"What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet" (Romans 7:7)

After hearing Paul's argument that we are freed from both the sin nature and the Law through Christ, the next logical question was 'Is the law sin?' We see the correlation between the two, the law strengthens the desire within us to sin and sin gives the law power over us. When you see that the law is what condemns us then it is natural to start questioning it's intent.... Since the law strengthens sin against us and is used to condemn us, is the law identical with sin?

Paul's response, certainly not, God forbid! He used the strongest nuance of the Greek text to stress that this isn't so. Instead he illustrates one of the benefits of the Law, the law makes us aware of what sin is. The law is what brought about the consciousness of sin and the sense of guilt associated with it so that we would know what sin was. When the commandments came, along with it came the awareness of our inability to keep the Law. Later on in this very same passage, Paul tells us that the sin used the law as a weapon against us so that we could plainly see our sin and our shortcomings before God ( Romans 7:13 ). The Law is not sin, the Law merely gave us a perfect representation of the righteousness that God ascribes to. Sin is what made us fall short of obtaining this. ( Romans 3:23 ) When you look at vastness between the our sin and God's holiness, then the realization comes that you will never be righteous before God by observing the law, because the law is what convict you of your sins. ( James 2:10 )

Therefore the Law is not sin, the law is good because it arouses the need within us for a Savior. The law is the vehicle for us to come to Christ Jesus and fall upon his mercy and loving kindness. Paul says in Romans 3, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." ( Romans 3:20 ). The law, when taught correctly points us to Christ, which is a good thing. He then goes on to say, "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. ( Romans 3:21-22 ) It takes faith to believe in Jesus as your Savior, and this faith in what Jesus accomplished in his death and resurrection is what saves you. Therefore the law, which solely points to Christ, is a good thing when that faith in Christ is realized.

Today I pray that you get a revelation of grace. May you fully understand the purpose of the Law and how Christ fulfilled it in order to rescue you from sins dominion. May you understand that you are not bound by the written code but you are called to live by the Spirit of God in true righteousness and holiness. May you live according to who you really are in your spirit through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Previous: Romans 7:6  Next: Romans 7:8

Original article published November 3, 2009.

"But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6)

The difference between the living under the Law and living according to the Spirit is huge. There is hardly a comparison. That is why Paul says in today's passage that we serve in a new way. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]." ( Romans 7:6 Amp ). It is not out of obedience or obligation but out of a inspiration by the Spirit of God.

We can look at a child to further understand this concept. When you tell a child not to touch the stove because it is hot, they have to obey based on your knowledge. The only knowledge of what is hot comes by your experience. They are choosing to obey according to your understanding of what is hot, not their own. Most of the time, they cannot fathom what hot is, so they will touch it and experience it for themselves. It turns out unpleasant but their understanding then comes from experience and not theory.

The same comparison is true for living under the old nature bound to the Law and living according to the Spirit. When we are bound to the Law, we are bound to the written code. Which is the rules and guidelines and how we should live. However by living this way we are not living out of knowledge and experience but living out of the understanding of another. We are like children without understanding. That is why Paul told us in Galatians 3, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. " ( Galatians 3:24-25 KJV ). We only need a schoolmaster as a child. When we are older we have an understanding of our own based on our knowledge not guidelines.

"When faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." ( Galatians 3:25 ) When we were freed from the Law through faith in Christ we started living by the Spirit. With the Spirit comes an intuitive knowledge base on experience that we did not have under the Law. It is a completely new way of life for us. This knowledge is based on what Christ knows, not based on rules. I Corinthians talks about this. "... God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ." ( I Corinthians 2:10-16 ).

Now, by living by the Spirit, we are living out of the newness of life with the Spirit and the mind of Christ as our guide. Our obedience comes from and in-depth understanding of God and not from the mindset like a child trying to live by rules. It is a completely new way of life and in no way compares to the old way. Today I praise God through our Lord Jesus Christ that we are free to live according to the Spirit being guided by Him and living in newness of life.

Previous: Romans 7:5  Next: Romans 7:7

Original article published November 2, 2009.