Romans 7:1-6 is the Apostle Paul illustrating a woman being married to her husband (the law), who is eternal and unchangeable; thus, to divorce her husband (the law), and marry another husband (Christ), she would be an adulteress, but when she dies (to the Law), she then can be married to another (Christ Jesus) and be free from her first husband (the Law), and not be an adulteress.
The Apostle Paul is illustrating how we move from sinners to Christians, members of Christ’s body, the church, which is a well-worded picture of Christianity—Christ, the Head of His body, the worldwide church.
The Apostle Paul is not telling us to abolish the Old Testament (OT) law, but allow it to be our teacher, bringing us to Christ (Galatians 3:19-25), so we will believe God’s word, and put all our faith and trust in the God whose word we believe and obey, which is what Christianity is.
Being married to Christ, (1 Corinthians 6:17) as Christians, members of Christ’s body, the church, we are dead to the OT law, from sin’s selfish desires, raised in righteousness and true holiness, so we no longer desire to sin, for sin separates us from God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, for sin is Satan’s way of controlling our spirit, soul, and body, so we cannot experience the Holy Spirit’s power, love, and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7), but God, through Jesus, fully paid for our sins, so we can be free in Him, when sin becomes so unbearable, in desperation we cry out to God for His help, and then He, as Christ Jesus, the Living Word, comes to our rescue, as He promises in Psalm 107:17-22.
In the law, sin has a tremendous advantage over us, because where there is no law there is no sin, as explained in Romans 7:5-8, 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions (desires) which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
We see this again in 1 Corinthians 15:55-58, where we see “the sting (lethal poison) of sin is death, and the strength (power) of sin is the law”; thus, only being married to our Lord Jesus Christ, being a Christian, a member of Christ’s body, the church, is our only victory over sin’s power from obeying the strict letter of the law instead of obeying the spirit of the law, meaning if the law commands in Exodus 21:22-27, like for like—life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe—like for like, but Jesus commands in Matthew 5:38-48, 38 “You have heard it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 “You have heard it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Romans 7:13-25 shows the horrifying struggle Paul went through trying helplessly to do what he knew was right, but never able to do it, because of “sin that dwelled (lived) in him”, sin that was dormant until he reverted from grace to law, which during Paul’s life was transitioning from law to grace but living by grace was not yet understood or tolerated by the ruling Israelites.
However, in Romans 7:24-25, Paul unable to do the good he knew was right, turned it over to Jesus Christ, who delivered Paul from “sin dwelling in him”, so he could do what he knew God wanted him to do; this is what we must do if we want the battle in us to stop and peace to fill us.
We joyfully thank our Lord for the truths of Proverbs 14:19 and 15:3 that evil always submits to good, for the Lord carefully watches both, 19 The evil will bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
Do not worry, good always wins, for Romans 12:21 says, 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Which means always be honest, truthful, and trust everything to God.)
Jim Nabors
