Fruit Bearing Service Series

Fruit Bearing Service

Romans 7:1–25

INTRODUCTION

If you have children you’ve probably had a conversation similar to this one very recently. “Son, I need to tell you something.” And then you proceed to bestow upon him the innumerable bits of knowledge you have gained on a particular subject over the course of the years. Upon finishing he then looks up at you with understanding eyes and says, “Why?” So in order to help your son understand the deeper meaning of the subject you elaborate on the subject some more. He then looks at you with that look on his face and the reply comes, “but, why?”

In Chapter 7 of Romans, Paul gives us a series of examples and illustrations to answer the inevitable questions that would arise to the proclamations he had made earlier that we (Christians) are now dead to sin and alive in Christ and that we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness.

One can almost see Paul looking out at the blank stares on the faces of the Roman Christians and responding with Romans 7:4 “So. . . you also died to the law through the body of Christ. That you might belong to another.” “Why?” “. . . In order that we might bear fruit to God.” “But, why?” “When we were controlled by the sinful nature. . . 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. . .”

MAIN BODY

I. “Dead to the Law”

A. Bound by Law

1. Marriage binds man and woman for life.

2. Once one is dead the other is no longer bound.

B. Only a dead person is released from Any law.

C. Dead through the body of Christ.

Those who become Christians are dead to the law through the body of Christ. “WHY?”

II. “In order that we might bear fruit to God.”

A. The whole reason for being a Christian is to bring glory to God by bearing fruit.

1. John 15:8 8"This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

2. Ephesians 2:10 10"For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

B. The results of “bearing fruit to God.” Rom. 6:22 22"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”

We become Christians so that we may bear fruit to God. “BUT, WHY?”

III. “So we can serve in the new way of the Spirit.”

A. The “old way” we used to serve.

1. Adam & Eve were given one “Law.”

a. The devil “seizing the opportunity” took advantage of that law.

b. Through their disobedience, although caused by deception, the command of God condemned them.

B. Illustration: Last year I became seriously ill. My body ached and I was running a high fever. Upon going to the doctor to be examined he ordered and X–Ray of my chest. The X–Ray revealed what the doctor had suspected was already there, which was pneumonia. Immediately upon receiving the news I jumped up and said, “That filthy, no good X–Ray machine gave me pneumonia!” No, that X–Ray machine only revealed what was already there, thus enabling the doctor to write out a prescription which would cure the illness.

C. The law only reveals what was already there.

1. Until we realize we are sick, we will never be healed.

2. Until man realizes he is in sin he will never be saved from eternal condemnation.

CONCLUSION

When one becomes a Christian he dies to all law and submits himself to Christ. Christians no longer serve the old way of things but rather, bear fruit for God as we serve in the new way of the Spirit.

Romans 8:1–2 1"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,