What Colossians says in 5 verses (2:11-15) Romans says in 3 chapters (6-8). Spiritual “baptism” is explained in Rom. 6:1-14. Circumcision made without hands is in Rom. 6:15-8:17. That term is not used in Romans. However both Col. 2:11 (“putting off the body of the sins of the flesh”) and Romans (7:24, “this body of death;” 8:10: “the body is dead because of sin;” 8:13: “put to death the deeds of the body”) speak of the same problem. How are we to live our lives as Christians, given we still exist in the body we have used for sin all our lives? The body is dead spiritually. Yet, it is still our bodily home on this earth. This is the problem. Let’s study this out, beginning by identifying “four laws” in Romans 7:21-8:4.
· In 7:21 Paul saw a law “that evil is present with me.” The previous verses, where he describes the struggle (“I want to do good but I do evil”) is what he is talking about. Sin is present, always. That is “rule” #1 if you will.
· In 7:23 Paul saw “another law in my members” (i.e. in his body). That verse tells us this “rule” is about bringing Paul into captivity to sin. Paul has a “mind” to do God’s law (7:22). Yet there is something that is making this impossible for him. What is that “something?” Consider this carefully. This “other” law is the law of God, whether the Mosaic law or the law of the conscience. Don’t be aghast at this. Paul makes this very clear. 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 (7:5). In 6:14 we read, For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. The clear implication is that if we are “under law” we are being lorded over by sin. This is the thing that the law “could not do” in 8:3. In 8:7-8 we get the clear picture: the law of God is good because it points out my sin to me, enables me to know that my “covetousness” is sin. But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produces all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. So “rule” #2 is: “keeping the law of God” will not produce holiness but will increase my struggles with sin. Defeat is guaranteed!
· In 7:23, the “law of my mind” is the third law. In Paul’s mind he delights in the law of God (v22). In Paul’s mind he longs to do good. This ruled Paul’s life, even when he was living in Judaism before Christ. So the first law says “do evil.” The third law says “do good.” The second law, the law of God, comes along and instead of empowering the third law it arouses the first law. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (7:24). Paul’s short answer to this wretchedness is, I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord (7:25a). His conclusion to this point, however, in in 7:25b: So then, with my mind I myself serve (douleuō, as a bondslave) the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
· We will continue this in the next post, but for now let me say that the fourth law is the one mentioned in 8:2: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
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