Romans 7:1-7:25
Getting on the Same Page As God About Legalism verse Holiness
Introduction
A. Close your eyes.
B. Everyone’s eyes Closed?
C. Do not start thinking about lunch
D. Do not start thinking about that nice juicy steak you will be enjoying
E. Do not start thinking about the sweet potato with just the right amount of brown sugar and butter
F. Do not start thinking about the yummy tasting roll that will be on the side
G. Do not start thinking about the cold coke that you will be enjoying with your meal
H. Keep your eyes closed. How many of you are hungry? Ok open your eyes
I. I told you not to think about that stuff and you all did
J. Unfortunately that is what we often do in our spiritual lives
K. We start making a list of stuff that we can not do and we begin to focus on those things
L. Those things start looking attractive, we start getting interested in them…and we are trapped in them
M. Then the same thing that we were trying to avoid, we sink into
N. How do we prevent this stuff from happening?
O. We are going to look at chapter 7 and see what the law teaches us about legalism and holiness
P. Now the law is the instrument we use to measure sin
Q. We are going to look at
1. The authority of the Law
2. The purpose of the Law
3. The inability of the Law
II. The Authority of the Law (1-6)
A. Explanation
1. Paul starts off by giving us an illustration
2. In this Illustration we have two people who are married
3. The husband then dies
4. The lady is then free to remarry
5. Ok that makes perfect sense rights? Well read on further
6. Upon first reading this we naturally assume that the law is the husband and we are the wife
7. But take a close look at verse 4, we become the husband
8. Now if the husband, who died, wants to remarry what must happen? (Pause)
9. Exactly! He must come back from the dead
10. That is what Paul is trying to teach.
11. We died to the law; but in Christ, we arose from the dead and are now “married” (United) to Christ to live a new kind of life!
B. Application
1. What does this mean for our lives
2. Most people when they read this passage stop at the part that they are release from the binding of, to carry out the illustration, marriage
3. But we should not stop there
4. Take a good look at verse 6. It is true that we have been released from the law
5. But, we are now “Married” or united with Christ
6. Because of this marriage or union we need to carry out our responsibility
7. Now understand this is not about a set or rules this is not about meeting certain standards
8. When we start viewing all of this as far as meeting requirements we miss the point
9. This is an act of service done out of love and appreciation for God
10. The law is an act of rules, this new law that we are under once we accept Christ, is a marriage.
C. Illustration
1. Time to embarrass George and June. They have been married for about 51 years now. When they took their vows the made a commitment to serve each other. That means when one of this get sick, who do you think is right their to help? That means when the Doctor tells George not to be our in the cold, who do you think make’s sure he is not out in the cold despite how bad he wants to be. For them it is not about rules, it is not about meeting requirements, it is about serving each other with love
2. That is the type of “marriage” God wants from you.
3. That is the type of love and respect God is calling you too.
4. When George and June serve each other out of love and appreciation, it is no longer about a list of do and don’ts
5. It is about love and service. The same is true with your relationship with Christ
6. You move from the legalistic, what do I have to do attitude, to a obsequious attitude
7. Let me define that word obsequious means ready and willing.
8. Serve God not out of a requirements, serve God with and obsequious attitude
III. The Purpose of the Law (7-13)
A. Explanation
1. Paul then does his favorite technique of responding to the critics question before they ask it, after everything that he wrote, he knew that they would ask:
2. What is the purpose of the law then? You’re basically saying that the law is sin. So what good is it? The law is bad then right?
3. Paul explains what the purpose of the law is:
a) The first purpose is the law reveals sin (7)
(1) Without the law we would not know what sin is.
(2) Notice what Paul does here in verse 7, he uses coveting, that is the desire the want
(3) Now remember back to Mark 10:17-27. We have the story of the rich young man, he was a good person never broke any of the bad rules. But the Jesus got to the heart of the issue, he coveted he wanted more then anything his possessions, when Jesus called him out about it, he went away sad, not willing to give up his stuff
(4) This guy had not realized that he was in sin, Jesus did not use the law to save him, Jesus used the law to convict him of his sin
b) The second purpose of the law to awaken sin (8-9)
(1) Like in everything we want to know how far we can go before we sin
(2) We have this constant desire to break rules.
(3) When Phil and me were camping down in West Virginia we were on this one trail. There was a sign that said do not leave trail. Sure enough I could not resist it, and I have a picture of that sign while I am off the trail.
(4) This is where legalism comes in; we worry about not being able to do this, and far is to far stuff like that. That stuff never produces holiness it produces problems
c) The third purpose of the law is to show the sinfulness of sin (12-13)
(1) People know that there is such a thing as sin. What we often fail to realize is the sinfulness of sin.
(2) We excuse sin as “mistakes” or “weaknesses” and do not take sin seriously
(3) Paul’s argument is awesome, in verse 12 he starts of wealth saying that law is holy and good
(4) Verse 13 then tells us that the Law reveals, awakens our sin. If something as good as the law accomplishes these results, then something radically wrong
(5) Then look at the end of verse 13 (read 13b). Look how sinful we are
B. Application
1. We like to think that we are “good” people. We like to think that we don’t do anything bad
2. These verses (7-13) explains where we get legalism comes from.
3. We try and “do good” we try and live right, and we figure if we stay away from the “big stuff” then we will be fine
4. What we fail to realize in how sinful our sin really is
5. That is the purpose of the law. To show us how sinful we are
6. The law is not sinful, the law is not bad.
7. The purpose of the law is to show us how bad we are, how sinful we are
IV. The Inability of the Law (14-25)
A. Explanation
1. We know get to one of my favorite parts of scripture. I believe I have told you that before
2. Here Paul tells us three things that the law cannot do
3. #1: The law cannot change you. (14)
a) We just learn that the law is holy, just, good and spiritual. These things are all true, no denying that
b) The law however, cannot change you.
c) Yes it does point out the things that are wrong, but it does not change you
4. #2: The law cannot enable you to do good.(15-21)
a) Does this mean that you’re never able to do anything good?
b) NO! This means that despite how hard you try, you are the good things that you do end up tainted
c) You try and try, but you still have this bad stuff in your life that will just ruin everything else
5. #3: The law cannot set you free (21-24)
a) Paul is winding this section of scripture up and gets to the conclusion
b) He is a wretched man, who is trapped as hard as he tries he cannot get free
c) The law does not free you, the law convicts you
B. Application
1. What does this all mean to us?
2. Many people will try the “live a good life route”
3. They don’t smoke they don’t chew they don’t date women that do
4. They will try and try and try
5. Then start comparing themselves to other people
6. and soon they will be thinking hey I am doing good
7. But when you sit down, and examine the law
8. You realize that you did not keep the law
9. You realize that you failed, the law did not fail, you did
10. This is one of those situations where if you fail once your done there is no second chance
11. The law cannot save you!
C. Illustration
1. When I was in college I took a class “the Gospel of John” This class was taught be Professor Dick Collier, yes he was related to the collior car wash family. He was tough. It was a lot of work for me in his class. I needed at C- to count towards my graduation. I figured out my grade, I was two points away from a c-. Two points! The equivalent of one question on a test. So I went to his office and asked him for a couple of points. Do I get it? NO! He liked me, I liked him, but he was one of those people who added up the grades and what you got you got. Period.
2. The law is the same. It does not care if you have a D+, if you have a D+ you still fail!
3. None of us have ever earned a passing grade
Conclusion
A. Let take Whole look at everything
B. What does all of this boil down to?
C. The whole issue is holiness verses legalism
D. Legalism – is asking what do I have to do. Holiness – is asking what can that will honor God.
E. Legalism – is worrying about how good I am. Holiness is admitting how bad I am
F. Legalism – is comparing yourself with others. Holiness is comparing yourself to God
G. Legalism – is saying I never sinned that bad. Holiness is saying I have sinned that bad
H. Legalism – is saving yourself. Holiness is saying “Help me God”
I. Legalism – is saying how bad that person is. Holiness is saying “for all have sinned”
J. Legalism – is saying, “Why do those people deserve my help?” Holiness is saying I do not deserve the help God gave me
K. Let me explain some of my philosophy. You have notice I do not talk that much about what a Christian can and can’t do. I do not give you a list of stuff you can and cant do
L. Holiness is not about a list of can and cant’s. I do not want to fill your mind with stuff you can and cant do
M. I want to fill your mind with God’s holiness
N. I want your mind to go from how many times a year do I have to go to church; to How can I serve God.
O. That is the difference between holiness and legalism
P. What about your are you’re struggling in this area? I want you to take a long look at yourself, see if you are struggling and make the correct changes. If you want to talk to someone, I’m here for you, I look out at our congregation and I see a bunch of people who would be willing to talk to you, please we would love nothing more then to tell you about the holiness of God
Q. The question is our you on the same page as God about holiness verse legalism?
