SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 7
Bible Verses:
“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.” (Romans 7:6)
“15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree )
Paul wrote marriage to illustrate our relationship to the law. By law, a wife is bound to his husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law and can marry another man.
Believers also died to the law through Jesus Christ who was raised from the death. We have been released from the law to serve in the new way of the Spirit. His Spirit enables us to produce good deeds for God.
STRUGGLING WITH SIN (vs. 7-25)
Paul himself was confused and struggling with sin. He did not understand why he did things he did not want to do. He had the desire to do good but the sinful nature inside him kept on doing the evil he did not want to do. He could tell in his mind that he was a slave to God’s law but in his sinful nature, a slave to the law of sin.
THOUGHTS:
The old nature is sinful but the new nature from God enables us to do His will. We must keep a loving relationship with the Lord and choose Him as our master so that we can have righteousness instead of wretchedness. May we through the Spirit enjoy the blessed liberty of God’s children and glorify God in holy living.
THREE IMPORTANT LESSONS PAUL LEARNED WITH REGARDS TO OUR OLD SINFUL NATURE:
- Knowledge can not prevent us from committing sin (v. 7)
- Self determination does not have the strength to deter us from sin (v. 15)
- Being in Christ will not free us from temptation to commit sin (vs. 22-25)