Village Schools of the Bible

ROMANS: Heart & Soul of the Gospel
A Devotional Study of Romans
by Max Frazier, Jr.

ROMANS 7 - Sanctification: Not by works of law

I think this is the most difficult chapter in the book. One writer has expressed the relationship between chapters 6 and 7 in this way: Romans 6 - gives us the right way to be sanctified; Romans 7 - the wrong way. Here, in Romans 7, we have a picture of a saved man trying to be holy by keeping the law. Romans 7 states there is no holiness by works of the law. Romans 6 and 7 go together. The key verse is Romans 6:14. The first half of this verse is described in chapter 6 (the believer and sin); the second half is described in chapter 7 (the believer and the law). The key word in chapter 6 is "sin" (used 17 times). The key word in chapter 7 is "law" (used 18 times).

Note the personal pronouns used in verses 7-25: "I" (used 30 times); "me" (used 12 times); "my" (used 4 times); "myself" (used once). Those pronouns paint the picture of the defeated Christian, the Christian who has failed to reckon the "I" to be dead and has not yet experienced Galatians 2:20. Romans 7:1 is the keynote verse of this chapter.

ROMANS 7:1-6 - LAW AND THE CHRISTIAN

Notes on verse 1 - Statement of fact: the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives.

Notes on verses 2-3 - illustration from the law itself. Use of marriage relationship after death versus adultery.

Notes on verses 4-6 - application of the illustration. A man is bound to the law for life, just as the woman was bound to her husband. Through the death of Christ, the man was made dead to the law. Being dead to the law implies two things: freedom from the law, and union with Christ.

Summary of verses 1-6:
1. Though we were joined to the law, having died with Christ broke that relationship.
2. While joined to the law, we brought forth fruit unto death.
3. When joined to Christ, we bring forth fruit unto God.

ROMANS 7:7-13 - LAW AND SIN

Is the law sinful? Paul's answer is "God forbid!" What does the law do?
Notes on verse 7 - The Law REVEALS sin.

The law did not do it, but sin took up a base of operation in the law itself and worked the sin of coveting.
Notes on verse 8 - The Law PROVOKES sin.

The law does not cause sin, but the law in the carnal mind provokes sin. When a man tries to be holy by keeping the law, the very commandments that came to him will provoke him into acts of sin.
Notes on verse 9 - Sin produces death.
Notes on verse 10 - The Law WAS INTENDED to be unto life.

Sin took up its base of operations through the commandment, and then deceived and slaughtered. (Verse 11 is a picture of the fall).
Notes on verse 12 - The Law is HOLY.

It is the work of the law to prescribe how man shall live, and if he does not so live, to slay him. The Law reveals sin, provokes sin, condemns sin, and slays the sinful man.
Notes on verse 13 - Sin is a terrible thing, whereas the law is good. The nature of sin becomes all the more plain, because it can take a good thing (the Law) and work evil through that good thing.

ROMANS 7:14-25 - LAW AND THE CARNAL MAN

Unsaved men are sold under sin. There are three cycles, each stating a fact, offering a proof, and reaching a conclusion.

Cycle One - verses 14-17
Fact - verse 14, the law is spiritual
Proof - verses 15-16
Conclusion - verse 17 - Paul is not trying to shed responsibility here. Paul says, "I gave myself over to sin. The reason why this conflict is in my life is that I am under the mastery of sin, and I want to escape." Paul is responsible because he permitted himself to become a slave to sin.

Cycle Two - verses 18-20
Fact - verse 18a
Proof - verses 18b-19
Conclusion - verse 20 - Paul reaches the same conclusion as before. Sin is my master, my lord, and my king. I cannot break it. Paul has completed two cycles and still comes out the same place - still sinning.

Cycle Three - verses 21-25
Fact - verse 21
Proof - verse 22
Conclusion - verse 25 - same as before.

Do we have anything to do with law? Do we serve law? We are dead to law. When a man comes to this last verse, he should go back to the 6th chapter and consider that he is dead to sin, and then to the first part of the 7th chapter and read that he is dead to law. What is the only way to escape this situation? To present oneself to Christ. There is a parenthesis in this passage. "O wretched man that I am! What shall I do? Who will deliver me from the body of this death?" The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord!

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

This chapter has always been a fascinating one to read. As one person said, this chapter almost makes Paul seem human for he states that he, like us, wrestles on a daily basis with sin and righteousness. The theme of this chapter is the relationship between the law and the believer. I believe I see three truths.

First, when we came to know Jesus as our Savior, the law lost its authority over us. Paul says that we died to the law. The illustration he uses is that of a married woman who is freed from her marital bonds once her husband is dead. As long as I was separated from Christ, I was bound to the law. But, when I was crucified with Him, that death set me free from the law. I am now empowered to bear fruit for God.

Second, does this mean that I do not have to pay any attention to the law? Absolutely not! The purpose of the law is clear. It is to remind me of what sin is and of the consequences if I should choose to serve sin. The law is a reminder to me that there is a right way and a wrong way to live. The law is powerless to enable me to live the right way, but it is helpful in causing me to understand the difference that exists between these two ways.

Third, the process of making daily choices is often very difficult. And, unfortunately, the wrong choice is made. Oh to know the experience of consistent daily victories. Can that ever happen? Yes, it can happen through the Lord Jesus Christ. The most important choice I make every day is to put Him first in my life for that day. Just as He does not give us stale blessings (they are new every morning - Lamentations 3:22-23), so God does not want stale choices, but ones new every morning.

Until we get to heaven, there will always be this tension between the law and the freedom we have in Christ. But it is helpful to remember that the law reminds us of our need for Christ.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER AS ONE READS THESE VERSES:

1. For how long must a person live under the jurisdiction of a series of laws? What does the illustration in verses 2 and 3 represent? Can we relate these verses to marriage today? If yes, then how do they apply?

2. What three things does Paul say the law does, according to verses 7-9? If these are the results, are we then to avoid obeying the law? Can we do whatever we please whenever we please? Use other passages to support your ideas.

3. Have you ever experienced the same type of conflict that Paul describes in verses 14-21? You know what to do but you don't do it, or else, you know what you shouldn't do but you do it anyway. What made you act the way you did? How could you have prevented this problem?

4. How can we keep our bodies from coming under the influence of sin?

Romans 6 Return to the Table of Contents Romans 8:1-4