Rom 7-4 Keys to Freedom

| Four Keys to Freedom! Romans 7

November 19, 2006 (New Living Translation) Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only to a person who is still living? 2 Let me illustrate. When a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. 3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.4 So this is the point: The law no longer holds you in its power, because you died to its power when you died with Christ on the cross. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, you can produce good fruit, that is, good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit.7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is evil? Of course not! The law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8 But sin took advantage of this law and aroused all kinds of forbidden desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.9 I felt fine when I did not understand what the law demanded. But when I learned the truth, I realized I had broken the law and was a sinner, doomed to die. 10 So the good law, which was supposed to show me the way of life, instead gave me the death penalty. 11 Sin took advantage of the law and fooled me; it took the good law and used it to make me guilty of death. 12 But still, the law itself is holy and right and good.13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my doom? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commandment for its own evil purposes.14 The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. 15 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. 16 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. 19 When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. 20 But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. PRAY Scripture Memory:Romans 8:1 (NIV) – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Intro:R. Kent Hughes “Four Pillars of Wisdom regarding our relationship to the Law which, if understood, will aid our liberation from sin. Every Christian can experience greater freedom if he or she will make these pillars part of his or her life.”Some review from previous messages in our study of Romans 7Four Keys to Freedom1. Understand our relation to the law.2. Understand the relation of the law to sin.3. Understand the conflict between the law and self.4. Understand and Apply the Power that is ours in Christ. Key # 1. Understand Our Relation to the Law. (vv. 1–6)(New Living Translation) 1Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only to a person who is still living? 4So this is the point: The law no longer holds you in its power, because you died to its power when you died with Christ on the cross. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, you can produce good fruit, that is, good deeds for God. 6But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit.“Our marriage to it has been dissolved by our identification with the death of Christ. As a result we are married to him and the Law has no claims on us.” (Hughes)Explain Marriage and death…☞  Our marriage to the law has been dissolved.Ø   Because of our identification with Christ’s deathØ   This means the law no longer holds you in its power. (v. 4) We are no longer captive to its power. (v. 6) ☞  We are now married to Christ.Ø   By virtue of our identification with His resurrection.Ø   This means as a result, you can produce good fruit, that is, good deeds for God. (v. 4) Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit. (v. 6) R. Kent Hughes:Instead of despair, there is joyInstead of despair because of constant regret, there is joy because of complete acceptance, and unconditional love |   | Instead of bondage, there is freedomInstead of the law being something we HAVE to obey in order to be acceptable, it is something we DESIRE to obey because we ARE accepted.Instead of death, there is lifeInstead of the law bringing condemnation and death to us, it becomes a path to more abundant life as we find wisdom and joy in it, seeing it as the manufacturer’s handbook of life. Key # 2. Understand the Relation of the Law to Sin. (vv. 7–13)(New Living Translation) 7Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is evil? Of course not! The law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. 13Did the law, which is good, cause my doom? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commandment for its own evil purposes.☞  The Law reveals sin.“Through the law we become conscious of sin” (3:20 NIV). James 1:22-25 tells us that the law is a mirror which reveals the inner man.☞  The Law activates sin.Verse 8 (NLT) – Sin took advantage of this law and aroused all kinds of forbidden desires within me!Reverse psychology…Romans 5:20 (NIV) – The law was added so that the trespass might increase.” ☞  Through sin the Law kills. (vv. 10-11)(NIV) The very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. The commands, perfectly kept, would bring life, but broken, they bring death.☞  The Law brings recognition of the magnitude of sin. (vv. 12-13)(NIV) So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. Ignorance is bliss. Before we understood the gospel, many of us “were blissfully unaware of the depth of our sin.” (Hughes) Now we are increasingly, and painfully aware of it. Is this bad? No…Key 1: We are dead to the Law and the Law has no longer has any power over us.Key 2: Knowledge of the Law is indispensable to our salvation and growth. For apart from this knowledge we will never know the depth of God’s love or His amazing grace.Key # 3. Understand the Conflict Between the Law and Self. (vv. 14–24)(NLT) 14The law is good, then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. 15I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. 16I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. 17But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.In this passage, Paul finds himself dominated by the power of sin, despite his desire to put it away.“The principle Paul recognizes is that he is a man with two natures. One delights in the Law of God. The other wages war against God’s Law. The Christian is subject to two forces simultaneously and thus lives in a state of tension.” (Hughes) Gal. 5:17 (NLT) The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. “The third pillar of wisdom defined: A believer who tries to please God in his or her own strength will always come to disheartening, aching frustration—always! Moreover, this will happen to ‘good Christians’—even super-Christians.” (Hughes)In other words, Key #3: we are not alone in our struggle with sin. In this life, that will always be a struggle. Accepting that reality enables us to constantly come back to God’s throne of grace… Key # 4. Understand and Apply the Power That is Ours in Christ. (vv. 24, 25)(NLT) 24Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? 25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.2 Corinthians 12 – It is only when we come to end of our own strength that we truly draw upon God’s strengthIt is only when we come to the end of our own righteousness that we truly draw upon Christ’s righteousness.It is only when we come to grips with our own moral bankruptcy that we truly draw upon the limitless resources of God’s grace.The child and the stone in the sandbox…“As long as we think we can do it ourselves, we are in Romans 7.” (Hughes) We need to move on into Romans 8. (Note: vv. 1-4 two weeks ago / using tapes as outreach…)Notice that Paul does not say, in verse 25, “What must I do?” but rather “Who will free me?”25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Summary / Review:R Kent Hughes, “Four Pillars of Wisdom”First Pillar: Our marriage to the Law has been broken by our death and resurrection in Christ. The Law has no more power over us.Second Pillar: The Law is good, for it reveals to us the righteous demands of God. It reveals the utter pervasiveness of sin. To the believer this is grace.Third Pillar: When a believer tries to live a life that is pleasing to God in his own strength, he will fail every time.Fourth Pillar: That very failure makes him ready for God’s grace. Our Four Keys to Freedom:Key #1: We are dead to the Law and the Law has no longer has any power over us.Key #2: Knowledge of the Law is indispensable to our salvation and growth. For apart from this knowledge we will never know the depth of God’s love or His amazing grace.Key #3: We are not alone in our struggle with sin. In this life, that will always be a struggle. Accepting that reality enables us to constantly come back to God’s throne of grace…Key #4: Coming to the end of ourselves is necessary if we are to fully draw upon the grace, righteousness and strength that are ours in Jesus Christ. |