Devotion: The Law Was Powerless To ... (Romans 8:1-4)

¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  ³ For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man,  ⁴ in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

The Law is not powerless. The Law has the power to convict us of our sins and to condemn us for not keeping the terms and conditions that God has set for being in relationship with Him under the old covenant. The Law is very powerful in these things.  We know the power of the Law, because we are condemned by the Law. So, when it comes to accusing, convicting, and condemning us of our sins, we know that the Law is not powerless.

However, the Law is powerless in other things. It may condemn us, but the Law is utterly powerless to set us free from sin and death.  If we turn to the Law for forgiveness, the Law is powerless and can only continue to show us our sins — even showing us more of our sinfulness than we realize! If we look to the Law to provide a way for us to become righteous before God, the Law is powerless and can only condemn us as unrighteous. If we try to free ourselves from the power of sin through the Law, the Law is powerless and will only strengthen the grip that sin has on us. The Law is powerful in condemning us, but it is powerless to save us.

For us to experience what the Law is powerless to do, we must look to something other than the Law. Sadly, many people — actually, the majority of people in our world — do not know anything other than the Law.  Whether they have never had the Gospel presented to them, have be given the Gospel horribly mixed up with the Law, or have heard the pure Gospel but turned it away, billions of people have only the power of the Law at work in their lives. And the Law is not powerless in doing what it can do for them. They are accused, convicted, and condemned.  They live apart from the love and grace of God. Their lives are filled with guilt or false hope … or both.  But we have heard, we believe, and we've been set free by the Gospel of Jesus Christ — the same Gospel that empowers us to set others free from the power of the Law.

Mighty Father, Loving God, You have set me free from the power of the Law. In the Gospel I face no condemnation, not now and not ever. I praise and thank You for Your amazing love, grace, and mercy, and I ask You to make use of me in bringing these gifts of the Gospel to others. Amen.