Exploring Romans (2)

Minding the Spirit

Romans 7:1–8:17 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. 4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognised as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 7:1-

Paul is speaking to those who know the Law

The law only has authority over those who are alive.

example of a married woman

We’re dead to the law

that we may belong to Christ

that we might bear fruit for God

Realm of Flesh

the law aroused sinful passions to produce death

By dying to the law we have been released to serve in the newness of Spirit and not the written law.

Vs 7 says: the Law is NOT sinful but it was meant to inform us of our sin.

But sin seized the opportunity afforded by the law to produce every kind of sin.

In verse 8 Sin apart from the Law is dead

Verse 9 says: Paul was once alive apart from the law, but as soon as the commandment (law) came sin sprang to life and he died.

He meant his innocence died

Verse 10 : the law that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

verse 11 He said that sin seized the opportunity to deceive him, and through the law put him to death

verse 12: the law and commandment is Holy, Righteous and Good.

13: The good law doesn’t bring sin it just exposes it that sin might be recognized as sin and that sin might be utterly sinful.

14: The law is spiritual and we are carnal. We have been sold to sin as slaves.

We were sold by Adams Disobedience in the Garden.

15: I do not understand what I do because I always end up not doing what I want to do but and do the things I don’t want to do.

16: And if i do what I do not want to do then I am agreeing with my body that the law is good.

because the law exposes my sin for what it is.

17: Sin is guilty for making me do the things I don’t want to do

18: Good itself doesn’t dwell in my flesh

We desire to do right but aren’t strong enough to carry it out.

Again Paul says he doesn’t do the good he wants to do but ends up doing the evil he doesn’t want to do.

20: it is sin that is causing Paul to fail.

22-23 says that he delights in God’s law but there is a new law in him.

the law of sin that wages war against the law of his mind

He knows what to do but can’t

24: What a wretched man he is

25: Thanks be to God who delivers through Christ Jesus,

Though we are slaves to God’s law we are slaves to the law of sin which is in us all.

8:1 - There is no Condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s Three Laws

Law of God

Exposes sin and helps us to recognize sin

Law of Sin

Wars against us to cripple us to keep us from obeying God’s law.

Law of the Spirit

Sets us free from the law of Sin

8:1 - There is no Condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. because the Spirit gives us life.