NT Framework - Breaking Free from Sin's Grip

Have you ever felt trapped in a frustrating cycle of spiritual defeat? You know what's right, you genuinely want to do what's good, but somehow you keep falling short. If this resonates with you, our latest episode offers profound hope and a practical pathway forward.

More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com 

This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).

Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and
our series on the New TestamentFramework.
Today a smaller, bite-sizedpiece from the larger lesson.
We hope you enjoy it.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
That's not who we really are.
We're not really identifiedwith the law of sin anymore.
You're not and I'm not.
That still dwells in us, thatlaw of sin in our flesh.
But is that who we really are?
No, and I think that's whyPaul's saying it's no longer I

(00:31):
who do it.
He's not saying I'm notresponsible for it, he's just
saying when I act that way, whenI sin, I'm not living like who
I really am, Because chapter 6already taught us we're
identified with Christ.
That's who we really are.

(00:53):
We are really in Christ.
So when we sin, we're notliving like we're in Christ.
And that's his idea.
So let's go on and see how hesolves it.
Verse 25.
Thanks be to God, through JesusChrist, our Lord.
So then, on one hand, I myself,with my mind, I am serving the
law of God.
Right, he wants to do what'sgood.

(01:15):
This is the law of God.
On the other hand, he says withmy flesh, which the sin
principle is in me.
He says I'm serving the law ofsin.
Very frustrating, If this bookended right here, it would be
really sad because there's noreal answer given to solve the

(01:36):
dilemma.
But it's not the end of thebook.
In chapter 8, it presentsanother law.
There are three laws here, notjust two.
There's the law of sin thatdwells in my flesh.
It's a principle of sin.
All it wants to do is sin, sin,sin.
Right, You've got the law ofyour mind.
The mind says, you know, I wantto do good, I want to obey the

(01:59):
Lord.
But he says, you know, I can'tdo that.
I want to do that but I cannever do it.
I break it.
But that's not who I really am.
He says, when I do, that's notreally I who do it.
The good thing is he adds inchapter 8 another law.
So verse 1, Therefore there isnow no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus.
Now that's an interestingstatement to put in at this

(02:22):
point.
I think what he's saying isthere's no requirement or you're
not condemned to live in theway that Paul has just described
.
These are not your only twooptions Law of sin versus law of
mind.
He's saying there's anotheroption and he introduces it

(02:43):
right after that right.
He says it's the law of thespirit of life.
There's the third law, right,and he's introduced the spirit.
Thank God, the law of thespirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set you free from the law ofsin and of death.
In other words, you don't haveto live by the law of sin that
dwells in your members, in yourflesh right.
You can now live by the whatSpirit.

(03:07):
You can now live by the Spirit.
So he's the solution to thedilemma between the law of sin
that dwells in your members andthe law of your mind that wants
to do what's right, but you cannever do it because if you're
trying to do it by yourself,you're like a branch
disconnected from a vine.
See, he's not really sayinganything different than what

(03:32):
jesus said in the vine and thebranches.
It's all the same storyrepeated.
Now I saw a post from a friendof mine yesterday.
He says I've always been likethis my whole life.
I'm trying to live thechristian life.
I'm trying to do better, I wantto get better.
To me it sounds just.
I was like you sound just likeroman seven, you sound like paul

(03:53):
.
You know I want to do what'sgood.
I joyfully concur with the lawof God, but the doing of the
good is not in me.
But see, there is someone whois in you and that's the law of
the Spirit.
The Spirit is in you and thisis the solution.
And that's why Galatians 5,isn't Galatians 5 saying the
same thing?
Walk by the Spirit.

(04:15):
Galatians is, in many senses, alittle Roman, a little Roman
Romans goes much further.
So let's see how much furtherhe goes.
He says, verse 3, what the lawcould not do, weak as it was
through the flesh, In otherwords, people who just lived
under the law, like Israel.
They didn't have any power tolive the Christian life, they

(04:37):
didn't have the Holy Spiritdwelling within them like we do.
I'll say that down in verse 9.
The Spirit of God dwells in you, but what the law could not do,
weak as it was, through theflesh, God did.
He sent His own Son in thelikeness of sinful flesh.
See, he looked just like anyother human being, in other
words.
But he wasn't sinful, was he?
It was just a likeness ofsinful flesh as an offering for

(05:01):
sin.
So he paid the penalty for sin.
He condemned sin in the flesh.
Now, why did he do that?
Well, verse 4, so that therequirement of the law might be
fulfilled in us.
Now he's talking about the lawof Moses and he's saying there's
a specific requirement of thelaw of Moses that can be
fulfilled in us.

(05:21):
I mean there's a lot of lawsright in the Old Testament.
There's no reason to go throughand hash out all the laws.
But we can summarize all thelaws with one word, as we
summarize the requirement.
And it is righteous.
It says of Joseph, who becamethe adoptive father of Jesus,

(05:44):
that he was a righteous man.
That means he lived up to therequirements of the law.
It didn't mean he was sinless.
It didn't mean he was sinlessbecause to be righteous under
the law, if you sinned you hadto bring sacrifice.
And that's what it's saying hedid Whenever he sinned, he would
bring the proper sacrifice.

(06:06):
So under the law, as far as thelaw was concerned and its
requirements, he was righteousin that sense, Not where he
could go to heaven or somethinglike that, Not that type of
righteousness Because he sinned.
It just meant he brought theproper sacrifices.
But that would be therequirement of the law,
righteousness.
So what this verse is saying isthat verse 4, the requirement

(06:32):
of the law might be fulfilled inus.
Well, that's righteousness,right.
But see the rest of the verse.
4, the requirement of the lawmight be fulfilled in us.
Well, that's righteousness,right.
But see the rest of the versesays that we only get this
righteousness through us when wedon't walk according to the
flesh, but we walk according tothe what.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
Spirit.
Thank you for joining us onBeyond the Walls with Jeremy
Thomas.
If you would like to see thevisuals that went along with
today's sermon, you can findthose on Rumble and on YouTube
under Spokane Bible Church.
That is where Jeremy is thepastor and teacher.
We hope you found today'slesson productive and useful in

(07:08):
growing closer to God andwalking more obediently with Him
.
If you found this podcast to beuseful and helpful, then please
consider rating us in yourfavorite podcast app, and until
next time, we hope you have ablessed and wonderful day.