Romans 7:4-6 - Dying to the Law Through Christ

Romans 7:4-6 - 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

Message: Dying to the Law and Walking in Newness of Life

Time:Another source cites this book as being written around 56-58 BC. Because Paul himself was a Roman citizen, he had a unique passion for those in the assembly of believers in Rome. Since he had not, to this point, visited the church in Rome, this letter also served as his introduction to them.

What the Lord is Saying:

Justification and Sanctification
Sanctification follows justification. After being declared righteous by faith and being credited righteousness and eternal life, how is a person to live. Chapter 6 asked the question about whether or not a person continues to sin. And now chapter 7 wonders if we continue to keep the law. Sanctification, thus, is the process in which the Holy Spirit conforms us to Christ in holiness. At faith we were declared righteous, following faith, we are to live as righteous people, growing in likeness of Christ.

I think a big confusion with people and religions is the idea that sanctification sounds like justification at times in scripture. In some ways, one must go back to how clear justification is talked about, starting in Romans 3:21 and even how the defense for it began starting in Chapter 1. People have a tendency to think that over time, in sanctification, a person lives there life in such a way to yield salvation or yield eternal life.

All who are justified will walk in sanctification till glorification. Its our sanctifying life, like James mentions in James 2 that shows others that we are in Christ. Obviously, the reason the sanctified life is in question regarding leading to salvation is how people live. Appearances can deceive people.

I think this is where Romans becomes difficult to comprehend. These are tough passages. Only because we are constantly reading the verse and then watching how it is lived out amongst us and the two often create a conflict. By being justified, I am free from sin. Sin is no longer master. Sin has been crucified. And I am not accountable to the Law. Adherence to the law does not define my future life with God. I am not under the Law, but under grace. Not following the law or lawlessness is sin and I am free from this in Christ. However, my life in Christ will fulfill the Law. Not perfectly because I can never be perfect. But, my life will be lived to make the Law be fulfilled, but not through me, but grace through faith.

I can clearly see through scripture that if my salvation is dependent on my adherence to a law or even that my life must always be lived in such a way to mirror my freedom from sin and that I can never go back and live sin in my life, then my salvation is not a condition of grace and Christ's work, but is conditioned on my living in adherence to the God's commands, the Law.

As I learned in Romans 7:1-3, they law exhibits no hold on me. Yes, it is there to be fulfilled in life while I live on earth, but it has not lasting hold on me. I may feel that my union to it is the ultimate desire or fruition to my life, such as I also think of marriage, but my union is with Christ and he will completely fulfill me. In Adam, it has a hold. In Christ, there is no hold.

Bearing fruit now because of death to the Law
Today, I am walking through verse 4-6, on the heals of stating it has no jurisdiction over us, Paul states in verse 4 therefore, the Law is dead to us/me. I especially like the word made. I was made to die to the Law. The Body of Christ removing sin in my life, thus removed the Law. Sin was brought into the world through Adam. The Law came later. Sin was the first thing removed, then the Law.

Formerly, we bore fruit for death
Verse 5 further explains what life was like in Adam. The death and resurrection of Christ yields a joining together of God and man (verse 4). And now I can bear fruit for God. But, does a person bear fruit in Adam? Yes, it happens, but that fruit bearing is for Adam, for self. Thus, for death as it states in verse 5.

In the flesh, sin was active. And sin was aroused by the Law. The Law said "don't", we "did." It aroused sin. Sin living produces death.

Law releasing
But now, in verse 6, a change has taken place. "But now" - meaning something changed. What changed? I have been released from the Law. The Law no longer has a hold on me. I no longer am accountable to it. That is the the problem with the person in Adam, there are accountable to the Law and we know clearly this is a losing battle because we are sinners and we break the Law. Thus, we have "died to that by which we were bound." The Law had a hold on us, but Jesus broke that hold. Jesus and His resurrection and the death of sin means that lives can be lived once again to bear fruit for God. This is the core of my existence. My life is to glorify God.

I can now walk in newness of life. And, in fact, I am walking in newness of the Spirit. The Spirit is conforming me to the holiness of God.  I am not walking in oldness of the letter (of the Law), but in newness and the Spirit is at work in my life. The Spirit is at work in my life. That is not wishful thinking or a hope that it will happen. The Spirit is at work in my life. And the Spirit's role is to work in my life. The Spirit is moving me towards holiness. I am a living testimony of God working out holiness in a person. Don't ever take credit for it for it isn't my work. it is the work of the Spirit.

A prayer
Lord, may I continue to uncover your truths and may I better understand and comprehend you. But, don't make me think that comprehension must precede application. The Spirit is at work in my life but I continue to live and testify of you. I don't always get it right but You are the one who is at work. 

Promise: I am a new creature in Christ. The old life of living according to the Law is gone, the newness of living in the work of the Spirit has come. God be glorified because he has made me new and is making me true.