ADDRESSES ON ROMANS
sinner's heart, having made him "a new creation" in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17), He in~dwells the believer, making him "free from the law of sin and death." Do you remember Paul's agonizing prayer, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?" Here is his answer. The Holy Spirit is the One who brings to a end the rule of sin in the believer's life. Thus you see again what we stated in our study of chapter seven, that God's way to victory is not eradication, and it is not suppression: it is counteraction. Therefore, those are wrong who teach that the new birth in Christ means taking the old nature out by the roots. I have yet to see the human being who, in this life, has reached sinless perfection. I wish such a state were possible. Nor are those right who teach the suppression of the old nature by the Mosaic Law. We have seen from chapter seven that Paul sought in vain to get victory by this method. It is not God's way. His way is the counteract'on.Q.! the old nature by the..Ha1' Spirit-a higher Power. To quote --~ Paul in Romans 8:3 again, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.'' I had a good illustration of this just the other day. I started to the hospital to call on a man, a member of our church. Every time I picked up my foot, I placed it down again. I looked at the blue sky, and thought to myself, "I should like to be up there!" But the law of gravitation kept me on the ground. When I arrived at the hospital, I asked where I should find my friend. On being told, I entered the elevator, pushed the button that was to take me to the sixth floor, and up I went. The law of gravity was still working; but there was another, a greater law working now, the law of electricity. This law was stronger than that of gravitation. It overcame; it nullified; it counteracted the law of gravitation. This is what happens when a man reckons himself to be dead to sin, but alive unto God. The Holy Spirit begins to operate, and thus counteracts the old rule of life. I wish that Christian people might let this truth grip [Page 137
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