Today’s Scripture: Romans 7:6

“We serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”

Far too many Christians still serve in the old way of the law instead of in the new way of the Spirit:

1. Old Way: External Code —God’s moral precepts are only an external code of conduct. New Way: Internal Desire —God’s moral precepts are written on our hearts. The Spirit inclines our hearts and gives us a desire to obey.
2. Old Way: Commanding—The law commands but gives no enabling power for obedience. New Way: Enabling—The Spirit enables us to obey the law’s commands.
3. Old Way: Hostility—Before our conversion, the commands of the law actually provoked and incited us to sin. New Way: Delight—By removing our hostility and writing the law on our hearts, the Spirit causes us to delight in God’s law.
4. Old Way: Fear—The law produces a legalistic response to God. We try to obey because of fear of punishment for disobedience or to win favor with God. New Way: Gratitude—The Spirit, by showing us God’s grace, produces a response of love and gratitude. We obey out of gratitude for favor already given.
5. Old Way: Working—We perform in order to be accepted by God. Since our performance is always imperfect, we never feel completely accepted by him. We’re always working from a position of weakness, feeling we never quite make it. New Way: Relying—The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we’re accepted by God through the merit of Christ. By relying solely on his perfect righteousness, we feel accepted by him. We work from a position of strength because we’ve been accepted through Jesus, and through him, we’ve “made it.” (Excerpt taken from Transforming Grace)

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