Romans chapter 7 has been one of the most debated about chapters in the book of Romans. Back in October Pastor Caleb wrote on verses 14-25 which I think are good notes to reference concerning if Paul is referring to his struggle as a Christian or his pre-conversion state. I will be focusing on verses 1-6.

The Law

In this chapter Paul makes reference to the law, which it seems like those at Rome would have known well. The law was given to the Jews as instructions on how to live their lives in the way God wanted them to live. The law was given to them which also made the Jews distinguished from all other nations. The problem was that none of the Jews were able to live perfectly according to the law, but the law was binding on their lives. In Deuteronomy 30:15-18 there was a promise of death and destruction on all of those who did not adhere to the law, which left to themselves would be all of them. That is why Paul says in verse 5 “For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.” The sin in the Jews was working against them, their bondage to the law was producing death in them. By no means was it the law that was sinful because it was God’s instruction, but it was because of the law their sins were able to be highlighted and put on full display. It showed the Jews that there was nothing in themselves that would be able to produce righteousness and the salvation of God.

The Gospel

If Paul was to stop at the law, then the Jews would have absolutely no hope of salvation, but thankfully Paul shows us hope through the gospel. Paul uses the illustration of a man and women who are married to show that if the husband dies the woman is free from the bondage of the law she had to her husband. Jesus lived a perfect life in conformance to the law of God and he was the only one who fulfilled it perfectly and he gave up his own life. Being that Jesus died (the husband) the bride of Christ is no longer in bondage to the law but is set free because of Jesus' death. Jesus died breaking the bondage of the law for those who would be “baptized into Christ Jesus by his death” as we saw in chapter 6. Paul is saying those who are in Christ have been set free of the captivity they were once in by the law, and now serve in a new way by the Spirit. That is something that is truly glorious. We are no longer in bondage to try and gain our own righteousness by following the law, but by the death of Christ that righteousness clothes us.

The Fruit

We cannot have hope in the death of Jesus if there was no resurrection which is all part of the gospel. Verse 4 is so deep “Likewise my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” How many of you have thought that Jesus was resurrected so that we would be able to bear fruit? If Jesus had not risen from the grave then his death would have been in vain, but since he rose again, we are able to bear the fruit of a Christian who walks in the newness of life. Because Jesus rose from the grave, we are able to walk by the power of the Spirit to bear fruit of the regenerating power of the gospel. Let us remember that we are not slaves to sin nor are we in bondage to the law, but we are able to bear fruit for God through the righteousness of Christ and in the new way of the Spirit. May we walk in this truth knowing that we have truly been set free from all powers that were over us, and we can walk as slaves to Christ which is a high and mighty honor and privilege. We did not deserve that mercy, but God in his goodness and grace freely extended his hand of forgiveness through the work of his Son.