Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
For in Christ Jesus
This phrase emphasizes the believer's union with Christ. The Greek preposition "en" (ἐν) signifies being in a fixed position, indicating a deep, abiding relationship. Historically, this union is central to Pauline theology, where being "in Christ" means sharing in His death, resurrection, and life. This relationship is transformative, offering believers a new identity and status before God.

the law of the Spirit of life
The "law" here, from the Greek "nomos" (νόμος), refers not to a legalistic code but to a principle or power. The "Spirit of life" contrasts with the "law of sin and death" mentioned in the previous chapter. This Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is the source of life, echoing Genesis where God breathes life into Adam. Theologically, this signifies the new covenant, where the Spirit empowers believers to live righteously.

has set you free
The Greek word "eleutheroo" (ἐλευθερόω) means to liberate or release. This freedom is not just from the penalty of sin but from its power and dominion. Historically, freedom in Christ was a radical concept, especially for early Christians who lived under Roman oppression. This freedom is spiritual and eternal, transcending earthly circumstances.

from the law of sin and death
This phrase contrasts with the "law of the Spirit of life." The "law of sin and death" refers to the principle that sin leads to death, both physically and spiritually. In the context of Romans, Paul has been discussing how the Mosaic Law, while holy, reveals sin and results in death because of human inability to keep it. Theologically, this underscores the need for a Savior and the inadequacy of the law to bring about true righteousness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the Book of Romans, Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and theological teachings.

2. Christ Jesus
Central to this verse, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, whose life, death, and resurrection are the foundation of Christian faith.

3. The Spirit of Life
Refers to the Holy Spirit, who brings life and freedom to believers, contrasting with the law of sin and death.

4. The Law of Sin and Death
Represents the Mosaic Law and the power of sin, which leads to spiritual and physical death.

5. The Church in Rome
The original recipients of the letter, the Roman Christians were a diverse group of Jewish and Gentile believers.
Teaching Points
Freedom in Christ
Believers are set free from the bondage of sin and death through the work of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is essential in the believer's life, providing guidance, empowerment, and the assurance of salvation.

Contrast of Laws
Understand the difference between the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life. The former brings condemnation, while the latter brings life and peace.

Living in the Spirit
Encourage believers to live according to the Spirit, which involves daily surrender and reliance on God's power rather than human effort.

Assurance of Salvation
This verse provides assurance that believers are no longer under condemnation but are free in Christ, which should lead to a life of gratitude and obedience.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the "law of the Spirit of life" change your perspective on daily struggles with sin?

2. In what ways can you actively rely on the Holy Spirit to experience the freedom mentioned in Romans 8:2?

3. How does the concept of being set free from the "law of sin and death" influence your understanding of salvation?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to live more fully in the freedom that Christ offers?

5. How do other scriptures, such as Galatians 5:1 and John 8:36, deepen your understanding of the freedom found in Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Galatians 5:1
This verse speaks about the freedom believers have in Christ, echoing the theme of liberation from the law of sin and death.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Highlights the freedom that comes from the Spirit, reinforcing the idea of liberation through the Holy Spirit.

John 8:36
Jesus speaks about the true freedom He offers, which aligns with the freedom mentioned in Romans 8:2.

Ephesians 2:1-5
Discusses being made alive in Christ, contrasting the former state of being dead in transgressions.
Believers are Freed Through the Law of the Spirit of LifeJ. Gage, B. D.Romans 8:2
Delivered from the Law of SinProf. J. A. Beet.Romans 8:2
Free from the Law of Sin and DeathThomas Horton.Romans 8:2
Freedom from Law Achieved by LawPercy Strutt.Romans 8:2
Law Cancelling LawF. B. Meyer, B. A.Romans 8:2
Law of the Spirit of LifeH. Wilkes, D. D.Romans 8:2
Spiritual EmancipationT. G. Horton.Romans 8:2
The Believer's Freedom from the Law of SinJabez Bunting, D. D.Romans 8:2
The Christian Liberty AchievedW. Tyson.Romans 8:2
The Law of SinT. Jacomb, D. D.Romans 8:2
The Law of the Spirit Frees from the Law of SinT. Jacomb, D. D.Romans 8:2
The Law of the Spirit of Life in ChristR. S. Storrs, D. D.Romans 8:2
The Law of the Spirit of Life in ChristR. Haldane.Romans 8:2
The Two LawsT. Chalmers, D. D.Romans 8:2
thy Free Spirit'Alexander MaclarenRomans 8:2
No CondemnationS.R. Aldridge Romans 8:1-4
What the Law Could not DoT.F. Lockyer Romans 8:1-5
Paradise RegainedR.M. Edgar Romans 8:1-11
The Judgment-Day, and How to Prepare for itC.H. Irwin Romans 8:1-11
People
Paul, Romans
Places
Rome
Topics
Christ, Deals, Death, Free, Law, Sin, Spirit, Spirit's, Telling
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Romans 8:2

     3015   Holy Spirit, divinity
     3035   Holy Spirit, presence of
     3040   Holy Spirit, promise of
     3045   Holy Spirit, sovereignty
     3110   Holy Spirit, titles of
     3230   Holy Spirit, and regeneration
     3290   Holy Spirit, life-giver
     4018   life, spiritual
     6745   sanctification, nature and basis

Romans 8:1-2

     1075   God, justice of
     3215   Holy Spirit, and peace
     6660   freedom, through Christ
     6670   grace, and Holy Spirit
     9105   last things

Romans 8:1-3

     2321   Christ, as redeemer
     5005   human race, and redemption

Romans 8:1-4

     2324   Christ, as Saviour
     6125   condemnation, divine
     6669   grace, and salvation
     6679   justification, results

Romans 8:1-9

     5110   Paul, teaching of
     6028   sin, deliverance from

Romans 8:1-11

     5381   law, letter and spirit

Romans 8:1-17

     6661   freedom, and law

Romans 8:2-3

     2066   Christ, power of

Romans 8:2-4

     1352   covenant, the new
     6139   deadness, spiritual

Library
December 18:
December 18th. The misgiving which will creep sometimes over the brightest faith has already received its expression and its rebuke: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Shall these "changes in the physical state of the environment" which threaten death to the natural man, destroy the spiritual? Shall death, or life, or angels, or principalities, or powers, arrest or tamper with his eternal correspondences?
Henry Drummond—Beautiful Thoughts

October 10. "If Ye, through the Spirit, do Mortify the Deeds of the Body, Ye Shall Live" (Rom. viii. 13).
"If ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Rom. viii. 13). The Holy Spirit is the only one who can kill us and keep us dead. Many Christians try to do this disagreeable work themselves, and they are going through a continual crucifixion, but they can never accomplish the work permanently. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and when you really yield yourself to the death, it is delightful to find how sweetly He can slay you. By the touch of the electric spark they
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

August 6. "As Many as are Led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God" (Rom. viii. 14).
"As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God" (Rom. viii. 14). The blessed Holy Spirit is our Guide, our Leader, and our Resting-place. There are times when He presses us forward into prayer, into service, into suffering, into new experiences, new duties, new claims of faith, and hope, and love, but there are times when He arrests us in our activity, and rests us under His overshadowing wing, and quiets us in the secret place of the Most High, teaching us some new lessons, breathing
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

October 12. "The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me Free" (Rom. viii. 2).
"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free" (Rom. viii. 2). The life of Jesus Christ brought into our heart by the Holy Spirit, operates there as a new law of divine strength and vitality, and counteracts, overcomes and lifts us above the old law of sin and death. Let us illustrate these two laws by a simple comparison. Look at my hand. By the law of gravitation it naturally falls upon the desk and lies there, attracted downward by that natural law which makes heavy bodies fall
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

November 8. "For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me Free" (Rom. viii. 2).
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free" (Rom. viii. 2). There is a natural law of sin and sickness, and if we just let ourselves go and sink into the trend of circumstances we shall go down and sink under the power of the tempter. But there is another law of spiritual life and of physical life in Christ Jesus to which we can rise and through which we can counterpoise and overcome the other law that bears us down. But to do this requires real spiritual energy and fixed
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

September 27. "The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God" (Rom. viii. 21).
"The glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. viii. 21). Are you above self and self-pleasing in every way? Have you got above circumstances so that you are not influenced by them? Are you above sickness and the evil forces around that would drag down your physical life into the quicksands? These forces are all around, and if yielded to would quickly swamp us. God does not destroy sickness, or its power to hurt, but He lifts us above it. Are you above your feelings, moods, emotions and states?
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

October 11. "And He that Searcheth the Hearts Knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit, Because He Maketh Intercession for the Saints According to the Will of God" (Rom. viii. 27).
"And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom. viii. 27). The Holy Spirit becomes to the consecrated heart the Spirit of intercession. We have two Advocates. We have an Advocate with the Father, who prays for us at God's right hand; but the Holy Spirit is the Advocate within, who prays in us, inspiring our petitions and presenting them, through Christ, to God. We need this Advocate. We know
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

October 21. "Who Shall Separate us from the Love of Christ?" (Rom. viii. 35).
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom. viii. 35). And then comes the triumphant answer, after all the possible obstacles and enemies have been mentioned one by one, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us." Our trials will be turned to helps; our enemies will be taken prisoners and made to fight our battles. Like the weights on yonder clock, which keep it going, our very difficulties will prove incentives to faith and prayer, and occasions
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

June 1. "That the Righteousness of the Law Might be Fulfilled in Us" (Rom. viii. 4).
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Rom. viii. 4). Beloved friends, do you know the mistake some of you are making? Some of you say: "It is not possible for me to be good; no man ever was perfect, and it is no use for me to try." That is the mistake many of you are making. I agree with the first sentence, "No man ever was perfect"; but I don't agree with the second, "There is no use trying." There is a divine righteousness that we may have. I don't mean merely that which
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

October 13. "The Carnal Mind is Enmity against God" (Rom. viii. 7).
"The carnal mind is enmity against God" (Rom. viii. 7). The flesh is incurably bad. "It is not subject to the law of God, neither, indeed, can be." It never can be any better. It is no use trying to improve the flesh. You may educate it all you please. You may train it by the most approved methods, you may set before it the brightest examples, you may pipe to it or mourn to it, treat it with encouragement or severity; its nature will always be incorrigibly the same. Like the wild hawk which the little
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

August 4. "Ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ He is None of His" (Rom. viii. 9).
"Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His" (Rom. viii. 9). A spiritual man is not so much a man possessing a strong spiritual character as a man filled with the Holy Spirit. So the apostle said: "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." The glory of the new creation, then, is not only that it recreates the human spirit, but that it fits
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Fourth Sunday after Trinity Consolation in Suffering, and Patience.
Text: Romans 8, 18-22. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Fourth Sunday after Trinity Redemption of the Creatures.
Second Sermon. Text: Romans 8, 18-22. REDEMPTION OF THE CREATURES. 1. We have heard how Paul comforts the Christians in their sufferings, pointing them to the future inconceivable and eternal glory to be revealed in us in the world to come; and how he has, for our greater consolation, reminded us that the whole creation as one being suffers in company with the Christian Church. We have noted how he sees, with the clear, keen eye of an apostle, the holy cross in every creature. He brings out this
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Eighth Sunday after Trinity Living in the Spirit as God's Children.
Text: Romans 8, 12-17. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Divine Support and Protection
[What shall we say then to these things?] If God be for us, who can be against us? T he passions of joy or grief, of admiration or gratitude, are moderate when we are able to find words which fully describe their emotions. When they rise very high, language is too faint to express them; and the person is either lost in silence, or feels something which, after his most laboured efforts, is too big for utterance. We may often observe the Apostle Paul under this difficulty, when attempting to excite
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Accusers Challenged
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who justifies. T hough the collating of manuscripts and various readings has undoubtedly been of use in rectifying some mistakes which, through the inadvertency of transcribers, had crept into different copies of the New Testament, yet such supposed corrections of the text ought to be admitted with caution, and not unless supported by strong reasons and authorities. The whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God: and they who thankfully
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

The Intercession of Christ
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us! T he Redemption of the soul is precious. Fools make mock of sin (Proverbs 14:9) . But they will not think lightly of it, who duly consider the majesty, authority, and goodness of Him, against whom it is committed; and who are taught, by what God actually has done, what sin rendered necessary to be done, before a sinner could have a well-grounded
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Triumph Over Death and the Grave
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. T he Christian soldier may with the greatest propriety, be said to war a good warfare (I Timothy 1:18) . He is engaged in a good cause. He fights under the eye of the Captain of his salvation. Though he be weak in himself, and though his enemies are many and mighty, he may do that which in other soldiers
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

August the Twenty-Fifth Impotent Enemies
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" --ROMANS viii. 31-39. Who can get between the love of Christ and me? What sharp dividing minister can cleave the two in twain, and leave me like a dismembered and dying branch? Terrible experiences cannot do it. "Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword!" All these may come about my house, but they cannot reach the inner sanctuary where my Lord and I are closeted in loving communion and peace. They may bruise my skin,
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

May the Twenty-Eighth the Sons of God
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God." --ROMANS viii. 9-17. And how unspeakably wealthy are the implications of the great word! If a son, then what holy freedom is mine! Mine is not "the spirit of bondage." The son has "the run of the house." That is the great contrast between lodgings and home. And I am to be at home with the Lord. And if a son, then heir! "All things are yours." Samuel Rutherford used to counsel his friends to "take a turn" round their estate.
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Sons and Heirs
'If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.'--ROMANS viii. 17. God Himself is His greatest gift. The loftiest blessing which we can receive is that we should be heirs, possessors of God. There is a sublime and wonderful mutual possession of which Scripture speaks much wherein the Lord is the inheritance of Israel, and Israel is the inheritance of the Lord. 'The Lord hath taken you to be to Him a people of inheritance,' says Moses; 'Ye are a people for a possession,' says
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Suffering with Christ, a Condition of Glory with Christ
'...Joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.'--ROMANS viii. 17. In the former part of this verse the Apostle tells us that in order to be heirs of God, we must become sons through and joint-heirs with Christ. He seems at first sight to add in these words of our text another condition to those already specified, namely, that of suffering with Christ. Now, of course, whatever may be the operation of suffering in fitting for the possession of
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Witness of the Spirit
'The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.'--ROMANS viii. 18. The sin of the world is a false confidence, a careless, complacent taking for granted that a man is a Christian when he is not. The fault, and sorrow, and weakness of the Church is a false diffidence, an anxious fear whether a man be a Christian when he is. There are none so far away from false confidence as those who tremble lest they be cherishing it. There are none so inextricably caught in
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Revelation of Sons
'For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.'--ROMANS viii. 19. The Apostle has been describing believers as 'sons' and 'heirs.' He drops from these transcendent heights to contrast their present apparent condition with their true character and their future glory. The sad realities of suffering darken his lofty hopes, even although these sad realities are to his faith tokens of joint-heirship with Jesus, and pledges that if our inheritance is here
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

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