“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.” (Romans 3:27 NKJV)
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2 BSB)
“He has qualified us [making us sufficient] as ministers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not of the letter [of a written code] but of the Spirit; for the letter [of the Law] kills [by revealing sin and demanding obedience], but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6 AMP)
This universe was created to operate by natural and spiritual laws. These laws were woven into creation by the Creator. These laws operate 100% of the time with 100% consistency. They exist whether we are aware of them or not. Most people live and operate primarily within the boundaries of natural law. This is the mindset from which Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. Interestingly enough, he wrote the Book of Proverbs with a focus on spiritual laws. A quick reading of both books makes it clear that this change in viewpoint had a huge impact on Solomon’s outlook on life.
I know that if I jump off a building the law of gravity will work 100% of the time. This law has been so universally embraced that when someone originally declared that it was possible for man to fly, the vast majority of people saw that person as being crazy. It took generations to overcome people’s hesitancy to open up to new possibilities. Once we discovered the laws of lift and thrust, and cooperated with them (combining them with the law of gravity), there was flight. These laws have been a part of creation from the beginning, We just didn’t know it. Had these laws been known we would have been flying centuries earlier. As we progressively discover natural laws our lives change as a result.
There are “spiritual laws” that the Creator of this universe wove into creation that are even more “real,” and even more powerful, than the natural laws that surround us. There is the “law of faith” (the reverse of this is the “spirit of fear”). There is the “law of confession” (this law also has a positive and negative side – life or death / blessing or cursing). There are “spiritual laws” that we have discovered and I am convinced there are more that have not yet been revealed (discovered). Sadly, once a typical person gets comfortable and confident in things as they are, it becomes increasingly difficult to get that person to be open to discovering new things.
For many years a mantra in the manufacturing / industrial world was “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” As manufacturers like Toyota began moving forward with continuous improvement principles and discovering new “laws” things began to change. However, this progress has been greatly hindered and slowed by those hesitant to change. As a manufacturing supervisor I spent many hours trying to help teams see why it was to everyone’s advantage to look for better ways even when nothing appeared broken. It was a never ending battle.
The same battle is raging in the Body of Christ. So many have grown comfortable with thinking that everything (good and bad) comes from the “hand of God” that the belief system of Job is foundational in modern day Christianity. As a result we live by the mantra, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” (even though God himself called that thinking darkened and foolish). This makes it very difficult to accept anything that hints of my actually having delegated power and authority in my life and the world around me. It also leaves me vulnerable to the reality of an enemy that is free to attack me at will as I accept his attacks as coming from my Heavenly Father.
When the “law of faith” was rediscovered it was immediately shot down by the majority of those claiming to live by the Bible. Those learning to operate in faith were looked at with skepticism and many times even labeled as fanatics.
When the “law of confession” was brought to light once again the barriers to change went up. Those who were learning to operate in this spiritual law were labeled as “false teachers” and their teaching was viciously mislabeled “name it and claim it” or “blab it and grab it.” And yet, this is clearly revealed in Scripture.
The “law of sowing and reaping” continues to be a hotspot of debate to this day. God forbid that I expect to be extravagantly provided for by a loving generous Father. Dare I even speak the word “prosperity” (even though it is freely used in Scripture)?
Lest this turns into a long run down a rabbit trail, let me explain how this relates to our current conversation about “Grace Expectations: Life Expectancy Kingdom Style.”
As the Spirit started challenging me to take a fresh look at aging and death in order to lead in the “Rise of the New Caleb Generation,” he began by challenging my current view of these things (which was the “common” view throughout the majority of the world including the Body of Christ). I had to leave my comfort zone and be willing to think completely out of the box in which I had been living (a very crowded box I might add). By the way, my box today is far bigger and far less crowded. The Spirit revealed to me that most of my deepest convictions (especially in the areas of aging and death) were based more in natural laws than in spiritual laws. Based more in “natural experience” (mine and that of others living and dead) than in “spiritual truth” revealed by the Spirit and the Word. My “life expectancy” was simply going with the flow of what was commonly experienced and then supported by “proof texts” which with deeper study under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit did not actually support the “Truth” that was being revealed.
Aging and death are part of the natural course of things. However, they are neither “natural” or “spiritual” laws woven into original creation. They were introduced into creation by a fallen angel that has come to be known as Satan or the devil. The original creation did not include anything that was not already present in the Kingdom of Heaven (God’s dwelling place). All laws placed into the operations of creation (spiritual or natural) were based in life and blessing. They were intended to bring completion to creation, allowing the earth to be filled with God’s Glory (his goodness fully demonstrated) and the Kingdom of Heaven (Garden of Eden condition) expanded throughout the planet (and I believe the universe). There was no deterioration, decline, decay, degradation, or death. Aging was simply a time based process of growth, maturity, fullness, wholeness,and completion. All laws, both natural and spiritual, were to hold this universe and all who dwell in it together in perfect harmony, unity, and alignment. If a process (law) does not bring about God’s original design and desire for his creation then it is not a law and can be overturned or overcome by the laws that he did establish.
Just like the discovery of the laws of lift and thrust overcame the limitations of non-flight, and the understanding of continuous improvement laws replaced the principle of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” the awakening to the spiritual law of faith overcomes fear and unbelief. The law of life overcomes aging and death. The law of grace overcomes sin. And on and on I could go.
In wrapping up this series, I would challenge each of us to seek out truth, and discover the Creator’s natural and spiritual laws, in order to live the quality and quantity of life that he designed us to live. Let’s break free of the law of sin and death and live fully in the law of life.
Please prayerfully go back through Parts 1 – 8 of this series taking time to be a “Berean” and examine Scripture to see if what I have written is true. Thank you for allowing me to share…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 426: Grace Expectations – Life Expectancy Kingdom Style: Part 8