The Holy Spirit—The Decalogue
IT is passing strange, isn't it, that men should ever seek to set the Spirit and the law in antagonism to each other? Yet they do. Just as tho God could be against Himself! Think of it. The Spirit is the Spirit of God. God is the Author of life. His Spirit is "the Spirit of life." The law is the law of God. And God is one. His Spirit is not against His law, but is in His law. His law is not against His Spirit, but it is "the law of the Spirit of life." Why should one be set against the other? "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance;" and the apostle adds, "Against such there is no law." Gal. 5:22, 23. That is, there is no law to condemn these fruits. Just previous to this, Paul had said, "If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Verse 18. Why?—Because there is harmony with the law, and the life bears the fruit against which the law brings no charge. For if the law is not against the fruit of the Spirit, it is certainly in harmony with it; and if the law is in harmony with the fruit of the Spirit, it is therefore in harmony with the Spirit which bears the fruit. He who is "not under the law" is therefore possessed of the life of the Spirit which writes the law within. We must conclude, then, that those led by the Spirit are not under the condemnation of the law, because they bear the fruits which the law approves. Cherish them both—the law and the Spirit of God. Pray that God by His Spirit may engraft that law within your heart. So shall you delight yourself in its depths, its beauty, its power, its fulness. "Great peace have they that love Thy law, and they have no stumbling-block."