Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
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.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:That's not who we really are. We're not really identified with the law of sin anymore. You're not and I'm not. That still dwells in us, that law of sin in our flesh. But is that who we really are? No, and I think that's why Paul's saying it's no longer I who do it. He's not saying I'm not responsible for it, he's just saying when I act that way, when I sin, I'm not living like who I really am, Because chapter 6 already taught us we're identified with Christ. That's who we really are. We are really in Christ. So when we sin, we're not living like we're in Christ. And that's his idea. So let's go on and see how he solves it.
Speaker 2:Verse 25. Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ, 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's good. This is the law of God. On the other hand, he says with my flesh, which the sin principle is in me. He says I'm serving the law of sin. Very frustrating, If this book ended right here, it would be really sad because there's no real answer given to solve the dilemma. But it's not the end of the book.
Speaker 2:In chapter 8, it presents another law. There are three laws here, not just two. There's the law of sin that dwells in my flesh. It's a principle of sin. All it wants to do is sin, sin, sin. Right, You've got the law of your mind. The mind says, you know, I want to do good, I want to obey the Lord. But he says, you know, I can't do that. I want to do that but I can never do it. I break it. But that's not who I really am. He says, when I do, that's not really I who do it.
Speaker 2:The good thing is he adds in chapter 8 another law. So verse 1, Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Now that's an interesting statement to put in at this point. I think what he's saying is there's no requirement or you're not condemned to live in the way that Paul has just described. These are not your only two options Law of sin versus law of mind. He's saying there's another option and he introduces it right after that right. He says it's the law of the spirit of life. There's the third law, right, and he's introduced the spirit. Thank God, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. In other words, you don't have to live by the law of sin that dwells in your members, in your flesh right. You can now live by the what Spirit. You can now live by the Spirit. So he's the solution to the dilemma between the law of sin that dwells in your members and the law of your mind that wants to do what's right, but you can never 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 saying anything different than what jesus said in the vine and the branches. It's all the same story repeated.
Speaker 2:Now I saw a post from a friend of mine yesterday. He says I've always been like this my whole life. I'm trying to live the christian life. I'm trying to do better, I want to get better. To me it sounds just. I was like you sound just like roman seven, you sound like paul. You know I want to do what's good. I joyfully concur with the law of God, but the doing of the good is not in me. But see, there is someone who is in you and that's the law of the Spirit. The Spirit is in you and this is the solution. And that's why Galatians 5, isn't Galatians 5 saying the same thing? Walk by the Spirit. Galatians is, in many senses, a little Roman, a little Roman Romans goes much further. So let's see how much further he goes.
Speaker 2:He says, verse 3, what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, In other words, people who just lived under the law, like Israel. They didn't have any power to live the Christian life, they didn't have the Holy Spirit dwelling 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 the flesh, God did. He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. See, he looked just like any other human being, in other words. But he wasn't sinful, was he? It was just a likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for 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 the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.
Speaker 2:Now he's talking about the law of Moses and he's saying there's a specific requirement of the law of Moses that can be fulfilled in us. I mean there's a lot of laws right in the Old Testament. There's no reason to go through and hash out all the laws. But we can summarize all the laws with one word, as we summarize the requirement. And it is righteous.
Speaker 2:It says of Joseph, who became the adoptive father of Jesus, that he was a righteous man. That means he lived up to the requirements of the law. It didn't mean he was sinless. It didn't mean he was sinless because to be righteous under the law, if you sinned you had to bring sacrifice. And that's what it's saying he did Whenever he sinned, he would bring the proper sacrifice.
Speaker 2:So under the law, as far as the law was concerned and its requirements, he was righteous in that sense, Not where he could go to heaven or something like that, Not that type of righteousness Because he sinned. It just meant he brought the proper sacrifices. But that would be the requirement of the law, righteousness. So what this verse is saying is that verse 4, the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. Well, that's righteousness, right. But see the rest of the verse. 4, the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us. Well, that's righteousness, right. But see the rest of the verse says that we only get this righteousness through us when we don't walk according to the flesh, but we walk according to the what.
Speaker 1:Spirit. Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.