Dead to the Law

Passage: Romans 7:1-6

So far in Romans we have considered the universal problem of sin and how hopeless our situation is.  Then starting in 3:21 we heard the universal solution to sin in the Gospel and how we can be made right and reconciled with God, by being justified by grace through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus.

Our sin must be perfectly, justly punished, and God’s law must be perfectly kept.  Jesus did that.  He came to die for our sins and live for our righteousness.

In chapter six Paul turned from justification to sanctification and to addressing objections.  The first being if we are saved by grace, and where sin abounds grace abounds more, then why worry about sin.  Let’s just go on sinning, and show how great the grace of free justification really is and go ahead and sin some more.  No, we have died to sin in Christ, who died for our sin.

As Paul says elsewhere, “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

Then Paul addresses another objection.  What about the law?  If we aren’t under the law but under grace, why not sin?  No, we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to Christ.  But Paul didn’t address the law part in last weeks text, so he picks up on that here in chapter 7.