Freedom to Be: Living by the Spirit, Not the Letter
Inspired by Abide Above devotional
"Having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter." — Romans 7:6 (ASV)
The grace of God has set us free—not to strive under the burden of the law, but to rest in the life of Christ within us. The law, as holy and perfect as it is, was given to reveal the futility of the natural man trying to please God. Grace, however, is given to the spiritual man to allow Christ to live His life through him.
This truth is often missed at conversion. Like the Galatians, many begin their journey in faith but quickly shift into self-effort, believing that they must now take up the law as a measure of their obedience and growth. Yet Scripture reveals a stunning reality: we are dead to the law (Romans 7:4). Our obedience is not to a list of rules but to a living Person—Christ Himself, who works in us through His Spirit (Philippians 2:13).
The Vineyard of Grace
Imagine an orchard of barren trees. No matter how much effort the gardener puts into pruning the branches or fertilizing the soil, the trees simply cannot produce fruit. The law is like this orchard—it demands fruit but offers no power to produce it. Grace, however, transforms the trees. It makes them alive, connected to the vine of Christ, and produces fruit effortlessly through them. The life of the Spirit within us is what brings forth fruit, not our attempts to fulfill the law’s demands.
Living by His Life
As new creations in Christ, we are not called to improve the old nature or measure up to the law’s requirements. Instead, we have a new object of focus—Christ Himself. His Spirit works in us, guiding, empowering, and producing what is pleasing to God. The life we live now is not a life of striving but of trusting, not of performing but of resting in the power of His endless life (Hebrews 7:16).
A Prayer of Confidence
Father,
Thank You for freeing us from the oldness of the letter and giving us the newness of life in Your Spirit. We trust in Your life within us to produce what is lovely and acceptable to You. We rest in the assurance that Christ’s life is sufficient for our growth and obedience. May we daily live as branches connected to the true vine, confident in the fruit You will produce through us. Amen.
Final Thought
True freedom in Christ is not about following rules but about abiding in His life. As we trust in Him moment by moment, His Spirit works in us to produce the fruit that pleases God. Let us rest in this freedom to “be,” living not by the law but by the power of His endless life.