Romans 7

Romans 7:1-6 We are free from the law in Christ

Romans 7:1-6 Paul has now given two reasons why

Christians want to give up sin. The first is because in Baptism we have died with Christ and have risen with him. The second is that we have been freed from slavery to sin that leads to death and have become slaves to God, which leads to holiness and eternal life. Now Paul will give us a third way of looking at a Christian and sin.

Romans 7:1-6 “The new way of the Spirit”—Note

2:29. There Paul had hinted at how a true “Jewish” person lives, one who is circumcised in the heart. Here Paul explains fully what serving in the new way of the Spirit means.

Romans 7:1-6 What simple point does Paul make

with his picture of marriage in verses 1-3?

A marriage bond is binding in this life, and if a person leaves his wife and marries another, he commits a sin. But when one spouse dies, the marriage bond is broken, and the spouse who is left is free from that law.

Romans 7:1-6 To whom (or what) had we been

“married” before we came to faith in Christ? What was the result of that marriage?

Before we came to faith in Christ, we were married to the law with its demands and curses. The law could do only two things in our bodies—stir up the sinful nature and increase our burden of guilt.

Romans 7:1-6 What freed us from that marriage?

We died to the law when we shared in Jesus’ death. (chapter 6)

Who is our new spouse? How does this new marriage shape how we want to live?

Our new spouse is Christ, who died and rose again. The law no longer stirs up our sinful nature because we are dead to the law. We follow Christ now and want to please him.

Romans 7:1-6 Contrast the new way of the Spirit with the

old way of the written code.

The law demanded obedience, and we tried to keep its external demands as best we could. Yet we continually failed. The new way of the Spirit refers to our new life in which the Spirit, who led us to faith in Christ, encourages us through God’s love to serve him in a willing and free spirit. This is how Christians live, and this kind of life pleases God.

Romans 7:6 “Before anyone becomes a believer,

he follows the letter of the law mainly out of fear of punishment. That is what Paul is referring to by describing our former way of serving as one who was entirely in the sphere of 'written oldness.' That was a 'have to' kind of serving in contrast to our new 'want to' of kind of service.” Prof. Kuske, Romans, p.356

Romans 7:1-6 Often, when we think about why we should serve

God, we say, “Because he has forgiven all my sins” or “because he loves me so greatly.” These are certainly fine answers. But can you take those answers a bit deeper based on Paul’s words beginning at 6:1?

We died to sin when we died with Christ so that we might serve him, in step with the new life we have in him. We were once slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to God because we have Christ’s righteousness. We have been released from the law with all its demands. No longer do we serve God because we are told to. Rather, because the Spirit leads us to Christ and his forgiveness, we serve God willingly in love.

Recap of Romans 7:1-6 Paul presents a third way of looking

at our relationship with Christ. In Christ we have died to the law. Now we serve God with a willing spirit.

Romans 7:7-25 Even in Christians, the sinful nature

still uses the law to stir up sin

Romans 7:7-25 The sinful nature tries another

approach. “Paul,” the sinful nature says, “I thought the law was given so people could keep it and find life. If what you say is true, then the law must be bad, because it provides the impetus for sin. And we know that cannot be the case. So, Paul, you must be mistaken.” In verses 7-13, Paul answers that objection.

Romans 7:7-25 It is true that God’s commandments

define sin so we know it when we see it. But the commandments make sin real to us in an even more forceful and direct way. Explain.

The commandments tell our sinful nature what to do, and because we are sinful, we are stirred up to do the exact opposite. We clearly see sin at work in our bodies when we see the commandments, which are good, produce sinful deeds in us.

Romans 7:7-25 What is the real culprit within us?

Our sinful nature is the culprit. It uses the commandments as a tool by which it sins.

What fact reveals the terribly wicked nature of sin? (verse 13)

The fact that our sinful nature uses something as good as God’s law as its tool to commit sin.

Salvation unto Us Has Come (390:3)

The law is not sin, but sin does use the law as its tool.

Paul Speratus; teaching hymn of Reformation “It is a false misleading dream that God his

law has given That sinners can themselves redeem and by

their works gain heaven.The law is but a mirror brightTo bring the inbred sin to lightThat works within our nature.”

Romans 7:7-25 Paul looks into his heart and sees a

terrible struggle going on. Even as a Christian, he sees his sinful nature using God’s good commandments for its own evil purposes. Examine this struggle by putting an “O” or “N” in each blank to designate whether Paul is referring to his old sinful flesh or the new person created in him by the gospel.

Romans 7:7-25 We know that the law is spiritual; but I (_O_) am

unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I (_N_) do not understand what I (_O_) do. For what I (_N_) want to do I (_O_) do not do, but what I (_N_) hate I (_O_) do. And if I (_O_) do what I (_N_) do not want to do, I (_N_) agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself (_N_) who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I (_N_) have the desire to do what is good, but I (_O_) cannot carry it out. For what I (_O_) do is not the good I (_N_) want to do; no, the evil I (_N_) do not want to do—this I (_O_) [or the Christian viewed as a whole] keep on doing. Now if I (_O_) [or the Christian viewed as a whole] do what I (_N_) do not want to do, it is no longer I (_N_) who do[es] it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Romans 7:7-25 What is the “law,” or principle, Paul finds

always at work in him? (verses 21-23)

Paul wants to do good, but his sinful nature keeps him from this wish.

Who has rescued us from this damning dilemma? Will the problem (“law”) Paul speaks about in verse 21 ever be fully solved in this life?

Christ. But as long as life goes on, we will continue to struggle with sin.

Romans 7:7-25 What is Paul talking about /

describing in verses 14-25?

Our life of sanctification … this constant struggle against our old sinful nature and new Man

A picture of sin

Recap of Romans 7:7-25 Paul described the lifelong struggle

that went on within him.He is unable to stop sinning completely

(vv. 14-17);He is unable to do what is good (vv. 18-

20);Thus, he must turn to the victory gained

by Christ (vv. 21-25).

Christians are at the same time saints and sinners in this life