Romans 7.1 - 8.6

Intro

Series - Studies on the Book of Romans

Today’s Topic - Romans 7

Overview of chapter 7

Paul identifies 3 types of laws

the law covenant (what we call the Old Testament)

the law of sin in the body

the law of the Spirit of life in Christ

Paul shows us the condition of those who know the law

the dominion of the Law

the weakness of “the Law”

the continuing presence of sin

Paul shows us the advantage and the victory of those who are in Christ

The Law’s dominion ends in Christ’s death

Romans 7:1–6 NKJV

Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 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.

Those who know the Law

the Jews who belong to the law covenant

the Jews are like the woman who is bound by the law to her husband as long as “he” lives

the Jews cannot be married to Christ until they acknowledge the end of the Law’s dominion over their lives through CHrist’s death

Christ’s death -

kills the first husband

frees the “woman” from her first husband

unites the “woman” to Himself

so that they will bear fruits to God

The Law did not solve the problem of sin

Romans 7:7 NKJV

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 defends the law

the Law was not wrong

Paul shows what the Law did for the Jews -

the Law helped us become aware of the reality and the presence of sin

But then, Paul shows the weakness of the Law over sin

Romans 7:8–12 NKJV

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

the Law was good, but it has “no power” to stop sin’s influence

Instead, sin took advantage of the law

by producing all manner of evil desires and by deception

Romans 7:13–17 NKJV

Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

sin became exceddingly sinful because it took advantage of the goodness of the law

The law of sin in the body

Romans 7:18–25 NKJV

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Sin is present in the body despite the person’s willingness to obey the will of God

the Jews who held on to the law

the Christians who are now in Christ

the Law of sin opposes the law of God in the inward man

it wants to bring the person back to captivity

Man is doomed without Christ

the Law cannot save him

the brought people under curse

Gal 3:13 “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”),”

his own willingness to do good cannot save him from the power of sin

Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Galatians 2:16 “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ

Romans 8:1–6 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 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. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation

because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set them free from the law of sin and death

God condemned sin in the flesh by sending Christ in the likeness of sinful flesh

Christ’s death has released them from the hold of sin

because they have been empowered by the law of the Spirit of life to walk according to the Spirit

Conclusion

The law of sin took over the lives of all men in the garden

God imposed the consequence of sin upon all

the Law covenant did resolve the problem of original sin

it was not designed to do take over the law of sin

it was given only to help us recognize that sin is truly potent and a curse

The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ

was God ordained solution

has the power to override the law of sin in oir bodies