10-09-2011 Lesson Romans7:1-23 It's all about the victory
In the first 6 verses of Romans 7 Paul gives a great illustration of how we were before Christ came into our life.
About how a woman in marriage to her husband is bonded with him and his law but, only if he dies will she have the freedom from that bondage.
If she marries someone else while he lives..she is an adulterous and under the law of the Jews she was to be stoned to death.
Her husband must die to be in marriage to another.
We all were identified with Adam and Eve...because of the sinful nature of Adam and Eve we were identified with them...we were married to their nature so to speak. But, now we have Christ and we have a new identity...our names have been changed because our first husband has died...we have a new identity in Christ Jesus...old things have passed away behold all things have become new. 2 Cor:5-17
Sin is like trying to live with a straight jacket on but, we are set free because we now have a new relationship ...but, before we can be really free from our first nature...it must be dead..we must accept our new from Christ. Lay the old to rest to be really free.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
What does Paul mean in when he says we are not “under law but under grace”?
To be “under law” means that we must do something for God; to be “under grace” means that God does something for us.
Too many Christians are burdened with religious rules and regulations and good resolutions, not realizing that it is impossible to find holiness through their own efforts.
It's sad to see Christians living “under law,” striving in their own efforts to please God, when the new position they have in Christ and the new power in the Spirit make it possible for them to enjoy victory and blessing by grace.
Paul explains this in chapter 7...giving us both sides
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin?
How would we have known sin if it were not for the law?
Paul says on the On the contrary, I would not have been conscious of sin, except through law.
Paul knew that some would think that the law was sin because of the way he was presenting it here.
Paul will now show that the Law is good; it reveals God’s will. The difficulty is not with the Law; the difficulty is with us. The flesh is at fault.
Paul becomes very personal in the remainder of this chapter. Notice that he uses.... I, me and myself; they are used forty-seven times in this section.
The experience is the struggle Paul had within himself.
He tried to live for God in the power of his new nature.
He found it was impossible....so where does that leave us?
The Law was an X-ray of his heart.
That is what the Law does for you and me.
The Word of God is called a mirror; it reveals what we are.
If you have a spot on your face, the mirror will show it to you, but it can’t remove the spot. But, God has a place to remove it
Romans 7:13-20
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Paul is speaking of his own experience in this section. (testimony)
First he was a proud Pharisee under the Mosaic system, kidding himself by bringing the sacrifices and doing other things which he thought would make him right with God.
But the Law was condemning him all the while.
Then he met Christ on the Damascus Road.
Paul was a proud young Pharisee turned to Christ as his Savior, but he still felt he could live the Christian life.
His new nature said, “I am now going to live for God!”
But he failed and it was a struggle and failure for a time.
I do not know how long it lasted—probably it was not long.
There came a day when there was victory, but Paul did not win it; Christ did.
Paul learned that it was a matter of yielding, presenting himself and letting the Spirit of God live the Christian life through him.
******17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me
In other words: It is no longer I (new nature) who am working it out, but sin (the old nature) living in me. You see, Paul still had the old nature.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Paul learned two things in this struggle, and they are something that many of us believers need to learn.
“In me (that old nature we have been talking about) dwells no good thing.” Have we learned that? Have we found there is no good in us?
How many Christians feel that in the flesh they can do something that will please God?
Some will get on committees...to help run their church ...thinking they are pleasing God
Although they are busy, they have no real connection with the person of Christ.
Their life is not being lived through them. They are attempting to do it in their own strength by the flesh.
They haven’t learned what Paul learned: “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.
They are busy as bees, but they aren’t making any honey!
I believe that's what wrong with a lot of our churches today...many are busy doing things...but what they are doing is building a fleshly monument for their own glory....its a look what I've done kind of thing.....not letting the Spirit of God work through them.
Let me put in a personal way....I can preach a sermon ...but if Gods not in it ...its only words and has no effect..
I sing a song and brag that I wrote it...but, if I dont put the one out front that inspired that song in me ...then it's only a song without meaning and no power.
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Romans 7:-21-25.. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 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.
Verse 21. .. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me..That is a great lesson to learn in the Christian...we still have evil thoughts even when we serve the Lord... Failure to recognize this will eventually lead to shipwreck in the Christian life.
We can never be perfect in the flesh...
Paul recognized that as long as he was in his mortal body he would face the conflict with the indwelling sin and would have defeat him in his own strength.
Its only through the Holy Spirit that we can have the victory through Jesus Christ....but, it will always be a battle in the flesh.
Love in Christ Jesus, Ronnie Miller www.themillersbiblestudy.com
