“¹⁰ And the Commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

¹¹ For sin, taking occasion by the Commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

¹² Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, and just, and good.

¹³ Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful.” Romans 7:10-13

It is much easier to discern evil when it appears evil.  It is the good things we do, even the Scriptural ordinances, that work death in us when our faith is placed in those ordinances, commandments and laws for our righteousness.  Our consecration becomes ambition to gain righteousness instead of our faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified maintaining our righteousness when our faith shifts from what Jesus has done to what we must do.

Religious man has written many books, taught many programs and given many methods and formulas to “gain” righteousness that are nothing more than laws.

“⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:5-6

These methods (laws) are the poison in the pot.  They are satan’s methods to corrupt the Gospel of Jesus Christ and make the Cross of Christ of no effect. These laws, the methods and formulas that are often Scriptural ordinances, cause the old man…the unregenerate who was crucified with Christ to arise.  The unregenerate man who faith buried is now awakened with the giving of methods.  They are “good” so we don’t recognize their intent to corrupt our faith….but make no mistake, corrupting our faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ is the sole intent of these methods.

“For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

Freedom from the law of sin and death is only found when we are planted together in the likeness of Jesus’ death through faith in His finished Work.  It is only then, when our faith is placed solely and exclusively in Jesus’ atoning work, that we are made free by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and shall also be in the likeness of His Resurrection.  This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit and He is more than capable to do that which He is commissioned to do in the Believer’s life.  These vain methods are an attempt to usurp His ministry and replace it with our willpower.

“³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4

Walk not after the flesh…but after the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

“²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:20-21

-Donna Clark Warren