To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law… Romans 8.6, 7

The Christian life is the resurrection life of Jesus increasing in and coming to expression through those who believe. This is the work of the Spirit of God, Who by His indwelling presence and teaching enables us to learn what is pleasing to God, and to do it (Phil 2:13). Paul says that we must “sow” to the Spirit if we wish to reap the benefits and fruit of the indwelling Spirit’s presence and power (Gal. 6.8).

The Spirit has as His core curriculum the Law of God (Ezek. 36.26, 27). It is vain to seek the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, or the power of the Spirit if we will not submit to His most foundational teaching concerning the requirements of love. Imagine a football player, eager to “get in the game,” but who has never taken the time to learn the plays in the coach’s playbook! This is what it’s like to try to follow or be filled with the Spirit while we continue to neglect the Law of God.

The Church today is demonstrably lacking in the kind of spiritual power that conduces to holiness, engenders self-denying good works, and issues in bold witness for Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God will not “pass us on” to these courses until we have begun to lay in the foundation of our Christian curriculum a good and growing understanding of the Law and how to interpret it into our daily practice.

If your Christian experience is lacking in power, it may be the Spirit is still waiting for you to become more dedicated to learning the “playbook” of the life of faith, including the Law of God as given by Moses, understood by Jesus, the Apostles, and the Prophets, and taught throughout the ages of the Church to the praise of the glory of God’s grace.

T. M. Moore

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