Do you not know, brothers--for I am speaking to men who know the law--that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
- Romans 7:1-6
- Romans 7:1-6
The Axiom - Romans 7:1
What is an axiom? An Axiom is a profound theological statement that is a self-evident truth that doesn't need to be proven because it’s apparent. The apparent point that Paul is making is that, dead men aren't restricted by the law. When a drunk driver wrecks his vehicle and dies, the police officer doesn't bend over the corpse and write him a ticket does he? The point is, again, that the only people under the authority of the law are those who are alive; not dead.
When Paul starts off by saying, "Do you not know", he is speaking to those who know the law. And again, anyone who knows the law, knows it has authority over living people only. The Greek word here literally means, “Or, are you ignorant, brothers”
When Paul starts off by saying, "Do you not know", he is speaking to those who know the law. And again, anyone who knows the law, knows it has authority over living people only. The Greek word here literally means, “Or, are you ignorant, brothers”
The Analogy – 7:2-3
Next comes the anaology that Paul gives to make his point, and his point is simple.
Paul's point is that a married person is bound by law to their spouse. If your spouse dies, you’re no longer bound by the law. You’re not bound to a corpse for the rest of your life. So what happens if your spouse doesn't die? Well then, If your spouse doesn't die, and you’re married to another, you’re an adulterer. Simple right? Death permanently ends the law that binds two people in marriage. This is where we get the phrase “til death do us part” in marriage ceremonies, however, sadly some are removing that from a ceremony because they don’t want to be held to that responsibility. Again, Paul's analogy is simple: Death ends the covenant of a marriage. The Application - 7:4-5Then we get to verse 4, and we get to a “so” or “Therefore” which points back to the axiom. And what was the axiom in verse 1? Law only applies when people are alive Verse 4 is such an important verse to grasp, so I just want to take a quick minute to pull it apart a little so we can get a fuller appreciation for how much truth is packed into this little verse. I'll break this verse down into 6 sections:
| Marriage Theology in Romans 7 We need to be careful when we see others using examples or analogies from Scripture as their full source of truth on a particular topic. Paul never intended to communicate the full theology of marriage, instead he is using an aspect of the marriage covenant to drive his point home. He is not trying to make into a definitive statement on marriage, divorce, and remarriage; simply an analogy to prove his point. Always keep the 3 “S”’s of scripture in mind: Scripture Supports Scripture. Good Hermeneutics demands that definitive passages on divorce and remarriage, such as those in Matthew 5 & 19 are to be used to interpret other analogous passages, instead of the other way around. Don’t try and fit Matthew 5 & 19 into Romans 7:2-3, instead fit Romans 7:2-3 into Matthew Chapters 5 & 19. |
The Past
“So, my brothers, you also died to the law”
Most translations use “you also died” or “you died” here. But the Greek word is more intentional. The Greek word means to put to death. So a more proper phrase might be “So my brothers, you were put to death to the law”
Θανατόω – thanatoo – to put to death
It speaks of a violent death, specifically Paul is referring to the death of Christ, which he expands upon in the rest of this sentence.
We see the ability of God to save here because Paul isn't using the active version of this word. He isn't saying that you put yourself to death to the law. That would imply we can make it to God on our own. Instead he is using the passive. He is saying that you have been put to death. We were made dead to the law in Christ through a divine act.
You were put to death, put to death to what? To the law. So what was the axiom? Only live people are under the laws power? And what were we put to death to? The law, so that means what? The law doesn't have power over us. We are no longer condemned by the law.
The Procedure
So if we were put to death, how were we put to death? By what means? By the body of Christ. By dying on the cross, Christ paid sin’s penalty in full and allowed sinful men to become free from the law’s demands.
The Picture
Why? “That you might belong to another” or some say, “that you should be married to another”
Do you see how beautifully this analogy works with what Paul is saying about our state to sin? We were at one point married to sin. We died, and now we aren't married to ourselves or nothing, but now we are married to Jesus Christ.
The Present
So then where does that leave us? We are married to Christ, “Who was raised from the dead”
Paul is emphasizing the present union between Christ and all believers. We are not only identified with Christ in his death, but also with him in his life. This is an assurance of salvation for the believer. Those of us who claim Jesus Christ as Lord and our Savior can place our hope in life everlasting to be married with Christ forever.
The Purpose
So far we know that:
The purpose of any believer’s life is to glorify God. How are we to do this, by bearing fruit. Paul isn't commanding us to bear fruit, Paul is stating this as a fact. If the previous is true, then we will bear fruit. There is no such thing as a Christian who doesn't bear fruit. Salvation has a product, that product is Sanctification. That product is becoming holy as Christ is holy. The means are by bearing fruit. If we are becoming holy as Christ is holy, we will invariably be bearing fruit.
We could now go into all the different types of fruit that we could bear, but I think that’s a study for another time, instead we are going to keep trucking through this section.
Salvation by grace doesn't give us a license to sin. However, the world we live in, and sadly enough, people who claim Christ aren't living out this truth. We preach it, we are good at talking it, but a few minutes looking into the life of these people prove that they use grace as an excuse to sin. As a justification to how sinful they really are. Have you ever heard this, “well, it’s really not that bad, and I know God will forgive me.”
The product of true salvation is growing in holiness. This is the one verse that I will harp on week after week, I think I’ve used it in the past few lessons, and I have already made mention of it a little earlier. We are to “be holy, as Christ is holy”
The Problem
What is our problem? What is the problem? 4 words:
We see that when we were controlled by the flesh, the flesh produced sin which was aroused by the law so that our fruit was for death.There are a bunch of questions that I’m hoping to answer in the upcoming section though about how the law creates evil passions in verses 7-13
“So, my brothers, you also died to the law”
Most translations use “you also died” or “you died” here. But the Greek word is more intentional. The Greek word means to put to death. So a more proper phrase might be “So my brothers, you were put to death to the law”
Θανατόω – thanatoo – to put to death
It speaks of a violent death, specifically Paul is referring to the death of Christ, which he expands upon in the rest of this sentence.
We see the ability of God to save here because Paul isn't using the active version of this word. He isn't saying that you put yourself to death to the law. That would imply we can make it to God on our own. Instead he is using the passive. He is saying that you have been put to death. We were made dead to the law in Christ through a divine act.
You were put to death, put to death to what? To the law. So what was the axiom? Only live people are under the laws power? And what were we put to death to? The law, so that means what? The law doesn't have power over us. We are no longer condemned by the law.
The Procedure
So if we were put to death, how were we put to death? By what means? By the body of Christ. By dying on the cross, Christ paid sin’s penalty in full and allowed sinful men to become free from the law’s demands.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
- Galatians 2:19-20
The Picture
Why? “That you might belong to another” or some say, “that you should be married to another”
Do you see how beautifully this analogy works with what Paul is saying about our state to sin? We were at one point married to sin. We died, and now we aren't married to ourselves or nothing, but now we are married to Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 5:24-27
- 2 Corinthians 11:2
The Present
So then where does that leave us? We are married to Christ, “Who was raised from the dead”
Paul is emphasizing the present union between Christ and all believers. We are not only identified with Christ in his death, but also with him in his life. This is an assurance of salvation for the believer. Those of us who claim Jesus Christ as Lord and our Savior can place our hope in life everlasting to be married with Christ forever.
The Purpose
So far we know that:
- We were put to death to the Law
- Through Jesus Christ’s death
- So that we might be married to Christ
- So that we might have life eternal because we are identified with Christ’s resurrection
The purpose of any believer’s life is to glorify God. How are we to do this, by bearing fruit. Paul isn't commanding us to bear fruit, Paul is stating this as a fact. If the previous is true, then we will bear fruit. There is no such thing as a Christian who doesn't bear fruit. Salvation has a product, that product is Sanctification. That product is becoming holy as Christ is holy. The means are by bearing fruit. If we are becoming holy as Christ is holy, we will invariably be bearing fruit.
We could now go into all the different types of fruit that we could bear, but I think that’s a study for another time, instead we are going to keep trucking through this section.
Salvation by grace doesn't give us a license to sin. However, the world we live in, and sadly enough, people who claim Christ aren't living out this truth. We preach it, we are good at talking it, but a few minutes looking into the life of these people prove that they use grace as an excuse to sin. As a justification to how sinful they really are. Have you ever heard this, “well, it’s really not that bad, and I know God will forgive me.”
The product of true salvation is growing in holiness. This is the one verse that I will harp on week after week, I think I’ve used it in the past few lessons, and I have already made mention of it a little earlier. We are to “be holy, as Christ is holy”
The Problem
What is our problem? What is the problem? 4 words:
- Flesh
- Sin
- Law
- Death
We see that when we were controlled by the flesh, the flesh produced sin which was aroused by the law so that our fruit was for death.There are a bunch of questions that I’m hoping to answer in the upcoming section though about how the law creates evil passions in verses 7-13
The Affirmation – 7:6
We were under death. "But now." I love it when I see “but now”s in God’s Word. Specifically when preceded by the word “death”. But now we died. We already talked about this. We were once married to sin, which we died to and now are married to Christ. We have been released from the law.
And our duty, which we've already talked about as well, is to bear fruit. Paul puts it in another way right here. He says that we are to “serve in the new way of the Spirit” and not “in the old way of the written code.”
I love how Paul writes out what he means by law. “by the written code” That’s exactly what happens when you put the law above God which is what the Jews did. This is where the title comes into play. We are either dead to the law, or under obedience to the law. We either follow the law, and the law condemns us, or we follow the law, and the law produces fruit in us to God. The service we render to God will not be in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit. Same law though.
The law is still binding to us as Christians… sort of. It’s not binding in regard to our right standing before God, but it is binding in that our new nature seeks to obey it. Our relation to the law before we were saved was one of condemnation. Our relation to the Law after we are saved is one of obedience. 1 Law… 2 Destinies… Condemnation… Righteousness…
So then, if we are not under the law, if we are dead to the law, if we don’t have to be under the burden of the law, then what? Is the law sin?
Well, I’m glad you asked, because Paul answers that question for us. As a matter of fact, he asks that exact question. It’s like Paul knew what you were going to ask. But to find out more, you'll have to wait until my next post on Romans 7:7-13.
And our duty, which we've already talked about as well, is to bear fruit. Paul puts it in another way right here. He says that we are to “serve in the new way of the Spirit” and not “in the old way of the written code.”
I love how Paul writes out what he means by law. “by the written code” That’s exactly what happens when you put the law above God which is what the Jews did. This is where the title comes into play. We are either dead to the law, or under obedience to the law. We either follow the law, and the law condemns us, or we follow the law, and the law produces fruit in us to God. The service we render to God will not be in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit. Same law though.
The law is still binding to us as Christians… sort of. It’s not binding in regard to our right standing before God, but it is binding in that our new nature seeks to obey it. Our relation to the law before we were saved was one of condemnation. Our relation to the Law after we are saved is one of obedience. 1 Law… 2 Destinies… Condemnation… Righteousness…
So then, if we are not under the law, if we are dead to the law, if we don’t have to be under the burden of the law, then what? Is the law sin?
Well, I’m glad you asked, because Paul answers that question for us. As a matter of fact, he asks that exact question. It’s like Paul knew what you were going to ask. But to find out more, you'll have to wait until my next post on Romans 7:7-13.