Memory Verse: Romans 7:4
Objectives:
- To understand how our death with Christ breaks our relationship to the law as well as to sin
- To realize that the purpose of the law is to show us our sin and not to give us life
Romans 7 tells us the cause of this problem and its solution.
In order to enjoy deliverance from the power of all sin in our lives, we need to understand something more concerning the death of Christ.
Romans 5 tells that Christ’s death for us delivers us from the penalty of sin which is death. The death of Christ liberates us from the reign of death over us and gives us forgiveness. In Romans 6 we saw that our death with Christ delivers us from the power of sin as a master ruling over us. Now in Romans 7 we will learn that the death of Christ frees us from bondage to the law. This freedom is also necessary before we can enjoy the deliverance we need from the power of sin in our lives.
But what is the difference between deliverance from sin and deliverance from the law? Why do we need to be free from the law? What is God’s purpose in the law? This is the message of Romans 7.
I. FREEDOM THROUGH DEATH (Romans 7:1-4)
A. An Illustration from Marriage (7:1-3)
Question: What illustration does Paul use to show that our relationship to the law has been broken by the death of Christ? (7:1-3)
Notice that our relationship with the law which is good, is different from our relationship to sin which is evil. In Romans 6 we saw that the relationship between us and sin is that of slave and master. Here in Romans 7 the relationship between us and the law is that of husband and wife.
The picture given in this chapter is that of a woman who is in the unhappy position of being married to the wrong man. Her husband is a good man, but she is not suited to him. He is a very particular person who is very exacting, while she is very easy going. He makes many demands on her which she cannot fulfill sufficiently to satisfy him. She is constantly making mistakes for which her husband condemns her. He does nothing to help her to do what is right.
The other man whom she wants to marry is so much better. He also makes demands on her, but he is ready to help her fulfill them. He is concerned about her as a person, not just his orders to her. The woman longs to be free from her first husband in order to marry the second. But she cannot do this legally until her relationship with the first is broken by death. She cannot marry both without committing adultery.
B. The Interpretation (7:4)
Question: According to Paul’s interpretation of this illustration, who is the woman? Who is the first husband? Who is the second husband? (7:4)
We know our commitment to God’s law cannot be broken by the death of the law, because the law will continue through eternity (Matthew 5:18). God’s standards for holy living will never be changed.
Yet we cannot be committed to the law and to Christ at the same time, even as this woman could not belong to two husbands. We must belong to only one. If the law will not die to release us, how can we be free so we can belong only to Christ?
There is only one way. IF the first husband, the law, will not die, we can die! If we die, the marriage relationship will be dissolved. By our death with Jesus Christ we are no longer under obligation to serve the law. We no longer need to try to please God by obeying His commands in our own strength. We are now free to obey God by the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within us.
II. PURPOSE OF FREEDOM (Romans 7:4-6)
A. From Sinful Passions (7:5)
Question: According to verse 5, if we try to obey God’s law in our strength, what is the result?
Instead of making us good, the law stirs up the evil within us to do more evil. This is why we need to be set free from this relationship.
For example, God’s Word tells us that we are not to lie in any situation, but are to tell the truth always. We are never to speak evil about anyone, but only what is kind and good (Ephesians 4:25, 29, 31, 32).
What is your reaction to those commands of God? Do you feel like some that God’s standards for us are too high and impossible? Do you feel resentment or discouragement or fear because of any of God’s demands on you? All those feelings are sin. We are expected to love God’s law, not resent it for being too hard. Thus, we see how our sinful hearts are stirred up by God’s law so that we commit even more sin. This is because we are too weak in ourselves to obey His law.
B. To Bear Fruit to God (7:4, 6)
The law gives us the knowledge of God’s will and of what is wrong. But we need more than knowledge. We need power to obey. This is what Jesus Christ came to bring. He also makes high demands on us. But as we trust Him, He also gives us the strength to obey.
Question: How does Christ give us power to be holy? (7:6)
He gives us power to do good by the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Question: What is the result of living by the power of His Spirit within us? (7:4)
We are able to bear fruit to God. We do what is pleasing to Him.
For example, suppose you are bright but you cannot get a good paying job because your parents did not allow you to go beyond high school. You feel resentful towards them. You know the Bible says you should forgive them, but you cannot. But if you take this wrong attitude to the Lord Jesus, He can give you the power to forgive your parents and to get a job by which you can support your family.
Freedom from the law does NOT mean freedom to commit sin. God’s standard for holiness will remain the same through all eternity. God’s law is not destroyed. But we need freedom from weakness and failure to obey it. Through our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, God’s law is fulfilled in us by Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
III. PURPOSE OF THE LAW (Romans 7:7-12)
A. To Show Our Sinfulness (7:7, 8)
The necessity of being free from the law is often hard for us to understand because we don’t know the purpose of the law, nor the sinfulness of our own hearts. Some today would object to Paul’s teaching just like some of his readers did.
Question: What is one objection, according to Romans 7:7?
When we learned in Romans 6 that we needed to be free from the mastery of sin, we agreed. But why do we need to be free from the law? Is the law sinful?
Question: What is Paul’s answer? (7:7, 12)
We know the law is good because it was given by God. It shows us what is right and wrong. Though it cannot make us do right, it shows us what we are doing wrong. It cannot keep us on the right road, but can tell us when we are in danger of going on the wrong one.
Then where is the problem of sin? Paul shows us through a personal example.
Question: What happened to Paul when he read in the law concerning covetousness? (7:7)
The law made Paul know that covetousness is sin.
Question: But when Paul knew this was wrong, did this knowledge make him stop? (7:8)
No, it stirred up his sinful nature so that he began to covet even more. The law showed him that he was a slave to the sin of covetousness.
Paul is helping us to see a very important principle of life. Sometimes when everything is going fine, we think we are good Christians. But when some problem comes up and we look in the Bible to see what God wants concerning it, we find we cannot do what He says. The demands are too difficult. God’s Word has shown us the sinfulness that was hiding in our hearts but which we mistakenly though was not there because it was not active.
For example, suppose you have a very clumsy servant who can hardly move without breaking something. If she sits still and does nothing, she won’t be of any use. But no one will see how clumsy she is.
But if you give her orders to do something, then the trouble begins. As she tries to work, she begins knocking over chairs, breaking dishes, stumbling over furniture. The demands you have made on her are all right, but the problem is with her. She is clumsy when she is sitting still, but no one sees it until she begins to move.
This is our spiritual situation. When we sit still doing nothing, we think we are good. When everything is going easy, we think we are good Christians. But when God begins to make some demands on us through His Word, then our hidden sinfulness comes out. God uses the Word to bring our sin to light so that He can deal with us to remove it. The sin was there all the time, but we needed the preaching of His law in the Word in order to see it.
B. To Bring Condemnation on Sin (7:9-11)
Question: What happened to Paul when the sin within him was stirred up by the law? (7:8-11)
Paul tells us that before he considered the law, he was “alive” (7:9). That is, he had no dread of punishment as a result of his sin because he thought he was all right. But when he saw how holy the law was, he “died.” He became conscious of his sinfulness and how it separated him from God and brought condemnation.
Paul had expected to find life in the law (7:10). But instead it stirred up his sinful nature to make him do more evil. Therefore, instead of bringing him life for his obedience, it condemned him to death for his disobedience. It showed up the sin in his heart and condemned him for it.
So we see that God has planned in Christ to free us from our weakness in trying to obey His law in our own strength. We have already realized that we cannot earn salvation by obeying the law. Do we now understand that we also cannot become better Christians by trying to obey the law? We must die to our own efforts to please God as Christians in order that we can truly please Him by trusting Jesus Christ in every situation.
God’s commands have bee given for our good. They will always lead to happy living. We are to obey them. But we will not receive the power to obey God through going to church, or reading the Bible or praying. These practices are important for us to learn God’s will. But the power to overcome sin is only by faith in Jesus Christ Who lives within us. Only Christ is able to fulfill God’s law in everyone who is totally committed to Him.
- Have you been depending on yourself to obey God’s commands? Ask God to forgive you.
- Have you been trusting Christ in you to do God’s will? If not, tell Him now and continue to trust Him all your life.
Foundations of Faith (Romans 1-7)
PCEP Adult Bible Studies 2