I must apologize as I had to go on an extended trip and just got back on Thursday evening. I am ready to return to our in depth study of sin in the eyes of an holy GOD. We must look into the Law of Jehovah in order to get a clear understanding of our problem in resisting sin.
Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
7:5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
7:6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
This is a very confusing and often misinterpreted portion of Holy Scripture. Paul is often misquoted as saying that the Law is no longer valid or important. This is not what Paul is stating. We must carefully look at what Paul is saying in context to get the correct teaching. As we continue in this study, this will become increasingly clearer.
The Law and the curse of the Law are two separate things. We have been released from the Law, which means we are no longer condemned for our imperfect obedience to the Law. Grace is the only way we obtain forgiveness and the only way we receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Not by works.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Obedience to the Law can’t save us. Only Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed the Law. However, obedience to the Law confirms our salvation and love for Jesus.
7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
7:8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.
The Law reveals just how sinful we really are in the eyes of Jehovah. If there were no Law, there would be no condemnation or sin. As mentioned in earlier blogs, Jehovah had instructed Adam and others on the absolute necessity of obedience. Just as He did with Cain, He also condemned the entire world in the flood. There had to be the Law revealed to them in some manner for Jehovah to condemn the entire world.
7:9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 7:10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 7:11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
What Paul is saying is that once he understood all of the Law it revealed previously unknown desires to sin. It unleashed sinful desires he had not been even aware of within his own body. But, Paul is not blaming the Law; Paul is simply recognizing the ways the sin nature deceives and denies.
7:12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Here is one of many statements by Paul refuting any one who teaches that the Law in obsolete or evil. The Law is good, holy, and righteous. We need to obey the Law to show our love to Jehovah. The Law leads us to repentance and ultimately to salvation thru grace.
More next Saturday.