Rom 8 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."


The apostle is teaching that there is only one law that is adjudicated by one Governor. The phrase "law of the Spirit" is God justifying the righteous through the law. The law of the Spirit is the Judge pronouncing life and death. Gods law does not have a life giving principle. The laws pronouncement of death has both positive and negative results. The law is the only instrument in the hands of God that destroys corruption and sin.  Because of sin and corruption God had to destroy the work of Satan that brought about the rebellious will and save sinners by regeneration and renewal. So the law is positive in that it pronounces death on those who come in their righteousness. So when the Apostle says that we are set free from the law, he is saying that when we were dead in our sins and trespasses, God regenerated us and prevented us from returning to the laws power in the curse. You see our only means of being justified in our identity with Christ is our claim of being dead. So Christ freed us from the curse by freeing us from the law.

The negative work of the law is that it condemns the wicked. So the law of sin and death is the power that prevents the wicked from being accepted by their own righteousness. In this way the law takes no prisoners. We could say that the law is the gulf that separates the righteous from the wicked. This means that the law is more than a suggestion.  The law is more than a standard of obedience. The law defines all creation. You ask why it is so important for the law to prevent the righteous from being cursed and prevent the wicked from escaping the curse is because the law is the foundation of the smallest particle that was created and it is the glue that holds all things together. There is no such thing in the bible as governing under limits. The work of the law only has two functions. It pronounces death on all sinners. And it destroys all corruption. So the law is Gods government that upholds  nature. The law is the power of nature that is exercised by God that constrains His elect to the simplicity of His government.  And the law is the power of nature that encourages the wicked to go beyond the bounds of Gods government.