P’s and Q’s : Romans 7
“Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.” (verses 1-3)
- Believers wanted to glorify Christ and had many questions of how to do that while obeying the law of God. One of these questions was, “Can a woman marry another man when her husband dies and she becomes a widow?” What are some questions right now that you have concerning God and how you live out your faith?
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“So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” (verse 4)
- What does it mean that you will bear fruit for God? If you look at Galatians 5:22-23, what are some of the fruits of the Spirit that God can grow more in you?
What God means is that like a tree bears fruit if it is healthy, growing, and alive, so will we bear fruits (actions and words that look like Jesus) if we are in a healthy, growing, and alive relationship with Jesus.
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“For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” (verses 5 & 6)
- What does it mean to be in the realm of the flesh? What does “flesh” mean in the Bible? How have you felt freedom in the Spirit?
“The realm of the flesh” is our sinful nature that we are prone to. The “flesh” is our “carnal” or physical sins, meaning the sins we commit when we give into temptation.
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“What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’” (verse 7)
- What is the purpose of the law (God’s commands in the Old Testament)? What is one sin in your life that has become more apparent since you know God’s commands?
The purpose of the Old Testament laws / commands was that God would show us we could never be perfect like God, that God, being just, needs atonement (payment) for the debt of our sin and that we are in desperate need for a Savior because of how we break the laws / commands.
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“But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.” (verses 8-12)
- How is it that the law produces sin in us? Why, then, is God’s law holy, righteous and good?
When a parent says to their child, “Do not put your hand in the cookie jar”, the child seems to, because of his sinful nature, think about it and after giving into temptation, put his hand in the cookie jar. The law produces sin in humans because it tells humans what they should not do, and therefore, because of the rebellious, sinful nature, humans often go against what the law states. We often feel like we are “above the law.”
God’s law is righteous, holy, and good because nothing in God’s law will lead you away from God; rather, everything in God’s law keeps you safe, allows you to experience the joy of the Lord and helps you grow in relationship with Him.
“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (verses 14-20)
- This is one of the most famous passages God inspired Paul to write. Why do you think God had Paul write about his fight with sin? Have you been able to be honest about your fight with sin? If so, how?
- We believe God had Paul write this passage in order that we might have an example of someone in the Bible who knew full well the fight with sin and how difficult it is. Still, Paul fervently fought sin despite it seeming difficult to overcome.
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“So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” (verses 21-23)
- What is the war that Paul mentions in this passage? How are you warring against sin in your life?
The war Paul mentions is the war between our flesh and our Spirit. The Spirit of God desires for us to glorify God, but our sinful flesh wants us to do things that only glorify us, provide momentary pleasure and lead us to sin.
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“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (verses 24 & 25)
- How does this verse encourage you? Who in your life is not allowing Jesus to deliver them from their sin?
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Three Takeaways:
- The law shows our sin.
- Sin shows us death.
- Jesus shows us life.
