From Law to Life
The law reveals our need of deliverance from the power of sin, and we are free from doing the will of our Father as of ourselves when we put our trust in the Lord Jesus.
Miles J. Stanford delves into the struggle of recognizing our weakness and helplessness as sinners and believers, emphasizing the need for deliverance from the power of sin through God's work in us. He highlights the journey of realizing our inability to please God on our own and the necessity of trusting in Jesus to manifest His life through us, fulfilling the righteousness of the law. Stanford explains that the law, if fully obeyed, would shape us into what God intended us to be, ultimately pointing to the transformative power of Jesus Christ in our lives.
Text
"Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24).
As sinners, the law revealed our need of deliverance from the penalty of sin; as believers, the law reveals our need of deliverance from the power of sin.
"Our Father knows that we are weakness incarnate; that we can do nothing. The trouble is that we do not know it. He must bring us all to the place where we see that we are utterly weak and helpless.
"The more we try to keep the law the more our weakness is manifested and the deeper we get into Romans Seven, until it is clearly demonstrated to us that we are hopelessly weak. The Father knew it all the time, but we did not, and so He has to bring us through painful experiences to a recognition of the fact."
"'It is God who worketh in you' (Philippians 2:13). Deliverance from law does not mean that we are free from doing the will of our Father. It certainly does not mean that we are going to be lawless. Quite the opposite! What it does mean however is that we are free from doing that will as of ourselves.
"Being fully persuaded that we cannot do it, we cease trying to please God from the ground of the old man. Having at least reached the point of utter despair in ourselves so that we cease even to try, we put our trust in the Lord Jesus to manifest His resurrection life in and through us, 'that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit' (Romans 8:4)."
"What would be effected by the law, if all its commands and precepts were carried out and maintained? It would form man in the flesh; it would make Adam what he ought to be for God in the world. The law would form Adam in us." -C.A.C.
"I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Romans 7:25).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Law Reveals Our Need of Deliverance
- A. As sinners, the law reveals our need of deliverance from the penalty of sin
- B. As believers, the law reveals our need of deliverance from the power of sin
- II. Our Weakness and Helplessness
- A. We are weakness incarnate and cannot do anything
- B. We must be brought to a recognition of our utter weakness and helplessness
- III. Deliverance from the Law
- A. It does not mean we are free from doing the will of our Father
- B. It means we are free from doing the will of our Father as of ourselves
- C. We put our trust in the Lord Jesus to manifest His resurrection life in and through us
Key Quotes
“Our Father knows that we are weakness incarnate; that we can do nothing.” — Miles J. Stanford
“It is God who worketh in you” — Miles J. Stanford
“I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- Recognize your own weakness and helplessness, and put your trust in the Lord Jesus to manifest His resurrection life in and through you.
- Cease trying to please God from the ground of the old man and put your trust in the Lord Jesus.
- Walk in the Spirit and not after the flesh to fulfill the righteousness of the law.