Paul describes the law in Romans 8 as the 'law of sin and death' — a system weak through the flesh that could only condemn — and contrasts it with the 'law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' that sets believers free.
In Romans 8:2, Paul writes that 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.' In Romans 8:3, he explains that what the law could not do, being weak through the flesh, God accomplished by sending His own Son. Les Feldick emphasizes that from man's perspective the Mosaic Law was faulty: man could not keep it, it had no power to help, and all it could do was condemn.
Romans 8:2 — This is the central verse: Paul names the law as 'the law of sin and death' and contrasts it with 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.'
Romans 8:3 — Paul explains that the law was 'weak through the flesh' and could not do what God did by sending His Son.
In Romans 8:2, Paul names two laws: 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' and 'the law of sin and death.' He states that the former 'hath made me free from' the latter. In Romans 8:3, he explains that '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.' The Bible is clear that the law itself is not sinful. In Romans 7:7, Paul asks, 'Is the law sin? God forbid.' Rather, the law reveals sin: 'I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.' The weakness is in the flesh, not in the law. Romans 7:5-6 describes being 'in the flesh' with sins 'which were by the law' working in the members to bring forth fruit unto death, and being 'delivered from the law' to 'serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.'
Les Feldick teaches that the 'law of sin and death' in Romans 8:2 is a fact of life that has been with man ever since Adam ate. When Adam sinned, death came — sin and death are tied together. Against this stands 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,' which counteracts and supersedes that fact of life and sets the believer free. Les also notes that the Holy Spirit is mentioned 19 times in Romans 8, compared to only once in the first seven chapters, showing that the Spirit is the answer to the dilemma Paul described in Romans 7 (Clips 1, 6). Les emphasizes that from man's perspective the Mosaic Law was faulty. Man could not keep it, the law had no power to help anyone keep it, and all it could do was condemn. In contrast, under the Law of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and becomes our law (Clips 2, 4). The practical application for Les is complete separation from legalism. Just as Ishmael had to be cast out so there was no contact with Isaac, legalism must be cast out of grace (Clip 0). Yet this does not mean license: Paul never forsook the morality of the law of God — he was 'not without law to God, but under the law to Christ' (Clip 7).
Les Feldick explains that the law of sin and death has been with man ever since Adam ate. As soon as Adam sinned, death came — the two are tied together as an everyday fact of life for the whole world. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is the counteracting, superseding fact of life that sets believers apart from sin and death. Les notes that the Holy Spirit is mentioned 19 times in Romans 8, compared to only once in the first seven chapters, showing that the Spirit answers the dilemma Paul described in Romans 7.
Romans 8:3 says the law could not do what God did — 'in that it was weak through the flesh.' Romans 7:5-6 shows that when believers were in the flesh, the motions of sins were by the law, working in the members to bring forth fruit unto death. Les Feldick teaches that the Mosaic Law from man's perspective was faulty because man could not keep it. The law had absolutely no power to help mankind keep the law — it could not keep a man from stealing or committing adultery. All it could do was condemn him. The problem was not the law's weakness in itself, but its weakness through the flesh.
No. In Romans 7:7, Paul asks, 'Is the law sin? God forbid.' Les Feldick comments that the law — the Ten Commandments, the moral law — is not something wrong. Paul's dilemma in Romans 7 was that he did what he should not and did not do what he should. But without the law he would not have known sin: 'I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.' The law reveals God's perfect demand and shows man his sin.
Les Feldick teaches that the indwelling Holy Spirit becomes our law. While the Mosaic Law was external and could only condemn, the Law of the Spirit of life is internal — the Spirit indwells the believer and empowers him. Under the Law of the Spirit, the believer lives differently because the Spirit of God is at work within. This stands in direct contrast to the law of sin and death, which has held man in bondage since Adam.
Les Feldick connects the separation from the law in Romans 8 to Galatians 4:30, where Paul quotes Genesis: 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son.' Just as Ishmael was sent into the wilderness so there was no contact between him and Isaac, legalism must be cast out of grace. Paul was writing to Gentile believers besieged by Judaizers who said they could not be saved unless they kept the law. The allegory shows that law and grace must not coexist — believers are to have no contact with legalism.
No. Les Feldick points to Paul's own example in 1 Corinthians 9:21: 'to them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ.' Paul never forsook the morality of the law of God. Being free from the law of sin and death does not mean a believer can do as he pleases morally — the Law of the Spirit of life produces godly living through the indwelling Spirit.
Cast Out the Bondwoman — Legalism Excluded
Les uses the Ishmael/Isaac allegory to show that just as Ishmael was cast out so there was no contact with Isaac, believers must cast out legalism entirely — law and grace cannot be mixed.
Two Laws: Sin and Death vs. Spirit of Life
Les identifies the law of sin and death as present since Adam and explains that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus supersedes it; he also notes the Holy Spirit is mentioned 19 times in Romans 8.
The Indwelling Spirit Becomes Our Law
Les teaches that the answer to the Romans 7 dilemma is the indwelling Holy Spirit, who becomes our law in the believer's life.
In the Flesh — Sins by the Law
Les connects Romans 7:5-6 to the topic, showing that when believers were in the flesh, the motions of sins were by the law, which held them in death.
The Law Was Faulty From Man's Perspective
Les teaches that the Mosaic Law was faulty from man's side — man could not keep it, the law had no power to help him keep it, and all it could do was condemn.
The Law Is Not Sin — It Reveals Sin
Les clarifies that Paul's question 'Is the law sin? God forbid' shows the moral law is not the problem; rather, it reveals what sin is, such as 'Thou shalt not covet.'
Sin and Death Tied Since Adam
Les compares the two facts of life in Romans 8 — the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus versus sin and death — noting both began with Adam's sin and the resulting death.
Under the Law to Christ — Morality Kept
Les explains that Paul never forsook the morality of the law of God; being free from the law of sin and death did not mean license.
Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Paul's central description of the law as 'the law of sin and death' and its contrast with the 'law of the Spirit of life' directly answers the question.
Romans 8:3: 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:
Paul explains that the law's weakness was through the flesh — it could not save.
Romans 7:5-6: For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Context for Romans 8: being 'in the flesh' the law stirred sin, but believers are delivered from the law.
Romans 7:7: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Shows the law is not sinful but reveals sin.
Galatians 4:30: Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
The allegory Les uses to show legalism must be cast out of grace.
1 Corinthians 9:21: To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
Paul's statement that being free from the law does not mean being without law to God.
Les Feldick teaches that the law of sin and death has been with man ever since Adam ate — when Adam sinned, death came. Paul contrasts it with the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which sets believers free from sin and death.
Because it was weak through the flesh. Les explains that the Mosaic Law had no power to help mankind keep it; all it could do was condemn. Man's flesh could not fulfill what the law required.
No. Romans 7:7 says 'Is the law sin? God forbid.' The law reveals sin — Paul would not have known lust except the law said, 'Thou shalt not covet.'
Les teaches that legalism must be cast out completely, as Ishmael was cast out from Isaac. But believers are 'under the law to Christ' morally — Paul never forsook the morality of the law of God.
Watch the Teaching: Ishmael vs. Isaac: The Allegory of Law and Grace Explained