The Law of Sin in Us

Review

What we have learned.

All the world is guilty before God.

That we are saved and justified in front of God through faith by grace as a free gift.

That we are set free by decree of God from our original sin verdict.

That we are to no longer walk in sin.

Grace was not given to us to abuse.

Freedom from the law does not mean that we may continue in sin.

But I still struggle with Sin.

If I am dead to sin in Christ, and I am to leave sin, why am I still sinning, even when I don’t want to?

Romans 6:6–7 “6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.”

Romans 6:22–23 “22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Many today would like to get out of this by changing the definition of sin, by only counting the largest sins, the public ones, the pre-planned ones. Yet honesty seems to me to say, that we all still fight with different sins.

They change on a regular basis, and throughout our lives.

We might have struggled with pride and lust in our youth, and worry, fear and bitterness. Listen to Paul in Col. 3. Here is his list of what we struggle with.

Doing away with or putting off.

Colossians 3:1 “1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”

Our minds and affections should be on Christ and things above.

We often are focused on desire things of this earth.

James 4:1 “1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”

What does this correct affection look like? Col 3 tells us.

Colossians 3:5 “5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Here is the list that we are kill ruthlessly from the time of our salvation.

As we faithfully separate ourselves from these sins, putting them to dead with no fellowship, their hold grows weaker.

Colossians 3:8–9 “8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,”

This emotions from the heart are always lurking in our flesh.

We continue to have to put them off. The strength of the temptation decreases over time as we are faithful with this duty, but it is still something that pops out to trip us up at times.

Putting on:

Colossians 3:12–17 “12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

There is always a need to checking on these. Are we walking in Mercy? Kindness? humility? Meekness? longsuffering? bearing with one another? forgiving? Do we complain? Do we love in truth or in word only? ....

Other verses that show that Paul struggled:

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 “24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

Philippians 3:12–15 “12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”

Romans 8:23–25 “23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

Our Struggle and Why we struggle:

Our Position in Christ, dead to the Law, alive to God. (Romans 7:1-6) Summation of Romans 5-6.

Freed from the sin of Adam in Christ, just like a widow is no longer under the authority of her dead husband. Yet in this case, we are the ones who died in Christ.

Romans 5:19 “19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

Romans 6: Freed by grace to serve Christ.

Because I am under Grace: Conclusion: Romans 6:12–14 “12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

Because I am no longer under the law: Conclusion: Romans 6:21–22 “21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

Romans 7:6 “6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

What purpose does the Law serve if I am now dead to it? (Romans 7:7) Judicially / In a court of law.

Romans 7:7 “7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.””

Is the Law Sin?

The Argument: If I am freed by death from my first husband, I should never go back to that husband, but leave Him. I am in Christ and not under the law!

Truth in this. We can not go back under the law, seeking our justification in the sight of God by works in any way.

Galatians 3:10–14 “10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

So shouldn’t I get rid of the law in teaching and looking at it?

Paul’s answer is the same as Romans 6 questions: Certainly not.

The law now becomes a guide, not to salvific righteousness, but to identifying sin in our lives.

Romans 7:7 “7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.””

Paul now looks at the effect of the law on the life of the new believer.

Without looking at the law of God, we naturally tend to think that we are doing good. All is well.

We have been saved by grace alone.

We are freed from the law great.

Don’t spend any time looking at this law now as it is part of the old man.

Paul’s conclusion: Certainly not: The law is still there to show us the righteous standards of God.

God’s Moral standards never change.

That is why we have these lists, even in the New Testament that identify sin.

That is also why Christ’s teaching on the law in the beatitudes is so important.

Matthew 6:14–15 “14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Sin has not changed, so we, even as New Testament believers are warned about it.

But: Romans 7:8–12 “8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

As we try to walk in newness of life, putting off the sins of the flesh, the desires for sin, the call of sin starts to haunt us. Why is my heart tempted? Why do I still get angry? Why do I still worry, fear, covet, get bitter?

But Sin.... Real sin still remains. Is it still somewhere, somehow in us?

Notice again that this is for the believer who is dead in Christ to sin.... That is the context.