ROMANS 7 COMMENTARY

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Some introductory comments before beginning our study of chapter 7.

1. A comparison of chapters 6 and 7.

2. Four things the Law did:

(1) Brought knowledge of sin v.7

(2) Brought sin to life v.9

(3) Held one captive to sin v.23

(4) Resulted in death v.10

3. Freedom from Law means:

(1) Freedom from sin

(2) Freedom from condemnation (6:14)

I. BELIEVERS RELEASED FROM THE OLD LAW (1-6)

A. Paul Makes a Comparison to Marriage. (1-3)
Still trying to convince his readers that Christians do not have freedom to sin, Paul uses the marriage relationship as an analogy. Paul is evidently speaking of the Law of Moses, but what he says is true of any law. If you are dead you are free from law. Using the analogy of husband-wife and Christ-the church Paul demonstrates that one must be dead before another can replace it. To attempt to live under two religious laws would be spiritual adultery. This is a concept familiar to Paul's Jewish readers (Jer. 3:9, Eze. 23:3?) and is reiterated in the NT (Gal. 5:4).

B. He Makes the Parallel in that They Have Died to the Law so They May Now Serve Christ in Newness of Spirit. (4-6)
When the Law ended everyone who was under the Law became dead to it. Christ's death on the cross ended the Law (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:14). This verse also teaches that it is impossible to "bring forth fruit unto God" without first being joined to the body of Christ. This passage along with Eph. 5:22-33 shows that the church is currently the bride of Christ not just espoused (or engaged) as some premillennialists teach. When do our passions become sinful? Whenever they lead us to violate God's will. "In the flesh" refers to the Law of Moses, as well as "oldness of the letter." Therefore newness means as to form or quality, so Newness of Spirit refers to the Law of Christ.

II. THE OLD LAW IS GOOD AND HOLY (7-13)

A. The Old Law is Not Sin, But Rather Makes Known What Sin Is. (7)
Paul includes the Ten Commandments in this discussion of what has been done away, to the dismay of our Sabbatarian friends who claim they are still effective. Of course coveting is specifically condemned in the NT even more severely than in the OT.

B. But Sin Taking Occasion by the Commandment Leads One Unto Death. (8-11)
Unless wrong is defined, Satan has no way of working in our lives. In Paul's life sin produced sin. Sin had become sin because the Law had defined it (Gen. 2:16,17). Remember, God's commands are not the source of our evil desires. Paul has given sin human characteristics so as to represent it as our enemy. The only time Paul was without the Law was in his childhood. As he became accountable to the Law, his ability to sin increased accordingly. "Revived" here means "came much alive" not "came back to life." When sin came alive in him is when Paul died spiritually. This passage argues strongly against hereditary total depravity. If Paul would have obeyed the commandment he would have lived, but through disobedience he died. See KJV for verse 11. Some say this verse means that God's commands stir up rebellion in the sinner. Once a sinner hears the command he is bound and determined to break it. We have already explained how Satan uses the occasion of God's commands to deceive, but for Satan to deceive us with the command would be beyond the power given him. Once again the example of Adam and Eve illustrates our point. Satan took the occasion of the command "Thou shalt not eat," deceived Eve and by that deception slew her.

C. So the Law is Holy, Just, and Good, But Sin That it Might Appear Sin Works Death Through That Which is Good. (12,13)
Sin and death come through failure to keep the law. Does that make the law evil? The law and commandments were give to promote holiness. Sin uses deceit to convert the good things of this world into instruments of sin and death. Notice how exceedingly sinful sin appears when it comes through an avenue we expect to be good, just and holy.

III. BUT WITHOUT CHRIST MAN IS IN A DILEMMA (14-25)

Calvinists believe this refers to after Paul was a Christian. It is actually referring to Paul while he was still a practicing Jew. He was a person living under the law but he was losing the battle of doing what was right because of sin. There are five reasons why these verses cannot refer to a Christian:

1) the subject under consideration is the law of Moses.

2) this person is indwelt with sin, Christians are not.

3) this person was a prisoner of sin.

4) v. 24,25 points to the time when he became a Christian.

5) Ch. 8, v.1 says "now."

A. The Law is Spiritual, But Man is Carnal and Bound to Sin. (14)
See Gal. 5:16; 1Cor. 3:1; Rom. 8:4,5 to contrast spirit and flesh. A fleshly being is subject to temptations which a spiritual being cannot be subjected to. For example, Christ could not be tempted until He became flesh (He. 4:15).

B. So Though One May Know Good and Evil, He Finds That He Does That Which He Should not and That Which He Should He Does Not. (15-21)
Paul claims not to have known what he was doing, when he was a servant of sin persecuting the church. How can this be? What he did not understand or "know" was the nature or consequences of his actions. No sinner does. He does not realize his "accomplishments" in his life of sin. The law demands a decent upright life. When Paul was a sinner he was trying to live that life, but without Christ it was impossible. Paul's urge to follow the flesh was greater than his desire to do what moral judgment dictated. We are not born totally depraved. Sin enters a person when he becomes responsible before God and violates His law. Then sin dwells within him until he is redeemed. Those who are unable to distinguish good from evil because of a true mental disability are not responsible for their deeds, because their animal passions cannot be controlled by their inner man. Without Christ it is impossible to throw off sin and lead a pure life. Contrast verse 15 and 19 to what Paul said of himself in 1Thess. 2:10. Paul repeats the thought of Verse 17 in verse 20. If an alien sinner attempts to do good, he is hindered by sin. The emphasis is on the need for the gospel power of regeneration. The marginal reading of the ASV has this verse as "I find then in regard of the law, that to me who would do good, evil is present." This entire passage is confusing to the believers in total hereditary depravity because they do not believe a sinner can wish to do good. Our scripture here teaches that it is a possibility for a sinner to wish to do good, but it is impossible for him to do good outside of Christ.

C. This is Because the War Between the Inward Man Delights in the Law of God and the Members of the Body Which Engage in Sin.(22,23)
The inner man, as we have implied, is the seat of the mind and the will. Then there are obviously men who have let their inward man go to the point of being hopelessly lost. Such were the people before the flood and the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah. If a man allows his mind to control his passions, then God wins the war. However, if a man allows his passions to control his mind then Satan wins.

D. Freedom From This Dilemma (24,25)

1. As long as this dilemma continues, one is bound to a body of death. To be sold under sin and dead to sin is the same thing.

2. But in Christ Jesus, God provides hope. The help to come out of the wretched condition of verse 24 is Christ. You cannot serve God with the mind while serving sin with the body. Since a true Christian will not continually serve sin, Paul's point is that when we do serve sin it is because the inner man has lost control of the flesh. An occasional sin, repented of, does not make us a slave to sin. Read 6:16.