Romans 7:1-6
1. Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over a person only as long as he lives? 2. For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3. Therefore, if while her husband is alive she marries another man, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no longer an adulteress even if she marries another man. 4. Therefore, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, that you may belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the written code.
Romans 7, which we will cover today, explores the role of the law in our Christian lives. In other words, we are not saved by keeping the law, but by grace. So, what role does the law play? To answer this question, Paul uses the example of a married woman: Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over a person only as long as he lives?
For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. Therefore, if while her husband lives she marries another man, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she marries another man. A wife is not an independent being but legally belongs to her husband. However, when her husband dies, the law binding them becomes void, and the wife is free to marry another man. Paul uses this story to describe Christians who had the law as their husband. But what kind of person was Mr. Law, the Christian’s former husband? Was he wicked?
How should we characterize the law? (Romans 7:12,14,16) The law is holy. The commandments are holy, righteous, and good. The law is spiritual, and we acknowledge that it is good. Naturally, since it is God’s command, it must be holy, righteous, good, and spiritual.
How wonderful it would seem to be married to Mr. Law, who is upright, good, righteous, blameless, and perfect!
But after the honeymoon, the reality of married life sets in. Before leaving for work, Mr. Law gives his wife a detailed to-do list: reading ten chapters of the Bible, praying, repenting, praising, completing Sunday School homework, cleaning, doing laundry, visiting church members, helping those in need, sending overdue payments, organizing ledgers, preparing meals, and avoiding things she should not do, such as watching soap operas or gossiping.
All these tasks are good, righteous, and just. But when Mr. Law returns home, instead of greeting her warmly, he demands a report: Has everything been done? Then he checks carefully for anything left undone. Day after day, this continues. Even when she tries her best, the wife cannot satisfy Mr. Law. Life becomes increasingly difficult, exhausting, and guilt-ridden, leaving her in constant defeat.
Unfortunately, many Christians misunderstand Jesus as Mr. Law. They believe in and serve Him, yet remain burdened by guilt and unable to serve with joy. The works of the law are good, holy, and righteous. But those under the law are cursed because they must do everything perfectly. Galatians 3:10: "Those who rely on the works of the law are under a curse…"
Romans 7:9-16 summarizes this struggle:
9. I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
10. The commandment, which was intended to bring life, brought death.
11. Sin, using the commandment, deceived me and killed me.
12. The law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.
13. Did what is good bring death? By no means! But sin, to show its true nature, brought death through what is good.
14. The law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
15. I do not understand what I do. I do not do what I want, but do the very thing I hate.
16. If I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good.
Even if a person follows every requirement of Mr. Law’s list, they will never attain God’s righteousness and remain under the curse (Galatians 2:16).
Then, let us suppose that one day Mr. Law “died.” Is this good news or bad? In reality, Mr. Law could not die—the law itself is eternal. The law is necessary because it reveals our sin and shows us our need for salvation, grace, and Jesus. Since Mr. Law cannot die, the only way for a believer to “marry another man” is to die to the Law and be resurrected with Christ.
Romans 7:4: “Therefore, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we have died with Him. Galatians 3:13 reminds us: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Jesus’ love frees us from condemnation and becomes our true “husband,” replacing the law.
The Christian life is not about trying to please Mr. Law, who condemns us. It is about living in relationship with Jesus, who loves us, forgives us, and accepts us by grace. Christianity is not a religion of works, but a relationship with a living Savior.
1 Corinthians 1:9: God calls us into fellowship, not merely to follow rules.
1 Thessalonians 5:10: Jesus died for us to become true friends with Him.
Often, what hinders this relationship is not only our sin but the lingering influence of our “ex-husband,” Mr. Law. We may still think we are loved or hated based on our performance, confusing the condemning law with the gracious love of Christ. But Jesus loved us while we were sinners, and Paul declares:
Galatians 2:20: "The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 5:1: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery."
Romans 6:14 confirms: “We are not under law, but under grace.” Jesus is Mr. Grace, and we are married to Him. We are dead to Mr. Law but alive in Christ.
Even lifelong Christians may struggle, thinking: “I always fail. Doesn’t God tire of me?” True repentance comes not from doubt, but from trusting Christ’s love. A life under the Holy Spirit is a life under Christ’s rule. Galatians 5:18: “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Life led by the Spirit bears fruit for God; life under the law does not.
Romans 7:4 reminds us: “We have been placed in fellowship with Jesus to bear fruit for God.” But bearing fruit requires abiding in Christ daily, as John 15:5-9 teaches. Intimacy with Jesus, not mere external obedience, produces a fruitful life.
Peter’s triple affirmation of love shows us that a loving relationship with Christ is the foundation of everything (John 21:15-17; Revelation 3:20). Receiving and abiding in God’s love is our identity, and all fruit flows from this love.
Summary:
Our old self has died to the law.
Our new self is alive with Jesus Christ, raised from the dead.
Life with Christ is a life that bears fruit for God, guided by the Holy Spirit.
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