Romans 7:1-12

Most people are surprised to hear Paul’s words that the believers needs to be free from the Law and under grace in order to grow in righteousness.  It’s a normal thought we humans have, that we become better people by having better laws and living by them.  The seventh chapter of Romans makes clear the failure of the law in producing righteousness as well as the frustration of those who attempt to live by law.

The chapter begins by continuing the thought from 6:15-23 that being under grace does not promote sin as some think.  But instead of the slavery picture Paul uses a marriage picture.  Slavery properly shows our submission and obedience to our Master.  Marriage shows the desirability of our relationship with God.  The two pictures bring two truths together: our obligation to and our love for Christ.

Under the law a man and woman were married until death do us part.  In the illustration the husband dies and thus the woman is free to marry.  But she cannot have another husband while the first lives or she is immoral.  So with the believer.  He cannot live with Christ while still beholden to the law.  Thus by Christ’s fulfilling the law by His perfect life and sacrifice the law no longer has a claim.  We have, in Christ, died to the law so we might be married to Christ.

How does the removal of the law help us become righteous?  Verse 5 gives a simple equation based in 5:12-21

LAW >>> SINFUL PASSIONS >>> SIN >>> DEATH

The law did not simply increase sin (5:20).  It was our rebellious, sinful passions that were provoked or aroused by the law that made sin increase.  It’s like the sign that says, “Do not throw rocks through this window.”  We might have never thought of it until a law said don’t.  The law, whether by conscience or Scripture, said to worship the Creator, to refrain from murder or covetousness.  But because of the presence of the sinful nature we rebelled against those ideas.  By the grace of Christ we have been delivered from the law so that we might live in a new way.  That new way involves the Holy Spirit who dwells within the believer (more on that in Rom. 8).

To illustrate the problem of the law Paul uses his own, typical life experiences (7:7-12).  The problem of the law is not with the law itself.  It is God’s law and thus is holy.  It has accomplished the purpose of letting us know we are sinners (v7).  But as the previous equation indicated, sin has seized the opportunity to produce evil desire.  The law says, “You are a sinner.”  My sinful nature does not like that and thus seeks to rule over the law by acts of blatant disobedience or rebellion (v8).

In vs. 9-11 Paul refers to his life before Christ.  He was alive once without the law.  In other words he was physically alive without awareness of sin.  Then he learned the command, “Thou shalt not covet.”  Suddenly he knew he was a sinner, that he was dead.  Thus the command that shows us how to live actually reveals our deadness.  Again, the problem was not with the law in and of itself.  It is holy, just and good.  But the sin in Paul killed him when the law came to him.

People without Christ are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).  By the law one realizes this.  The way to life is not by the law but by the grace of Christ (Rom. 3:21-26).  Have you turned from sin to receive the free gift of eternal life?