, such as "sin, taking opportunity by the commandment," "when the commandment came, sin revived," and "sin was producing death in me through what is good," show how sin flourishes under the law. Yet, it is not the law that is evil, but sin. The law is "holy and just and good." It is not the good law that produces death, but sin that is magnified and exposed by the light of the law. Because of the existence of sin, the law is given to make known its presence. To try to prove to God one's righteousness by keeping the law is only to give strength to sin. The result is failure. A righteous standing before God based on keeping His law is an impossibility. The sinful nature will only be strengthened.

Grace through Jesus Christ

The answer to this dilemma—for lawlessness will not produce righteousness either—is the grace of God given through Jesus Christ. As Lord, Jesus rules over the believer. Paul correlates the relationship of Christ to the believer with that of a husband to a wife. He writes, "For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body" (Eph. 5:23). Christ is not only head, but savior. It is through Christ that deliverance from sin is found.

Speaking of Christ as husband over the church, Paul continues: "... Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:25-27). The church as the bride of Christ, "holy and without blemish," is the work of Christ. It is not the self-effort of the believer working under the law that produces fruitfulness in Christ. The grace of God poured out through Christ is the avenue through which God works in changing a person.

Set apart by Christ: into His rule

Paul writes, "Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another; to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God" (Rom. 7:4). This is the place of fruitfulness. A relationship to Christ as His bride rather than a relationship through the law is where one can "bear fruit to God." This is another aspect of Christ as the Way. Rather than working to attain righteousness under the law, rest in Christ and His transforming grace is the way to holiness. This requires both the reckoning of this position in Christ and the abiding in His rule.