Faith, Law, and the Spirit

“Rethinking Romans 7-8 in Light of Jewish Faithfulness Before Pentecost” 

Moe Bergeron / Oct 9, 2024

Today, we'll explore the relationship between faith, the law, and the Spirit, focusing on Romans chapters 7 and 8. Our goal is to better understand the transition from striving under the law to living by the Spirit in the new covenant, and to recognize the faithful Jews who anticipated the coming of the Messiah.

This talk challenges the common misconception that all Jews during Jesus' time were hostile to God and the gospel. Instead, we'll highlight a faithful remnant who, like Abraham, trusted in God's promises and eagerly awaited the Messiah. As described in Hebrews 11, these faithful Jews were not saved by their works under the law but by their faith, which was ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

Let's turn to Paul's letter to the Romans, specifically chapters 7 and 8.

In Romans 7, Paul describes a believer struggling under the law—someone who already trusts in God's promises but finds themselves unable to overcome sin through the law alone. The transition to Romans 8 reveals the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to live righteously and fulfill God's promises. This shift moves us from striving under the old covenant's demands to living in the freedom and grace of the new covenant. It emphasizes that the new covenant in Christ is not a rejection of God's covenant with Israel but its fulfillment.

Moreover, this talk explores the faithful remnant who lived by faith even before Pentecost, whose faith was completed through the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit in Christ. Let us thoughtfully and prayerfully approach our topic, asking for the Spirit of Christ to help us discern truth from error. Amen.

Many commentators, preachers, and teachers have historically portrayed the Jews of Jesus' time as largely unsaved and hostile to God. However, this sweeping generalization overlooks the faithful remnant who, like Father Abraham, trusted in God's promises and eagerly awaited the Messiah. The New Testament gives us glimpses of these righteous individuals—people who were living by faith before Pentecost and whose faith was fulfilled in Christ.

Today, we aim to understand the profound transition from the law to the Spirit, as described in Romans 7 and 8, while correcting the misconception that all Jews were opposed to Jesus and the gospel. By recognizing the faithful Jews who trusted in God's promises, we gain a richer understanding of Romans 7 and 8 and the continuity between the old and new covenants.

Throughout biblical history, God always preserved a faithful remnant—a group of believers who remained steadfast in their trust in His promises, even in times of national apostasy. This remnant included figures like Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets, who were not justified by their works under the law but by their faith in God's promises.

In the New Testament, we see this faith continuing in the time of Jesus. Consider Simeon, a devout Jew described as "righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25), or Anna, the prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Redeemer and spoke to those looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38). These individuals were part of the faithful remnant within Israel, genuinely expecting the Messiah's arrival. Their faith was not based on legalistic adherence to the law but on the promises God made to the patriarchs—promises of redemption, a new covenant, and the coming Messiah.

This faithful remnant anticipated the fulfillment of God's covenant with Israel, just as Abraham believed in God's promises and was credited with righteousness (Genesis 15:6). It wasn't their works under the law that made them righteous—it was their faith in God.

The belief that all Jews during Jesus' time were hostile toward God ignores the existence of this remnant. This generalization distorts the New Testament narrative and overlooks the fact that many Jews were already walking by faith, later seeing their faith fulfilled in Christ. These righteous Jews, like the apostles themselves, trusted in God's promises and were prepared to receive their fulfillment in Jesus.

In Romans 7, Paul presents the struggle of a believer under the law. He describes the inner conflict of someone who, despite their faith, finds themselves unable to meet the law's righteous demands. Traditionally, many interpret this passage as depicting either an unbeliever or a pre-Christian state. However, if we see the man in Romans 7 as a believer who, like Abraham, trusted in God's promises, it changes our understanding of his struggle.

This man is not a legalist trying to be justified by works, nor is he an unbeliever. He is someone who already trusts in God's promises but still feels the weight of the law. Paul writes: "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing" (Romans 7:19). This man desires to live righteously but finds himself trapped by the power of sin. The law, while holy and good, cannot provide the power to overcome sin.

This perspective reflects the experience of many Jews who trusted in God but lived under the constraints of the law covenant. That covenant revealed God's holy standard but also exposed human sinfulness, leaving those who relied on it unable to meet its demands. Even for those with faith, like the man in Romans 7, the law could only point out their failure to fulfill God's commands. Paul describes the law as spiritual, yet himself as "unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin" (Romans 7:14). This is the experience of a true believer who recognizes the goodness of the law but feels overwhelmed by their inability to keep it.

Paul makes it clear that the law could not bring righteousness because it was weakened by the flesh (Romans 8:3). Even for a person of faith living under the law, the law could only expose sin—it could not empower them to overcome it.

Now, let's shift to Romans 8. Here, we see that it is the Spirit who fulfills the promises made to the fathers. Paul writes in Galatians 3:13-14, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.' He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."

The resolution to the frustration of Romans 7 comes in Romans 8, where Paul declares: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). In this chapter, Paul contrasts the believer's struggle under the law with the freedom found in the Holy Spirit. The promises made to the fathers are fulfilled through the indwelling Spirit of Christ, who empowers believers to live righteously.

Romans 8 describes the life led by the Spirit, which fulfills the new covenant promise to write God's law on the hearts of His people (Jeremiah 31:33). Paul explains that the law, though good, was powerless to save because it was weakened by the flesh. But in Christ, the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled—not through human effort but through the Spirit who gives life (Romans 8:3-4).

For those Jews who, like the man in Romans 7, trusted in God's promises, Romans 8 represents the fulfillment of those promises. The Spirit provides what the law could not—the power to overcome sin and live in accordance with God's will. The faith that justified them, like Abraham's, is now brought to completion through the life-giving work of the Spirit. As Paul writes, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).

This transition from Romans 7 to Romans 8 reflects the journey from the old covenant to the new. Under the old covenant, even those with faith struggled because the law could not sanctify. The Spirit, given through Christ, fulfills what the law could not, empowering believers to live out the righteousness of God.

In this framework, the man in Romans 7 is a believer caught between two realities: the law, which exposes sin, and the promises of God, which he believes but cannot yet fully live out. His faith in God is genuine, but it is the Spirit who brings that faith to fruition.

Romans 8 marks the moment when God's promises are fulfilled—not only in justification but also in sanctification through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This shift, from striving to fulfill the law through human effort to living by the Spirit, is central to understanding the transition from the old covenant to the new. Faith, like Abraham's, justifies, but it is the Spirit who sanctifies. The believer moves from striving under the law to freedom and empowerment in the Spirit. The works of righteousness that the law demanded are now possible because of the Spirit's work in the believer's life.

This perspective also helps us understand the broader context of Jewish faith before Pentecost. Many Jews, like the man in Romans 7, already had faith in God's promises. They were not unsaved or hostile to God; they were simply waiting for the fulfillment of those promises. When Christ came, He fulfilled those promises, and at Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out, enabling both Jews and Gentiles to live in the new reality of the new covenant.

Now, let’s address the misrepresentation of Jewish faith. Unfortunately, the Church has often portrayed the Jewish people of Jesus' time as universally unsaved or legalistic, failing to recognize the faithful remnant who trusted in God's promises. This misrepresentation has led to the false idea that Christianity replaced Judaism, rather than seeing the new covenant as the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. The New Testament, especially in Paul's writings, makes it clear that the gospel is the fulfillment of God's covenant with Israel. Paul, a Jew who trusted in God's promises, emphasizes that God did not reject His people, but that a faithful remnant remained (Romans 11:1-5).

Recognizing this faithful remnant helps us see the continuity between the old and new covenants and corrects the misconception that all Jews were hostile to Jesus.

Before we conclude, let’s consider Pentecost and the indwelling Spirit of Christ as a radical shift. Pentecost marked a transformative reality for the people of God. The promise of the Holy Spirit, anticipated by the saints of old, brought about an unprecedented intimacy between God and His people—God's very presence dwelling within them.

Let’s explore key scriptures that highlight the Spirit's role in the New Covenant community and the promise of the Spirit as God's presence.

In the Old Covenant, God's presence among His people was often external—manifested in places like the tabernacle, the temple, or through prophets. But the New Covenant brings a profound shift: God's presence is no longer limited to these external manifestations. It is now internalized through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:16, "Do you not know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" This verse captures the radical shift from God's presence being in a physical temple to His people themselves becoming the living temple. The saints of the Old Covenant never experienced this fullness. Now, under the New Covenant, believers carry the very presence of God within them.

This indwelling Spirit represents the culmination of God's promises—both to the faithful remnant of Israel and to all who come to faith in Christ. Through the Spirit's presence, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in believers as they now "walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). This radical shift signifies that the blessings of intimacy with God and empowerment for righteousness are the present reality for God's new community—Jews and Gentiles united in Christ.

The indwelling of the Spirit is the fulfillment of God's promises through the prophets. In Ezekiel 36:26-27, God says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." This promise looked forward to a time when God’s Spirit would dwell within His people, empowering them to live in obedience.

Similarly, Joel 2:28-29 prophesied, "And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days." This prophecy points to the universality of the Spirit's presence in the New Covenant—no longer reserved for prophets, priests, or kings, but poured out on all who belong to Christ.

The Spirit brings new life and adoption into God’s family. Paul emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is what brings believers new life and adopts them into God's family. In Romans 8:11, Paul declares, "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you." The Spirit signifies not just transformation but resurrection life—something radically new for God's people.

Furthermore, in Romans 8:15-16, Paul writes, "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship by whom we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." The Spirit's presence confirms our adoption, giving us an intimate relationship with the Father—something unimaginable under the Old Covenant.

The Spirit also liberates and empowers believers to fulfill God's will. Under the old covenant, the law revealed God's righteous standard, but it could not enable the people of God to fulfill it. Now, through the indwelling Spirit, believers are liberated from the bondage of sin and empowered to live out God's righteous commands in a way that was impossible before. Paul captures this beautifully in Romans 8:2: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."

This liberation from sin's power and the law's condemnation enables believers to walk in freedom and righteousness, fulfilling God's will through the Spirit's empowering presence.

As is evident, Romans 7 and 8 describe a profound shift from the Old Covenant—where believers struggled under the weight of the law—to the New Covenant, where the Spirit of God now dwells within His people. This Spirit fulfills the promises made to the fathers and empowers believers to live in the fullness of God's will.

This radical shift brought not only justification but also sanctification and new life through the Spirit. It united the faithful remnant of Israel with Gentiles into one New Covenant community, marked by the very presence of God.

This is worth repeating: one of the most radical aspects of the Spirit's presence in the New Covenant is that believers can now fulfill the righteous requirements of God's law. In Romans 8:3-4, Paul explains, "For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. 

And so He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Under the Old Covenant, the law exposed sin but could not empower people to overcome it. Now, through the indwelling Spirit, believers are empowered to live in obedience to God—not by their own strength, but by the Spirit working within them. If this truth is denied, it means that the promises made to the fathers are not fulfilled.

Paul also saw the Holy Spirit as the seal and guarantee of the believer's inheritance. In Ephesians 1:13-14, he writes, "And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is a pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession, to the praise of His glory." The presence of the Spirit is God’s guarantee of eternal life and the believer’s future inheritance. It signifies that God’s promises of redemption are secure and actively working in our lives.

The Spirit's indwelling presence also transforms the daily lives of believers by producing godly character, known as the fruit of the Spirit. Paul writes in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." The Spirit's indwelling empowers believers not only for righteous living but also produces a Christlike character that fulfills God's will. This transformation is evidence of the Spirit’s ongoing work, shaping believers into the image of Christ and enabling them to live according to God’s will.

It is through this work of the Spirit that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled—not through legalistic effort, but by walking in the Spirit. This profound reality is central to the New Covenant, where God's promises to His people come to full completion through the presence of the Holy Spirit. This new way of living—guided by the Spirit—stands in stark contrast to the old life, which was governed by sin and the flesh.

Paul's understanding of the Holy Spirit's presence in the New Covenant community was revolutionary. Where once God’s presence was external and limited, the Spirit now indwells every believer, bringing new life, intimacy with God, and empowerment to live out God's will. The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of Old Testament promises and the guarantee of future glory, transforming believers into the image of Christ.

The radical nature of the Spirit's presence marks a profound shift in God's relationship with His people, making them living temples of His presence and enabling them to live in the fullness of His grace.

As is evident, Romans 7 and 8 provide a profound look into the transition from the Old Covenant to the New—moving from life under the Law, the letter, to life in the Spirit. The man in Romans 7, like many Jews in Jesus' time, trusted in God's promises but struggled to fulfill the Law's demands. Romans 8 reveals the fulfillment of those promises through the Spirit, who empowers believers to live in the freedom of grace.

This understanding helps us see that there were many Jews—like Simeon, Anna, and the Apostles—who were already walking in faith, waiting for the Messiah. Their faith was fulfilled in Christ, and their lives were transformed by the Spirit. The New Covenant is not a rejection of the Jewish faith but its fulfillment, as Jesus completed the promises made to the fathers.

By recognizing the faithful remnant of Jews who trusted in God before Pentecost, we gain a richer understanding of the continuity of the Gospel and its Jewish roots. The New Covenant is the culmination of God's redemptive plan—rooted in the faith of Israel and fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah.

Open to Acts 2. It's there that we see the importance for The transition of early Jewish Christians from life under the Law to life under the gracious government of the indwelling Spirit of God is a powerful example of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ transformed lives. This transformation is evident in the Apostles, disciples, and the thousands who believed the gospel in Acts 2.

Let’s explore some key aspects of their transition:

1. From Law to Grace in the Lives of the Apostles


The Apostles were Jewish men who grew up under the Mosaic Law. They participated in temple sacrifices and observed the commandments that were integral to their daily life and faith. However, after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension, they experienced a profound transformation. They transitioned from relying on their own efforts to fulfill the Law’s demands to a life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells them they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, marking the beginning of their new life under the Spirit's guidance. On the Day of Pentecost, this promise is fulfilled. The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, and Peter’s powerful preaching led to the conversion of about 3,000 people. Peter, who once denied Christ out of fear, now boldly proclaimed the Gospel in the power of the Spirit.

2. The Conversion of Thousands in Acts 2


The thousands of Jews who believed on the Day of Pentecost had lived under the Mosaic Law their entire lives. They were devout Jews, gathered in Jerusalem for the festival, familiar with temple sacrifices, dietary restrictions, and the requirements of the Law. When Peter preached, he emphasized how Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, and that through His death and resurrection, God had made Him both Lord and Messiah (Acts 2:36).

The people were "cut to the heart" (Acts 2:37) and asked what they must do. Peter’s response—“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38)—opened the way for them to move from the Old Covenant to the New. Their repentance and faith in Christ marked a departure from life under the Law, which could never justify them before God. Instead, they entered into life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, experiencing forgiveness, adoption, and the promise of eternal life—not based on their own works, but on the finished work of Christ.

3. The Life of the Early Church


The transition from the Law to grace is further illustrated in the life of the early church. Acts 2:42-47 describes this new community of believers. They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. The early church was characterized by unity, generosity, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. This community reflected the transformation brought by the Spirit as they moved from the demands of the Law to the grace and freedom found in Christ.

The early believers lived with a profound sense of joy and purpose, no longer striving to achieve righteousness through the Law but living in the righteousness given to them through Christ. They experienced the fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers as they were empowered by the Spirit to walk in love, unity, and faithfulness.

This radical shift—from the external adherence to the Law to the internal guidance of the Spirit—marks the profound change that the New Covenant brought about. It is the fulfillment of God’s promises, making believers the living temples of His presence and enabling them to live in the fullness of His grace.

Those believing baptized in the Holy Spirit Christians were no longer defined by their adherence to the Law but by their shared life in the Spirit. 

This new covenant community of Jewish believers lived in a reality where the ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Law were no longer binding. Instead, their lives were marked by the indwelling Spirit, who led them in loving one another, sharing their possessions, and worshipping together. They experienced freedom from the burden of the Law while living under the gracious rule of the Spirit, who produced fruits such as love, joy, peace, and patience (Galatians 5:22-23).

In Romans 8:1-4, Paul explains that what the Law could not do, God did by sending His Son. Now, believers walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Paul lived this out in his ministry, teaching that believers are no longer under the Law but under grace (Romans 6:14).

The Spirit's Role in the Life of Believers


The transition from the Law to grace was not merely an intellectual or theological shift—it was deeply experiential. The early Jewish Christians knew the Law well, but in Christ, they found the fulfillment of what the Law could never provide: righteousness, forgiveness, and a transformed heart.

In Galatians 3:2-5, Paul reminds the Galatian believers that they received the Spirit not by works of the Law but by hearing with faith. This was also true for the thousands who believed in Acts. They moved from a covenant of external regulations to the New Covenant, where God's Spirit writes His law on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). The Spirit guided them in their daily lives, empowered them for ministry, and helped them live in a way that honored Christ. This was in stark contrast to their previous life, where they were constantly striving to keep the Law but always falling short.


The early Jewish Christians, those who believed in Jesus, serve as powerful examples of how believers transitioned from life under the Law to life under the gracious rule of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles, the disciples, and the thousands who believed in Acts left behind the ceremonial and sacrificial requirements of the Mosaic Covenant, embracing the life-giving Spirit that Christ poured out on them. This same Spirit transformed their lives, empowered them to preach the Gospel, and formed them into a new community of grace.

Through their example, we see the profound beauty of living under the New Covenant—where the Spirit leads, empowers, and transforms us into the image of Christ. The transition of the early Jewish Christians was far more comprehensive than merely setting aside ceremonial and sacrificial elements. They left behind the entire Old Covenant system, with all its shadows, types, and regulations that pointed forward to Christ.

The New Covenant, established by Jesus' death and resurrection, ushered them into a new reality where the Spirit of Christ governed their lives, transforming everything. The early Jewish Christians left behind not just parts of the Law but the very structure of the Old Covenant. The Law, with all its shadows and types, was always intended as a signpost pointing to something greater. As the writer of Hebrews 8:13 declares, the Old Covenant was obsolete because Christ fulfilled all that it anticipated. Christ is the fulfillment of every sacrifice, every priestly duty, every ritual, and every aspect of the Law.

For these early believers, leaving the Old Covenant wasn’t just about setting aside external practices—it was an entire shift in their understanding of God’s revelation. They no longer related to God through a system of external laws but through the indwelling Holy Spirit, who now wrote God's law on their hearts, as stated in Hebrews 8:10. The Spirit of Christ gave them life, direction, and the power to live as God's people in an entirely new way.

Lastly we have, The Radical Transformation of the Spirit


The transformation wasn’t gradual—it was radical and all-encompassing. The Spirit of Christ, whom they received at Pentecost, brought about a complete change in how they understood their identity, purpose, and relationship with God. No longer bound by the external regulations of Sinai, they now lived under the new reality of grace through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In Galatians 5:18, Paul emphasizes that those who are led by the Spirit are no longer under the Law. In 2 Corinthians 3:6, he explains that the New Covenant is one of the Spirit, not of the letter: “For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” This radical shift was a complete reordering of their spiritual framework. What was once external, ritualistic, and mediated through the Law was now internal, personal, and mediated directly through the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit empowered believers to live in direct communion with God, producing in them the fruits of righteousness that the Law could only demand but never deliver. This new way of living by the Spirit, rather than by the old regulations, marked the culmination of God's redemptive plan. The early Jewish Christians did not simply leave behind certain practices—they entered into a new covenantal relationship where Christ and the Spirit transformed everything they understood about living as God's people. The old structures were now obsolete, and in Christ, the fullness of God's promises was realized.

Now, do you see how so many have missed Paul’s point in Romans 7 and 8? We must stop imagining that the man of Romans 7 is a New Covenant saint struggling with his sin. That man—who has died with Christ, that believing man—has transitioned into a life of liberation. As Paul says in Colossians 3, "You have died with Christ, you have been raised with Christ, now live the risen life." That’s the Romans 8 life.

May our Lord bless you in your studies to grow in your knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Thank you!

___