Being Led By the Holy Spirit Frees Us from Law
David W Palmer
(Matthew 5:19–20 DKJV) “Whoever therefore relaxes his obligation to even the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do so, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever will do and teach them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
In Scripture, I can see only one way we can live up to this expectation of Jesus:
(Romans 6:5–6, 11 NLT) Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. {6} We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. ... {11} So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
We need to consider ourselves dead with Jesus on the cross, and allow him to live through us in his resurrection. He alone can fulfill the super high standard that God is looking for. This is the miracle of Jesus’s salvation from the curse of the law:
(1 John 3:4 NLT) Everyone who sins is breaking God's law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.
Our wonderful Lord Jesus didn’t remove the [moral] law; he made a way for us to live without violating it:
(Matthew 5:17 NKJV) “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
(Galatians 5:18 NKJV) “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us is the only way to be out from under the law. By walking in the guidance of God’s Spirit of Holiness—by definition and by default—we will be living in a holy manner. The Holy Spirit cannot lead us into anything else; holiness is his very nature.
Let’s live and teach: “living by faith,” “walking in the Spirit,” being “led by the Holy Spirit.” Let’s avoid the other two extremes: the ditch on one side of the narrow road is to teach that the law is not relevant to us; the one on the other side is to say that it is, but that it is up to us to obey it. The first is simply blind wishful thinking, which will come to a sudden halt at the judgment seat of Christ; the second is the death spiral of legalism.
The question for us is not whether we should “do and teach them,” but how do we “do” them? That is, how do we keep God’s commandments? How do we live in the holiness that he commands?
(1 Peter 1:15–16 NKJV) “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, {16} because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”
The answer—as explained in yesterday’s teaching—is by allowing Christ to live through us. He alone fully understands this doctrine and what God expects of us; he alone has the power to fulfill the law; he alone has the ability to live the sin-free life. And thankfully, he has put the new covenant into effect so he could release that power in us—not to absolve us from holy living, but to empower us to achieve his standard—the ultimate holiness:
(Hebrews 2:18 NKJV) “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”
(Matthew 5:20 NKJV) “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness is greatly abundant, and surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
