“Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  ²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.  ²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  ²³ But 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.  ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  ²⁵ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:20-25.

There are three laws mentioned in these verses.

• “law of God” vs. 22
• “law of my mind” vs. 23
• “law of sin” vs. 23

To all who believe in sinless perfection this side of glory I ask you, was the Apostle Paul not born again?  Furthermore, please allow me to be clear, Jesus Christ did not die to give us a sinning Salvation but He came to give us victory over sin.  I’m simply attempting to point those who are under the yoke of sin back to the Cross of Jesus for deliverance of their bondage.  There are no 12 steps, 40 days, shemitahs and such that have ever overcome sin.  There is only One Way and He is not a method but a Man, the Man Jesus Christ.  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

The methods of man and psychology gospels such as the 40 days of this, 100 days of that, 12 steps and every other scheme man has invented, engages the law of the mind. The law of the mind involves our self efforts and will which wars against our members where the law of sin is carried out (our hands, mouth, eyes, etc.).

Here is the important thing to remember, the law of sin and death is stronger than the law of our mind, which the Apostle Paul was expressing in verse 23. “But 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.”  Although Paul was wanting to do what was right but evidently was not always able, was bringing him into captivity to the law of sin…because the law of his mind was being overtaken by the law of sin.

So the Apostle Paul was a saved, Blood bought born again Christian who struggled with the law of sin overtaking the law of his mind…just as many do but pride and self righteousness keeps them from admitting their own frailty.  God did not leave Paul to suffer this battle but revealed to him the “Law of God” in Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

The law of the “Spirit of life”, the Holy Spirit, is the ONLY One who can make us free from the law of sin and death, not the law of our mind…no matter how sweet, loving and “good” one may be; if it is not the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”, you too will be overtaken by the law of sin and death.

“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.  I am completely aware that many believe the Cross of Jesus is Christianity 101 but understand this…if you get the Cross of Christ wrong, you have it ALL wrong.  The power of God is found in the Cross of His Son, Jesus Christ.  It is our faith in what Jesus did that allows the Holy Spirit to make us free from the law of sin and death, not faith in our self will (law of the mind).

Many understand the Law of God (faith in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified) for Salvation but resort to the law of the mind for victory over their sin nature.  At Salvation we are dead to our sin nature, we have been baptized into Jesus’ death but as soon as we resort to the law of the mind (faith in our self efforts, 40 days, etc.) to “gain” victory over our sin nature we have in fact “lost” our victory over our sin nature because our faith is no longer in Jesus Christ.  It is not a matter of “gaining” our victory but maintaining our victory over our sin nature.  The Law of God is the only law that can defeat the law of sin and death which will always defeat the law of our mind, therefore our faith must ALWAYS remain in what Jesus Christ has done for us on Calvary’s Cross.  – Donna Clark Warren