It is the work of the Holy Spirit!

"Identification with Christ includes the position of death for the old nature, and the position of life for the new nature. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to block self and its sinful works, and to foster the new life and its fruit.

Spiritual growth does not involve effort on the part of the Christian, for the indwelling Spirit transmits the life of the Lord Jesus from source to servant. Neither is there struggle connected with the daily deliverance from the tyranny of self, for the Spirit transmits the finished work of the Cross to that sinful element.

Where these death-dealing and life-giving identification truths are unknown to the believer, he finds no alternative but to try to keep the law as a "rule of life." This erroneous expedient consists of applying the principle of law for the control of conduct—its prohibitions for self, its commands for life.

The Scriptures teach us that the Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," ministers Christ to the Christian, not law. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17)."

Miles J. Stanford