O Wretched Man!

Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:1-20 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21 Introduction: What was said of the law was mostly negative A. It can never be the way of salvation a. Reveals sin 3.20 b. Condemns the sinner 3:19 c. Defines sin as transgression 4:14, 5:13; Gal 3:19 d. Brings wrath 4:15 e. Added that sin might increase 5:20 B. The Law is Contrasted by Paul to Righteousness, Justification, and Salvation a. Righteousness is revealed "apart from law" 1:17, 3:21a b. The law bears witness to it 1:2, 3:21b c. Sinners are justified by God not by the law but by faith in Christ 3:27 d. Faith in Christ upholds the law 3:31 e. Abraham was, pre law, justified by faith 4:13ff C. Believers are not under law, but under grace (6:14) With all this in mind, we can approach Paul's teaching in Romans 7:7ff, which would seem to raise the rhetorical question! The Law is still binding in that it is true and valid. It reflects the character of God. Romans 7:7-8:1 (ESV) I. The Law is not Sin a. The Law and sin i. The Law illuminates sin ii. Sin is the problem, not the Law 1. It takes opportunity through the commandment Galatians 5:13 (ESV) 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 2. Makes more sin 3. Sin begets sin iii. Apart from the Law, sin lies dead. b. My life before Law i. Alive, (but dead) but not knowing how dead c. The Law promises life (do this and live) but sin deceives and kills d. The Law is holy, righteous and good i. Just like God ii. The Law shows God's character 7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. II. Sin, not Law, Brings Death a. The purpose: to show sin, i. The human state must be shown this 1. The Law is Spiritual 2. I am flesh (not spiritual) a. "sold" a slave, to sin 3. A demonstration of this principle 15 a. I don't understand my own actions b. I don't do what I want, but I do what I hate c. Because I hate the evil and love the good, I agree that the Law is good! d. (this principle only works for a believer) e. I don't do it, sin does it (16) not an excuse i. Desire is present ii. Ability is not present ii. The principle: vss 19, 20 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. III. A new Law (principle) The end of the matter a. Law=principle or tendency b. Evil is ever present near God's Law c. The very real struggle i. War 1. Inner being 2. Flesh 3. Captivity ii. Ongoing 1. Set free from sin? Yes 2. Still escaping? Yes iii. Frustrating-vs 24 1. Who will deliver me . . . ? iv. Thanksgiving 1. The following announcement pertains to those who are free in Christ Jesus our Lord! a. Inner man-serves the Law of God b. Outer man-serves the "law" of sin. i. This is mere reality and is not an excuse ii. Not a dualism iii. Not a Gnosticism c. Summary-if we do not hate sin we are not Christ's i. Condition: 8:1-"in Christ" 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Uses: 1. The Law is a mercy without which we would never know our need. 2. Our freedom from sin (chapter 6) does not free us from struggle. 3. Struggle is a sign of redemption, of being "in Christ" a. Others may struggle against sin for social or legal reasons b. Christian's hate sin because we are born again 4. This is a principle 5. Sanctification, growth in holiness is progressive Hebrews 10:11-14 (ESV) 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 2