Bound Under the Law

Regarding the Law  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  39:16
0 ratings
· 12 views
Files
Notes
Transcript
Last time I introduced this seventh chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Romans regarding the Law by laying out its place within the apostle’s larger discussion related to the fullness and finality of justification by faith apart from works. And I must of necessity remind you of the basic theme of this chapter, that just as it is impossible to be justified by the Law, so now is it equally impossible to be sanctified by the law.
And so he starts off this first division of his argument in Romans 7:1-6 by declaring the nature of the relationship between the believer and the law in this manner:
Romans 7:1–6 LSB
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is master over a person as long as he lives? For the married woman has been bound by law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man. So, my brothers, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were constrained, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
Now this great thing which has happened to us, is based upon clear and certain legal principles, the basis of which we see in verse 1, and then Paul provides a more specific example in verses 2 and 3, he goes on to explain how both the general and specific principles apply to us in verse 4, and then looks back at that great event in verse 4 to explain its effects upon us in verses 5 and 6.
But I must stress this last point before we begin – none of the statements in these 6 verses contain a command; this is an exposition of something that is true of all who are in Christ Jesus, and if this is not true of you, then you are not in Jesus Christ, you remain outside and in your sin and condemnation, you are not a true believer and are not a true Christian.
And of great importance, of principle importance, is to understand precisely what it is the apostle means when he speaks here about the law,
Romans 7:1 LSB
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is master over a person as long as he lives?
And of course, most will look at this verse and see that it speaks of “the law”, and immediately and confidently state that he is referencing the Law given to Moses at Sinai. And this is a very compelling thought. After all, he uses the definite article, “the law”, and we well-know what Paul himself has already said about the law in Romans 3:20, “because by the works of the Law NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT, for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” After all, Romans 2:12 had already said that “all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.” And even, the Law itself declares in Deuteronomy 27:26, “‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them’...”
Thus, it seems clear that he has the law of Moses in mind, then, right?
But why, then, does he have such a curious way of talking about it – “or do you not know, brothers – for I am speaking to those who know the law”, as if the word brothers helps us frame this in our minds?
After all, of the 19 times he uses the word “brothers” in this epistle, the only time he is clearly addressing his fellow Jews, who the Law of Moses was entrusted to, only once was it clearly used of the Israelites, in chapter 9 verse 3, in which he specifically calls out “my kinsmen according to the flesh”.
If we look down to verse 4, in which he begins “so, my brothers, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ”, it becomes clear; the brothers he speaks of is his fellow believers.
Who is he writing to? The Jews at Rome?
No… the answer is right there at the first, in Romans 1:5-7
Romans 1:5–7 LSB
through whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice the specific words here, that he received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among who? The Gentiles, “among whom you also are the called”. In other words, he is writing to Gentile believers, so there can be no doubt that back in Romans 7:1 when we read,
Romans 7:1 LSB
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is master over a person as long as he lives?
It is vitally important that we realize that the entirety of this parenthesis in chapter 7 is addressed to us, to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We can’t look at this passage and think, “this is all very interesting, but it doesn’t apply to me.” No, if you are in Christ Jesus, this chapter applies to you in its entirety.
Now this ought to have already been obvious to us for a while now, but the glaring reality is that if Paul is addressing brothers, those who are in Christ Jesus, then we ought to have clear in our minds that he is no longer talking about justification, or how a person becomes a brother or sister in Christ. That discussion has already taken place, the shift toward the result of justification by faith all the way back in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Even more recently, we saw clearly in chapter 6, that we are “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (v11), that “He lives to God” (v10), “so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification” in verse 19.
And so now that we understand who the “brothers” are, and the implications of that fact, we can turn our minds back to what he means by “the law”.
And it should never be lost on us that the apostle is asking us to use our minds when he asks us to consider “the law”. Remember, it is not to his Jewish kinsmen that he is speaking, but to the predominantly Gentile believers. Why is this important? Because the law of Moses was not given to the Gentiles, it was given to Israel. But what of the Gentiles? What law is he referring to?
Turn back a few chapters to Romans 2:14-16.
Romans 2:14–15 LSB
For when Gentiles who do not have the Law naturally do the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they demonstrate the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
Gentiles, then, not having the oracles of God, still naturally do the things of the law, the work of the Law of God has been written in their hearts. Now there is a limit to this, we must take care to see that the Law itself is not written in their hearts, Jeremiah was clear that is only possible under the New Covenant, saying “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it” (Jer 31:33). Instead, they are “a law to themselves”.
But what is this demonstration of the “work of the Law” which was been “written in their hearts”? Certainly, it cannot contain the full breadth and clarity of the the Law given at Sinai! And indeed, the Jews themselves didn’t have the Law of Moses until that point, generations had come and gone while death still reigned, even from Adam until Moses.
I think it would be particularly helpful for us to turn to Matthew 22:37-40, in which our Lord was speaking of the totality of the Law in answer to a question from the scholar of the Law regarding the great commandment in the Law:
Matthew 22:37–40 LSB
And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “And the second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”
So the whole law was based upon these principle commandments. In other words, I believe that here is where we begin to see the nature of this work of the law so evident in the hearts of the Gentiles.
Now we know and recognize that Gentiles at this time, and even today, do not recognize and keep this first part of the Law, the first table, if you will, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” But even so, many if not most societies do comprehend that there is some sort of greater and higher power, often calling it out even in their own laws.
But it is also true that every society has certain laws which mimic the second table of the Law regarding their neighbors; they have laws against murder, against theft, against people doing harm to their neighbors, and so on. They may not go so far as to command love toward their neighbors, but the certainly go as far as not harming their neighbors.
And so when we read Romans 7:1,
Romans 7:1 LSB
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is master over a person as long as he lives?
…we ought to be realizing that he’s not speaking to just the Jews and referring to the law of Moses, but he’s speaking to everyone who has understanding of the concept of law in general; he is obtaining agreement, as it were, from all of us on this one general principle: that the law is master over a person as long as they live.
It may help to consider an example: I have the capacity to steal while I am alive, and as long as I am alive, the government can prosecute me if it thinks that I have stolen something. The same is true for any other crime. But the moment that I die, the law is no longer able to exact its punishment, it is no longer able to hold me accountable for the wrongs that I did. Oh, property can be recovered, but there is no punishment possible, for I myself have passed beyond its reach. Once I am dead no crime can be prosecuted against me, nor am I then able to commit additional crimes. But as long as I am living, I cannot say “I don’t agree with that law, I’m going to decide that it doesn’t apply to me.” No, the law, as long as it is law, applies to a person as long as they remain alive. They may flee from it, but that does not negate or dispose of the fact that it exists and condemns those who break it, until they are dead and the law can no longer touch them.
So, then, based upon this principle which everyone should agree to, the apostle moves from this basic general principle toward the more particular principle, though still universally true, in relation to marriage, saying:
Romans 7:2 LSB
For the married woman has been bound by law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.
Now he’s still talking about basic principles here, but he’s moved from the very general to the particular principle regarding marriage. In particular, the words that he uses points out that the wife is under the authority of her husband, she is bound to him and subordinate to him for as long as he lives in a legal manner – it is the law which provides for this and enforces it.
But during her marriage, while both of them are still alive, she has been bound to him, she was placed under his rule and authority, and shall continue under his rule and authority over the whole of their marriage. The relationship is permanent insofar as both the husband and the wife remain alive.
Now, you might raise the question of divorce, I hate to bring it up but clearly we must do so on account of the objections of some. Divorce as a whole is not in view, here – the entire context of these verses are held with the view of a current and ongoing marriage in mind, the husbands here are not contemplating a certificate of divorce, but remain the husbands. So let’s set that whole discussion aside entirely, it does not pertain to what the apostle is teaching.
But, bringing in the principle established in verse 1, that “the law is master over a person as long as he” – or she, he’s not talking simply about men here, but women, too – “…as long as he lives”. When her husband dies, the surviving widow no longer falls under his dominion. He no longer rules over her, the marriage has ended; “she is released from the law concerning the husband”, she’s no longer bound under him.
Now I want you to consider what all of this means. Why is Paul covering this seemingly paltry point of legal principle with us in such detail? Why am I taking such care to bring out these most basic parts of his entire argument, to explicate them in such a way that you may be certain to ascertain their meaning, their nuance?
Because Paul himself has done so for a purpose. He started back in Romans 6:6-7, saying “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died has been justified from sin.” And you recall, the “justified” we read there means that there has been a legal separation, a freedom, if you will, the relationship with Sin has been ended.
But that explanation, as right and true as it is, doesn’t quite go far enough. So in Romans 6:17-18 he took it a step further, saying “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were given over, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” We’ve been taken out of one dominion and transferred over to another, we have a new master.
But once again, there is still more to our justification of life and being appointed righteous, of Romans 5:18-19. We were married, as it were, to the law, as our husband. We were under his dominion, we were bound to him. Just as we were appointed, being placed into the realm and rule of sin, so also were we placed under the authority of the law.
Not only were we bound to him, but as long as we are both alive, we could not be joined to another and retain any pretence of righteousness, for we read in verse 3:
Romans 7:3 LSB
So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.
Now he uses the death of the husband for the sake of laying down the principle, but the same principle could likewise apply in the case of the death of the wife. In either case, the living party is freed from the union.
But the law cannot die, Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:18, “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
But Jesus Christ did die, He died on a Roman cross outside of Jerusalem. He was buried in an unused tomb, sealed and certified as being truly dead. And on the third day, according to the Scriptures, Paul gloriously proclaims in the 15th of 1 Corinthians, He was raised!
And we, when we were “united with Him in the likeness of His death”, (6:5), “we were buried with Him through baptism”, that spiritual immersion into Christ Jesus, “into death” (6:4), we were with Him in that death and burial and resurrection in a spiritual sense.
A death has occurred. When Christ died to sin, we died to sin. “The law is master over a person as long as he lives.”
And rather than declaring the law to be dead, he carried the principle over to we who were under the law, being the one who has died. The union is broken “through the body of Christ”, he will say in verse 4, and the living party is now free to be joined to another.
So, rather than the law being annulled, or prostituted against, it is instead fulfilled through this legal enactment of God’s will, and action which He did which was legal and lawful in all respects; the marriage of us to the law, through our death to the Law on account of our union with Christ Jesus, has come to a full and final conclusion, it has been fulfilled, and therefore we have been released from the law concerning our first husband, the law.
Does the law still exist, does it still in a sense “live”? Yes, because it’s not the one who died. We died, not the law.
Therefore, the Law can no longer touch us, it can never again condemn us, on account of our union with Christ Jesus in His death, and in His burial, and in His resurrection!
But that’s not the last word about the law which “…is holy and righteous and good” (7:12), for we look forward to see the key to our present relationship to the Law in Romans 8:3-4, “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
Romans 8:4 LSB
so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
In other words, the requirement of the Law is only possible for those who have died to the law. Far from having no relationship to it at all, we are for the first time in our lives able to meet its righteous requirement!
Do we fall under it? No! Does it have authority over us? Again, no, praise God! But can we learn from it? Can we see in it the righteous requirement of God? Yes!
Clearly, we have much yet to cover in these intervening verses, but for the moment, let us pause and thank God, that just as sin is no longer master over us, so also the law is no longer master over we who are in Christ Jesus.
Let us pray!

Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more