Last time we looked at the fact that as believers in Christ, we are identified with His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4). Our old man has been crucified with Him (Rom. 6:6). We have been freed from sin (Rom. 6:7).

Since we have died with Christ and have been risen with Him, we are set free from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and someday will be set free from the presence of sin. The penalty of sin is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23).” We have also been delivered from the power of sin. It no longer has dominion or control over our lives (Rom. 6:9,14). This doesn’t mean that we won’t sin anymore. But, it does mean that God has given us the power not to sin. Galatians 5:16 says, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (see Romans 8 as well). If we walk in the Spirit, “walk by faith, not by sight,” we can overcome sin. But, sadly we don’t always do this. For we still have the old man with us, even though we have been made a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:15). In studying Romans 7, I was talking to a friend, and mentor, of mine and he gave an illustration that I think paints a good picture of the struggle that even we as believers still have. In Romans 6:11, we are told to reckon or count ourselves dead to sin, but alive unto God. When we struggle between serving our old master, sin, and our new master, God, and end up choosing to serve sin, it is like our old man is walking right alongside ourselves. He’s not in the grave like he should be. Our old man is right next to us with his arm over our shoulder like if he were our buddy or something. But, that’s not the way it should be. Our old man is crucified. Our sin was left buried (out of God’s sight), when Christ was buried. When He arose from the grave, He left that sin buried. Likewise, we too should reckon or count ourselves (that old man) dead, but count ourselves (our new nature) as alive unto God. So, the next time you sense the old man trying to tempt you to sin, just tell him “Get back to that grave! Your dead! Stay there!” And finally, speaking of the presence of sin, we will be delivered from sin’s presence in our lives once for all when Christ comes back for us at the Rapture, before the Tribulation.

Now, as we come to chapter seven Paul now switches from talking about being freed from sin to now also being freed from the law. As he starts he mentions that he is writing to those that know the law. The commentaries that I’ve read, and I think are right too, says that “the law” in verse one isn’t referring to the law of Moses, but instead to the principle of law. The Romans were great law-makers. It could be written as “for I speak to those who know law (instead of “the law”).” Now, Paul will proceed to talk about the Mosaic Law as he continues. These people were aware of the fact that a law only has dominion, control, or rule over someone as long as he is alive. If someone dies, the law no longer has a hold on his life.

So, Paul starts out with the illustration of marriage. When a woman marries a man, she is then bound to that man as long as they should live. She is bound to the law of her husband (or the law of the husband). If he dies, she is then free to marry another. She becomes free from that law. Likewise, as believers in Christ we become dead to the law. How? By the body of Christ.

Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Through our identification in his death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6) we become dead not only to sin, but also to the law (the law of Moses). And then, we are married (joined) to another (Christ Himself). This doesn’t mean that we are the Bride of Christ. Israel is called the “Bride, the lamb’s wife (Rev. 21:9).” We are His Body. We are the Body of Christ. We are joined to Him for a purpose. That is to bear fruit unto God.

Since we now have life in Christ, are delivered from sin, and are delivered from the law (7:6), does that mean we can live life any way we want to? No. Is the law sin? No. Of course not. We would not have known what sin is except it told us “Thou shalt not covet (lust)” (7:7).

The rest of  the chapter will help us understand two things.

1. A religious unbeliever can’t be saved or sanctified (set apart as holy unto God) by trying to do good on their own, in their own flesh, and by their own works.
2. A believer, after salvation, also can’t be sanctified by their own good works either. Only what is done in the Spirit, is able to sanctify you and allow you to live a life pleasing to God by bearing fruit unto Him. The difference between you and the unbeliever (besides faith, of course), however, is that you now have the ability of bearing fruit, because God has delivered you from the power of sin and the power of the law.

Paul’s Past Life:

Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

As an unbeliever in the past (under the law), Paul says that he died because sin revived in his life. Romans 3:20 tells that “for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” We know that the law is perfect. According to the Scriptures, the law is “holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good (7:12).” In verse 14, it says that it is spiritual. The law, if kept, could bring life. But, no one was or is (except for Christ) able to keep it perfectly. So, instead it brought death (7:10).

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Remember the two things above!

1. Religious unbeliever – Here we have someone who is unsaved and yet very religious. As an unbeliever, they are still in the flesh or sold under sin. Paul who was this kind of person in his past (as well as every other believer), is trying to tell us presently (in the present tense) that it would be impossible for a religious person to obtain salvation or sanctification by trying to keep the law, because they are in the flesh or carnal. They can’t possibly bear fruit unto God (good fruit), because all their “good” works are done in their own flesh. As verse five tells us, anything done in our members while in the flesh brings fruit unto death (bad fruit).
2. Believer – Here we have someone that is a believer, but this believer is one who is trying to be sanctified through legalism. They too are trying to do good works, but only in the flesh (through their old nature). They are not allowing the Spirit to work through them to produce the fruit. However, the believer isn’t sold under sin. “Sold under sin” refers to an unbeliever. That phrase is in the perfect tense. The perfect tense is where you have an action that is completed in the past but has continuing effects. So a believer isn’t in that state anymore, but they do still struggle with the flesh, the old nature. However, we have the power not to sin if we walk in the Spirit. The unbeliever does not.  

Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

As a believer, this does not mean that we are not responsible for when we sin. Some think that when we sin, it’s not our fault because it is just the sin in me that makes me do it. We are still responsible. But, think back to what we said about the unbeliever. Someone who is lost in this Dispensation of Grace, trying to do good works, is unable to produce good fruit because of sin. They are spiritually dead because of sin. They are still sold under sin. They are still living in the flesh. The believer, on the other hand, is living in the Spirit (Rom. 8:9). They, once again, have the power to overcome sin if they Walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16).

Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

In conclusion, the only thing that a lost individual can do is recognize that they cannot do it themselves. They can’t save themselves. If they can’t do it, then who can deliver them from this body of death? The answer is God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of our sins, buried them out of His sight forever, and He rose again on the third day (leaving those sins buried) so that you and I could be made the righteousness of God in Him (1 Cor. 15:3,4; 2 Cor. 5:21). All you have to do is believe (Acts 16:31). When you become a believer, God delivers you from sin, and the law, so that you can serve Him in the Spirit. We will still struggle, because we do still have that old nature with us, but we also have a new nature that gives us the power not to sin if we just walk in the Spirit. So, just tell that old man to get back in it’s grave. Reckon it as dead. For you are alive unto God!