CHAPTER 7

1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Here, "the law" refers specifically to the Mosaic law.
However, there should be an understanding that man is also subject to the laws of man.

God's law has "dominion" over a man, and so does man's law.
That "dominion" lasts as long as a person lives.

But, when a person dies, he is no longer subject to the law of this earth.
The person is then only subject to God's law of "sin and death," or "salvation and life!"

Paul uses an example here of a married woman.
She is "bound by the law" to him.
However, if he dies, she is "loosed" from that law.

Now, then, this general conclusion.
When a person dies to self and surrenders to Christ, he/she is "dead to the law by the body of Christ."

That means Christians are dead to the ultimate penalty of the law!
It certainly does not mean that a person who is saved is exempt from the law "Thou shalt not kill!"
Nor is that person exempt from any other laws which govern man.

We are certainly not dead to the realization and revelation of the law in our lives!
Neither are we dead to the usage of the law for repentance and revival.

When we are saved by grace, through the blood of Christ, we become "married" to Christ!
Jesus is "raised from the dead", and we are raised from the deadness of sin by being joined to Him.
Being raised by Him, Christians are held to a HIGHER standard!
We are to live with CHRIST as our "law."
And, we must remember, Christ Himself was subject to the law of God and of man!

Therefore the "fruit" of our lives should be an exhibition "unto God"!

5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

The words "in the flesh" reflect the living of our lives WITHOUT Christ.
And the words "motions of sins" reflect the affection and affliction of sins revealed "by the law."

Those affections and afflictions of sin worked in our lives to bring "death" which is separation from Him Who is LIFE!

But when a person is saved, then he/she is "delivered" from the law and brought to the PRESENCE of Christ Who is LIFE!
Therefore, we are to serve Him in "newness of spirit" and not by "the letter" of the law.
(See John 4:23)

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

The law, because it defines sin, is not sinful.
Instead the law is the detector of sin!
The law brings LIGHT to the DARKNESS of sin!

Sin in itself brings people to all "manner of concupscence" (or lust of unlawful things).
When a person has no knowledge of the law, he has no knowledge of sinfulness.
But, when the person becomes aware of the law, then the sin become shameful!

9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

We know enough about Paul's life to know he was raised with the law of God.
Yet, he became a proud and vain person, and was "without" the spirit of the law!

The law of God was "ordained to life."
It was brought of God to man, for the purpose of bringing man to servantship in obedience to God's will.
But, when Paul was made aware of the spirit of the law through meeting Christ, that same law brought DEATH to his heart!
He realized that he was WITHOUT God!
Sin had "deceived" him, and thus brought him to "death", or separation from God!

Mini-conclusion: "Wherefore the law is HOLY!"
The "commandment (of God is) holy, and just, and good!"

The law, when realized, accomplishes the purpose of proving sin is WAR against God, and the ONLY manner of redemption is SURRENDER!

13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

The law reveals sin not only as evil, but "exceeding sinful!"

14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

God's law is "spiritual," and is pure!
The effects of sin described in the law are not God's problem but MAN'S problem!
It is WE who are "sold under sin"!

This is reflected in the following verses.
We DESIRE to do that which is GOOD; but EVIL is still in our hearts!

Even the saved person has desires to sin!
Christians have a NEW SET of desires -- those of God and for God.
But God has not yet eradicated our sin nature.
We are naturally sinners.

Thus we STRUGGLE!
There is a WAR going on in each of us!

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 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.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 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.

The "members", or flesh of man wars against the "delight in the law of God after the inward man."
Christians find then, we are sinners all the time, and constantly going to God in prayer for forgiveness!

Yet there is a tremendous consolation from the war!
We can "thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" because HE will "deliver me from the body of this death!"

One day! One blessed day, Jesus will come and put a CEASE fire on the war in our souls!!
He will deliver us from the body of death and give us a new body of LIFE ETERNAL!

PRAISE GOD!

However, UNTIL then, we must struggle, labor, work!
We must strive with God's goal in mind....to be "perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect!" (Matt. 5:48)

The question is not "are you sinful?"
Because you ARE!
The question is are you striving in Christ to meet HIS goal for your life?

The purpose of the law was and is to give man a standard by which to live.
It also had and has the purpose of revealing sin, calling man to repentance, and granting redemption in the "Lawgiver" Himself!

So, as the law always accomplishes its purpose, we must strive to accomplish ours!
If you are "in Christ," live in the spirit of the law ------- stand to a higher standard!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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