1. FREEDOM! That’s the banner waving over Romans!
• We are FREE from the PROBLEM OF SIN…
• We are FREE from the PENALTY OF SIN…
• We are FREE from the POWER OF SIN!
• Why? Because Jesus Christ has paid the price in full!
Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV) 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
• That’s what we’ve learned and are learning so far through our wonderful, dynamic study of this wonderful letter!
• These POWERFUL TRUTHS will change your life!
It’s in CH6 that we see the rubber meet the road for us…
• The POWER of SIN in your life has been dealt with!
• The OLD MAN Died with Jesus on the cross.
• So RECKON it to be true, and ACT on it daily!
• Some 2000 years ago your old man, my old man was paralyzed, rendered inoperative…
• We are now free in Christ to live our lives Freely & Fruitfully!
• Since the Problem is sin, the solution is the cross!
YET… there is this unrelenting pressure from the LAW…
• IT stands there to condemn & judge us…
• If it’s not a full blown relationship with the LAW, then it’s the twisted cousin of legalism that bounds up too many today!
• Even though the Law is holy, just, and good, it doesn’t like sin and since we commit sin, the law stands there to condemn!
• THE SOLUTION? Faith in Jesus Christ.
• Look back at 6:14-15
HOW DID I GET OUT FROM UNDER THE LAW?
• You can’t just decide one day to remove yourself from the Law.
• We can’t just say, “Well it’s done away with.”
• Because the Law still exists and it continues to do its job.
• Flip over to Galatians 3:24-25
EVEN THOUGH WE CAN’T EVER, NEVER, EVER be justified by the LAW, our FAITH JUSTIFIES that the LAW IS FROM GOD!
Romans 3:31 (NKJV) 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
NOTE: By Faith we are ESTABLISHING THE LAW… for the purpose for which it was created & given:
• It’s a standard of God to point out sin in our lives!
• That’s all the law could ever do. It’s never saved a soul, ever.
• All it could say is “do this and live”. We answer, but we can’t.
• And so the Law stands there to CONDEMN!
THE REAL CHRISTIAN living a REAL LIFE still has struggles.
• And CONDEMNATION only makes them more difficult.
• Because we struggle we sometimes lose our perspective.
• We come to Christ, we receive forgiveness, and we’re excited!
• Our guilt is removed. Our life is new…
• And sometimes we falsely conclude that we won’t struggle anymore. NOT TRUE.
• The struggle only seems to get MORE INTENSE!
• Some have termed this: SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV) 9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
IN FACT, CHRISTIANS have become a target for the devil because by submitting to Jesus Christ, you have declared war on darkness!
• As soon as you say Jesus Christ is my Savior, watch out!
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
OK… we understand the battle that we’re in… now what?
• I’ve seen many turn back to the LAW when they struggle.
• They turn to LEGALISM for that sense of comfort.
• I’ll keep all the laws & commandments and be a good Christian.
• Then I’ll become very critical of people who don’t do everything right and to the standards that I AM living my life.
• That’s what happened with the Pharisees.
• Started out so good, but ended up very critical & Condemning.
• That’s what the LAW WILL DO…
• AND ANY OF YOU that came out of a legalistic background know what this is like.
• It’s a burden too heavy to carry! You’re condemned and frustrated and miserable all the time!
• Good news of CH7 is that we’ve been delivered from the Law!
1. (7:1) The Law’s Jurisdiction.
a. Paul turns his attention to the Jewish Christians…
b. The Law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives.
c. Even if you decide to ignore it, it will be in effect.
d. The only way to get out from under the law is to die.
2. (7:2-3) Practical Example.
a. Paul uses marriage as a practical example.
b. If a wife’s husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.
c. Paul uses the analogy to say, “You were married to the law and there’s no way you could get away from it.”
MARRIAGE is meant by God to be a binding relationship for life.
• You can’t just leave you marriage partner and be joined to someone else. That is sin.
SO MAN’S PROBLEM with the LAW is this:
• We have been bound permanently to the Law. Married to it.
• As long as we are alive, the law is condemning our sin.
• The only way out is death… because the Law is alive and well!
Matthew 5:18 (NKJV) 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
3. (7:4) You may be married to another!
a. Death brings freedom!
b. In marriage it brings freedom to marry another.
c. And spiritually, death to the law brings life in Jesus Christ!
d. And we died to the Law to be married to another!
When Jesus was on the cross, He didn’t die for Himself.
• He didn’t do one single thing wrong!
• He wasn’t buried for Himself. Not raised from the dead for Himself.
• So when Jesus did those holy acts, he did them for US!
• If we believe in Him, those things are credited to us & as Jesus died we died!
• The old you, the old me, died… and a new person was created.
• That’s what BEING BORN AGAIN really means.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
AND IN THAT NEW LIFE FOR US… v4 WE ALSO DIED TO THE LAW!
• So that we might be permanently joined to another.
• The marriage to the law was bad, but because the law was a bad spouse but because we were. -- Jump down to 7:12
NOTE: We could not live up to the standard of the Law.
• It’s holy, righteous, and good. I AM NOT!
• And so since the law would not die, I had to in Christ!
• And in our new life, we BEAR FRUIT TO GOD!
APP: This is so wonderful! Once we throw off the burdens of legalism, fruitfulness naturally flows!
• Believers grow under grace. Believers flourish!
• Grace ignites an excitement in our hearts & fruit from our lives!
• We are alive in Jesus Christ! It’s wonderful!
4. (7:5-6) Released & Delivered.
a. The contrast here is overwhelming!
b. Before faith in Jesus, our lives bore fruit to death.
c. Everything we touched was contrary to the Kingdom of God.
NOTE: Even so today, those that live under legalism and try to draw you back into the LAW… bear fruit unto death.
• We’ve been told twice now that we’ve been released and delivered from the Law.
• I just don’t understand it when people want to put me, to put you under the LAW.
• They just don’t understand the newness of life in Jesus Christ.
A RELATIONSHIP with LAW arouses sin, and more sin!
• While we were in the flesh, our sinful passions were stirred up!
• All the law does is stir up more and more sin!
• Go back to 6:14… sin shall not have dominion over you!
• You’re not under law but under grace!
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE UNDER LAW & LEGALISM, then understand that you’re going to be fruitless & produce poisoned fruit!
• You’re going to be a BURDEN GIVER, not be a BURDEN BEARER.
• You’ll going to be more CRITICAL & CONDEMNING than GRACEFUL AND HELPFUL – Even upon yourself.
I’VE LEARNED that people serving under the law tend to do the very least they need to do. They always serve in measurements.
• So you’ll hear them say… I gave this much.
• I volunteered this much time. I did this much. They keep track.
• It’s always about HOW MUCH… I DID.
• Serving according to the LETTER of the LAW!
WHEN IT FINALLY SINKS IN… Finally becomes your own…
• How happy is that man, that woman who is freed from legalism!
• No longer down on yourself. No longer preoccupied with your own lacks, you own failures…
• You realize, that the lists of rules & regulations wasn’t from the Lord. He didn’t author them. Someone else did.
• Finally when you realize there are no more expectations, no more obligations as it relates to an outward legal system, you will more, much more, than the Law demands!
• But now… it’s different. It’s OUT OF LOVE, not LAW!
NOTE: It’s not “I GOT TO DO MY DEVOTIONS!!!!”
• Instead, the newness of the Spirit says, I GET TO! Hallelujah, I’m saved today. My life was a train wreck but you rescued me Jesus!
• Paul says you’re dead to the Law by the Body of Christ.
• Now you bring forth more fruit… love, joy, peace.
• Once you throw off the yoke of legalism, life of grace explodes!
• And a church flowing in God’s grace will grow, deeper, stronger, and especially more fruitful for His kingdom!
• You’ll become excited about Jesus and your relationship with Him instead of being judgmental & cynical of everyone!
• Something NEW IS HAPPENING in my heart in Jesus!
JOT THEM DOWN: Jeremiah 31:31ff, Ezekiel 37:26ff:
A new covenant written NOT on tables of stone, but on the tablets of our heart
• So that now, our lives become a spiritual adventure directed by the Lord daily…
• Sometimes He might directl me to stop, or go.
• Get up early, stay up late. Talk to him, reach out to her.
Isaiah 30:21 (NKJV) 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.
Let’s be careful not to reconstruct this dynamic, life giving relationship with Jesus… with lists & demands & rules & regulations.
• Let’s live in the newness of the Spirit!
• God is real and He lives inside of you!
• No more lethargy or apathy or sinful rebellion, just a softness of knowing I love God and He loves me… and has freed me to serve Him with joy & gladness!
