ROMANS UNWRAPPED 116

• Chapter 6:    The grace of God changes our relationship to sin.
• Chapter 7:    The grace of God changes our relationship to the law.

Paul now continues his treatment of the role of law in the matter of God's spiritual dealings with the world.   He has already developed his teaching on the law commencing in chapter 3.   There he stated (chapter 3v20) that the law did not save anyone in the sight of God, simply enough because no man could keep it; "therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin," so the law could not save us, and was never intended to do so.   In chapter 5 he goes further and reveals that the law was introduced by God not to see if man could keep it but to prove that he never could.   "The law entered that the offence might abound."   Romans 5v20

Therefore the law was brought in to make sin worse, so that men would understand their need of salvation.    Carrying on this thought from chapters 3 and 5 Paul now develops this further and shows us how the law acted to fulfill its purpose, which was to open peoples eyes to the need of salvation.   This it did perfectly because here in Romans chapter 7 one of the most religious men who had ever lived, Paul was brought to his knees to seek salvation, and if the law can do that for him it can do the same for all of us.   We will study the verses in detail as we go along but for now it is best to outline what is ahead of us concerning this difficult subject of the law.

• Chapter 7 v 1-3        The authority of the law.    Three ideas presented the dominion of the law which demanded obedience; the fact that it was life long, its demands were in force until death; and there was a penalty for disobedience.
• Chapter 7 v 4           The annulment of the law.   This was done by the body of Christ at Calvary; believers were put to death; they were married to another, who is Christ raised from the dead; and the purpose of this was to bring forth fruit to God.
• Chapter 7 v 5-13      The activity of the law.    (a)  The law raised the passions of sin; worked in our members to bring forth the fruit of sin; wrought in us all manner of covetousness and inordinate desire; it also deceived me says Paul and slew me.   (b)  The law revealed the presence of sin; "I had not known lust except the law said thou shalt not covet."; without the law sin was dead; the commandment which was ordained to life said Paul I found to be unto death."   (c)  The law revived the power of sin; it brought forth fruit unto death, sin revived and I died; sin that it might appear sin wrought death in me.  
• Chapter 7 v 14-25     The antagonism of the law.   (a) Discovery of indwelling sin "I am carnal sold under sin."   (b)  Disassociation from indwelling sin "no longer I but sin that dwells within me."   (c)  Disclosure of the law of sin "when I would do good evil is present with me."  (d)  Deliverance from the power of sin.  "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

What Paul is doing is demonstrating exactly how the law operated as God intended it to do.   The fact that it brought to humility the proud religious Pharisee, whose religious zeal and intolerance led him to imprison and torture and even kill those who followed Christ, means that the law did its work.   He later described himself as  "chief of sinners " and suggested that if God could save him even from his religious misunderstanding and intolerance and pride, he could save anyone.   "Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first (the first being the chief of sinners) Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."    1st Timothy 1v16 

A final observation on this difficult but interesting chapter he uses "we" in verses 1-6 referring to all believers: then in verses 7-25 he uses "I" referring to himself as a prime example of all this.   A further sub-division in verses 7 - 25 is as follows: verses 7-12 he uses the past tense indicating pre conversion struggles and in verses 13-25 he uses the present tense indicating post conversion victories.  

Tomorrow we will consider the authority of the law.   

It should be noted that some of the above classifications are taken from others, and since I can't improve on them have used them to clarify what is a difficult chapter in the interest good communication. None of us have the monopoly of expression when it comes to scripture exposition, and we are grateful for the rich thought that is shared with the body of Christ worldwide.