Illustration: A husband's death releases his wife from the law binding her to him.
Similarly, when Christ's death becomes effective for someone, the law is cancelled that was previously binding on that person.
When one becomes a Christian, one is free to let go of all previous bondage and be bound only to the law of the risen Christ.
Results of this freedom from the old law (Rom 7:5-6).
We bring forth fruit unto God instead of fruit unto death (Paul will explain this later).
We serve in newness of the Spirit instead of serving the oldness of the letter (cf 2Co 3:6-7).
The law engraved in stone was the paradigm of all law that bound either Jew or Gentile.
Why freedom from old law is necessary
The old law was weak (Rom 7:7-13).
The law is not sin, nor its cause. However its righteous commandments create an opportunity for lust, sin, and spiritual death.
It was necessary for the law to do this, so that sin would be stripped of its disguises and be no more concealed.
We are weak (Rom 7:14-23)
We are carnal, that is to say of the flesh.
We delight in God's law inwardly, but the ideal in our minds is not reproduced in the flesh. Our bodies do not work what our hearts wish.
Thus, because of our weakness, God's good law condemns us instead of giving us life. So it becomes as it were "another law" of sin and death.
The law that previously bound was God's law and therefore good (Rom 7:12).
Through that law sin became known (Rom 7:7).
Sin took opportunity, in the law and in the weakness of the flesh, to bring condemnation and spiritual death (Rom 7:8-13 cf Eze 18:4, Gen 2:16-17).
God foresaw all this and planned freedom through the new "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus"(Rom 8:1-4).
Freedom from Sin
Free from condemnation (Rom 8:1-4).
We have no condemnation now, because we are in Christ.
We have been set free from the law of sin and death.
We are under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
God made possible this transition by sending hos own Son to die in the flesh for sin (cf Col 2:12-14).
Free from the flesh (Rom 8:5-13).
We are not "in the flesh" neither do we "walk after the flesh".
We are now "in the Spirit" and we "walk after the Spirit".
We still dwell in fleshly bodies, however we do not have our "mind set on the flesh", but rather we have our "mind set on the Spirit".
This is true only "if the Spirit of God dwells in you".
We mortify (kill) the body in order to give the body life. In other words (without the metaphor and paradox) we subject both mind and body in obedience to the law of God through the indwelling Spirit.
Freedom from Fear
In Christ we have no fear of the following... (Rom 8:14-39).
No fear of bondage for God treats his slaves as sons and heirs (v.14-17)
No fear of suffering for we have the incomparable hope of glory (v.17-18).
No fear of corruption for we will be redeemed from physical death (v.19-25 cf Heb 9:15, 1Co 15:53).
No fear of speaking to God because the Holy Spirit helps us (v.26-27)
No fear of the future because our calling and destiny is quite certain if we keep walking in the Spirit (v.28-30)
No fear of condemnation because God has justified us and therefore no one else however mighty can charge us (v.31-34).
No fear of any foe because the love of God protects us in Christ Jesus (v.35-39).
The law engraved in stone was the paradigm of all law that bound either 