Outline of Romans 7 Release from the Law, 1-6 Purpose of the Law, 7-13 Weakness of the Law, 14-25

The Principle: Romans 7:1 Law binds a person only while he lives “Has dominion over” = control, govern, as 6:9 (death), 14 (sin) Only way to serve new Master: get out from under the law that demands perfection Death cancels all contracts

The Illustration: Ro.7:2-3 Bound by law Law binds her: a wife is bound by what-ever the law says about her relationship to her husband while they are both alive One remarriage is adultery; the other is not (3). Why? Adultery: her husband lives Not adultery: her husband has died Adultery: bound to one, joined to another

The Application: Romans 7:4 Wife married to husband: he dies We married to law: we die Ro.6:4; Ga.2:19 Death dissolves marriage and bondage to law Through the body of Christ (= His death) Ep.2:14-16; Hb.10:10; 1 Pt.2:24 Married to another (2 Co.11:2; Ep.5:22-27; Rv.19:7) We are like a widow who remarries

“In the flesh”: Romans 7:5-6 …when we were in the flesh… When we were under control of its desires Ro.6:6; 8:4; Ga.5:19-21 But now… Delivered from the law (= v.2, released) Having died… (= v.4, dead to the law) Newness of Spirit . . . oldness of letter Spirit = NT [forgiveness] (6:16-22) Letter = OT [perfection] (7:4-7)

Romans 7:7 Don’t think Paul is blaming the law Law did its job well Its purpose was not to make men sinners, but to command and prohibit, and to identify sin Covetousness is an example (Ex.20:17) Without law, would not have known it was a sin

Romans 7:8 Sin personified “Opportunity” = a base for military operations Sin used law to do its work Gn.3:1-6 Satan used the opportunity afforded by the commandment to lead Eve into sin

Romans 7:9 I was alive once Before reaching age of accountability Word order: Alive (innocent) Command came (accountable) Sinned (sin sprang to life) He died (was killed, 11) Contrast THD

Romans 7:10-11 Purpose of commandment: life Result of commandment: death Reason? He sinned Sin deceived him (as 2 Co.11:3) Sin killed him

Romans 7:12 Law is holy, just, good The problem: not the law, but sin Solution: Eliminate law? Some blame laws, not criminals

Romans 7:13 Law showed sin in its true colors Exceedingly sinful Puts straightedge of law against crookedness of sin

Romans 7:14-25 – Who? (1/2) Paul represents the frustrated Jew who tried to keep the law but failed “I” – possible uses: Personal (Paul’s own experience) Typical (his experience typifies another’s) Fictive (no personal ref. intended). Cf. “we” and “us” (13:11-13) Polite (Ga.2:18)

Romans 7:14-25 – Who? (2/2) “Present tense” 1 Tim.1:15 “We experience such a conflict” Ga.5:17ff. “Only a Christian could struggle this strongly against sin” Ro.2:14-15 Drunkard may admit sins but . . .

Quotes Ovid: Desire counsels me in one direction, reason in another Ovid: I see the better part, and approve it; but I follow the worse Plautus: I knew what I ought to be, but, unhappy that I am, I could not do it Seneca: What then is it that, when we would go in one direction, drags us in the other? Epictetus: He who sins does not what he would, and does what he would not

Context: Romans 7:7-13… Ro.7:7-13 . . . A Jew, trained under Law, understood sin, but Law could not deliver him Job 42:6; Is.6:5; Lk.5:8; 18:13 Paul’s purpose is not to answer questions about a Christian’s struggles with sin, but to explain the place of law in God’s purpose “Law,” “commandment,” etc. occur some 35 times from 7:1-8:4

Context: Romans 7:13 The real culprit is sin, not the law Purpose of law: That sin might appear sin That sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful Beyond measure, in the extreme A criminal cannot blame the law for his punishment

Romans 7 Contrast Romans 6 / 8 Sold under sin, 14 6:1-2, 9-11; Mt.6:24 Sin dwells in me, 17, 20 6:12, 14 In me no good thing, 18 8:1, 9-11, 12-14 Do not good but evil, 18f 6:4 Captive to law of sin, 23 6:13, 19; 7:5; 8:2 Wretched, 24 6:6 Who will rescue me? 24 7:25; 8:1-3 Body of death, 24 8:1-2 Slave to law of sin, 25 6:6, 17-18, 20, 22