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Understanding Romans 7 and 8

 

DALE RATZLAFF

 

I believe that Romans 7:1-6, when fully understood within the context of Romans 7 and 8, will be a powerful incentive for many of us to enjoy a more dynamic, guilt-free life in Christ Jesus. This is one of Paul's most insightful illustrations, and it deserves our most careful attention. Romans 7 has been interpreted different ways by sincere, believing Christians. Some contend that Paul is speaking about his current Christian experience; others say he refers to his former life before he met Christ. I believe we can see Romans 7 from three perspectives.

Doctrinal study should always be done from a literal translation—especially when studying a controversial passage such as Romans 7. I mention this because in my study for this article I read several paraphrases which I felt completely missed Paul's point. For this study I will use the updated New American Standard Bible.

Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? (Rom. 7:1)

As we have pointed out in previous studies, the church in Rome was composed of both Jewish and gentile Christians. Throughout this book, Paul addresses one group, then the other, with application for both. I believe the truths of this section are most relevant to the Jewish Christians.

For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man (Rom. 7:2-3).

I envision all the members nodding their heads in complete agreement as this portion of the letter was read to the Roman church. In these first three verses Paul has laid the foundation in clear logic. In the next three verses, however, he will present in capsule form a truth that has profound implications.

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God (Rom. 7:4).

In context here, Paul used the word "law" in a way that referred to general law. In verse 4, Paul used the definite article with "law", thus pointing us to the Torah. What does it mean to "die to the law"?

"To die" is aorist passive in Greek, meaning they—and we—had nothing to do with this "death", but it was done by another, in this case by Jesus Christ. Here we get a glimpse of Christ's dual work. He died for us as our Substitute, and WE died IN HIM as our Representative. We also note that the law did not die. We did.

Our dying "in Christ" does two things. First, it allows us to be released from our marriage to the law. While we were married to the law, we were under condemnation and could not achieve the "righteousness of God." Our death in Christ also means we are were raised from the dead in Him as well, giving us new life and a new Husband, Jesus Christ.

Second, dying to the law and being married to the Risen Christ allows us to live without condemnation.1 Free from the law we can truly "bear fruit to God." "Bearing fruit" means evangelism,2 doing good deeds to others3 character development,4 and even worship.5 Free from all condemnation, in the power of the Spirit we can now take the good news to those still under the condemnation of the law. We can proclaim that they, too, have died to the law in Christ, are married to Christ and are now partakers in the very "righteousness of God"6—if they respond to the gracious call of God and place their faith in Christ alone.

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. 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 (Rom. 7:5, 6).

It is my settled conviction that these two verses are the hermeneutical key to understating Romans 7 and 8. Often Paul will make a brief, succinct statement so heavy with theological insight that it takes a chapter or two to unpack its meaning.7 Verse 5 is the seed thought that Paul will work out in Romans 7:7-25. The meaning of verse 6 will be unfolded in Chapter 8. In these verses Paul lays out in the most lucid terms the contrast between being married to the law and being married to Christ. Being married to the law means: (1) the law tells you what is right and what is wrong, and (2) it condemns you if you do what is wrong. Because we all have sinned in the past and we all continue to fall short in the present, our relationship with the law is one of continual condemnation.8 It is clear from the whole teaching of Scripture that the law is powerless to save and only condemns the sinner.9 And while the law points out right and wrong, it actually arouses the innate sinful passions present in all children of Adam. Have you ever walked by a sign that said, "Wet paint, do not touch," and had an almost irresistible urge to just put the tip of you pinky on the "wet paint" just to see if it really is still wet? Yes, Scripture teaches us that the law is against us. It was hard for me to accept this. But this is one of its main functions.

Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you (Deut. 31:26). (My emphasis)

In context "the book of the law" includes the book of Deuteronomy which includes the Ten Commandments. That the law is against us is the clear teaching of Scripture.10 The result of being married to the law is that it arouses our sinful passions and we "bear fruit for death".

 

Married to the Law

It is my conviction that in Romans 7:7-26 Paul is showing what life is like when we have a relationship with the law. Paul uses "law" 21 times in Romans 7 and only 5 times in Romans 8. Interestingly, Paul uses "Spirit" only once in Romans 7 but 21 times in Romans 8. It is beyond the scope of this short study to do an in-depth study of either chapter, but here is a summary of my conclusions.

Being "made to die" to the law, as pointed out above, is aorist passive plural in Greek. Dying to the law leads one inescapably to the cross as the center of finished activity. It was Christ's death, then, that broke up our marriage to the law and its resulting condemnation. Thus, we are free from our previous relationship to the law.11

People have looked at Romans 7:7-25 in several ways. Historically, the law came in with Moses and lasted until Christ.12 From this perspective, therefore, Romans 7:7-25 speaks of the old covenant era leading to the cross. Romans 8 would be the new covenant era after the cross.

A second perspective is that Romans 7:7-25 refers to our lives before we were born again by the Spirit and Romans 8 describes our lives after we were born again. In Galatians 3:23 Paul puts it like this: "But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed."

I believe, however, that there is yet a third perspective from which to view Romans 7:7-25 which is illustrated by the error that the Galatian church had fallen into. Christians can commit spiritual adultery, which is legalism. While married to Christ they can also have an illicit love affair with the old law. This may happen when we take the focus of our attention off our standing in Christ13 and flirt with the law. Then our old condemning husband will sneak in to have an immoral, dishonest relationship with us by (1) critically pointing out our sin;14 (2) arousing our sinful passions;15 (3) expanding the scope of our sin;16 and (4) deceiving us by saying that if we can just keep the law well enough, then we will be worthy of heaven. This adulterous relationship always promises life, but in actuality it produces sin and death.17 When we turn back to the law, we face danger.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; (Gal.1:6)…How is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain (Gal. 1:6; 4:9-11).

At this point we might be ready to say that the problem was with the law. But that is not what Paul says. He affirms that "the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good" (Rom. 7:12). The problem is with our sin. The function of the law was to make sin exceedingly sinful.18

The underlying issue to which Paul speaks in these two chapters is this: How do we deal with our sinful nature? He offers and illustrates two ways. (1) Married to the Law—a sin arousing, deceiving, frustrating experience with deadly consequences which leads only to compromise with sin while bearing "fruit for death".19 I do not believe that Romans 7:7-25 is a description of Paul's experience as a Christian living by the Spirit. Rather, it is an illustration of what his Christian experience was or would be like if or when he used the law as a means of dealing with the sinful nature rather than the Spirit.20 Many have pointed out that the verbs in this section are present tense and thus could signify his present experience. However, when we compare his statements in this section to other statements in Romans it leads me to believe Romans 7:7-25 is designed to show the uselessness of trying to subdue the sinful nature using the law. Consider the following statements paired to show that they are almost contradictions:

1. For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin (Rom 7:14).
2. …for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die (Rom 8:13).
    

1. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me (Rom 7:17).
2. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:11).
    

1. But I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members (Rom 7:23-24).
2. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life (Rom 6:22).
    

1. And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin,
2. yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness (Rom 8:10).

Therefore, I believe the heading of Romans 7:7-25 should be "Dealing with our sinful nature, or flesh, using the law". Likewise, the heading for Romans 8 should be, "Dealing with our sinful flesh by the Spirit. Paul is not as concerned with the historical time of our battle with the flesh as he is with the method used to subdue it.

To build on Paul's illustration of marriage: if we are walking hand in hand with the law, the law will do nothing but condemn us to death. But when Christ enters the picture major things happen. Before we examine the second way for us to deal with sin, it would be good for us to review the key verses again.

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God. 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. 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 (Rom.7:4-6). (My emphasis)

This is the good news to which Paul has been building. "But now" as used by Paul and often by Jesus as well, indicates a radical contrast of phenomenal proportions, often introducing the realities of the multitude of blessings associated with the new covenant and our new standing in Christ21 "But now" usually contrasts how things were before the cross of Christ with the way things are after the cross. Here I believe it contrasts the way we did battle with the flesh when we were married to the law, with the way we now deal with the flesh married to Christ. I encourage you to look up each "but now" reference in the above footnote. As I read all these references in my study, my heart rejoiced in the new position I have being released from the law and "married to Christ". I believe you will be blessed also. The "but now" moves us from Romans 7 to Romans 8. Now, rather than bearing "fruit for death" as we did when married to the law,22 we now can "bear fruit to God."23

 

Married to Christ

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:1-5).

The function of the law changed when Christ entered the picture. The condemning function of the law found its true target in Christ. He took the condemnation for us. He was put to death for us. We were condemned in Him, our representative, and we died in Him. But now Christ is raised from the dead! Now, married to our new husband, we walk hand in hand with Christ; the law can't touch us! Like a roaring lion on the other side of the fence, it has no way to get to us. Still in our human, sinful flesh, we will fall short in many ways.24 But now there is NO condemnation.

Earlier we listed the results of being married to the law; now let us focus on the results of being married to our new Husband, Jesus Christ.

• But now there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. It is hard for us who have come from a law-centered religion to fully understand this weighty truth in this simple statement. What if I fall? What if I … (you fill in the blanks). Yes, if we are "in Christ," there is now no condemnation!
• But now the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. We are free from the law which only condemns and has no power to make anyone holy. All its demands have been met in Christ.
• But now God provided what the law could not do: Forgiveness—the offering for sin has been given in Christ for all who believe. Righteousness—to all who walk according to the Spirit.
• But now the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead dwells in us.25
• But now the Spirit gives life to our mortal bodies.26
• But now we can put to death the deeds of the body.27
• But now we are the children of God.28
• But now we are joint heirs with Christ.29
• But now God works all things together for good.30

In summary I believe that Romans 7 and 8 are dedicated to showing us how to deal with our sinful nature. Paul suggests two ways: (1) being married to the law which is a condemning husband leading only to discouragement, frustration and defeat. The only way to get rid of this condemning husband is to die "in Christ". The law's jurisdiction ends with this death. (2) Then we can be married to Christ. Our relationship with our new Husband gives us a multitude of blessings including: (a) it removes all condemnation because the law no longer has any claim against us; (b) it allows us to live in complete acceptance knowing that we are accounted as having the very "righteousness of God"; (c) it provides a better way of dealing with our sinful nature "so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us" [obedience to the moral principles of Scripture]31 who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." 32

So let us ask ourselves, "Who is my spiritual husband?" Is my husband the law? Have I died to the law in Christ? Am I now married to Christ? Or, am I like the Galatians, having an immoral relationship flirting with the law while claiming Christ as my only Husband?

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. 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 (Rom. 7:4, 6). †

 

Endnotes

1. Rom. 8:1.
2. Mk. 4:20; Jn. 4:36; 12:24; 15:2,5,8; Rom. 1:13.
3. Mt. 3:8, 10; Rom. 15:28.
4. Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:6; 1:10; Heb. 12:11; Jam. 3:8.
5. Heb. 13:15.
6. See Ratzlaff, Sabbath in Christ, chapter, "Righteousness Beyond the Law".
7. For example, Romans 1:16, 17 capsulizes the theme of the whole book or Romans. The statement in Rom. 1:31 is explained in Romans 4.
8. Rom. 3:23.
9. Rom. 3:20; 5:20; 7:9, 23; 8:2; 1 Cor. 15:6; Jam. 2:9.
10. Rom. 7:23; See also, Neh. 9:6, 29; Isa. 42:24; Jer. 2:8; Jer. 44:23; Dan 9:11-16; Hos. 8:1.
11. Rom. 8:2.
12. Gal. 3:17-19.
13. See Proclamation!, Vol. 12, Issue 2, Ratzlaff, "Progressive Sanctification," Part 2.
14. Rom. 3:23; 7:5.
15. Rom. 7:2.
16. Rom. 7:8.
17. Rom. 7:10,11.
18. Rom. 7:13.
19. Rom. 7:5; 7-25.
20. Ibid.
21. Jesus: Lk. 16:25; 19:42; Jn. 15:22; 15:24; 16:25; 17:13; Paul: Rom. 3:21; 6:22; 11:30; 16:26; 1 Cor. 7:14; 12:18-20; 13; 15:20; Gal. 3:25; 4:9; Eph. 2:13; 5:8; Col. 3:7; 2 Tim. 1:10; Others: Heb. 8:6; 9:26; 12:26; 1 Pet. 2:10, 25.
22. Rom. 7:5.
23. Rom. 7:4.
24. Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 1:10; Jam. 3:2.
25. Rom. 8:11.
26. Ibid.
27. Rom. 8:13.
28. Rom. 8:16.
29. Rom. 8:17.
30. Rom. 8:28.
31. We must always remember that our acceptance with God is always based upon Christ's death and resurrection and not in our obedience. However, as pointed out in the last Proclamation! when we live "in Christ" we can grow in active sanctification.
32. Rom. 8:4.

 

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July August September 2011
VOLUME 12, ISSUE 3

Dale Ratzlaff is the founder of Life Assurance Ministries, Inc., and owns LAM Publications, LLC. He served as an Adventist pastor for 13 years, seven at Monterey Bay Academy where he taught Bible. He and his wife Carolyn left the Adventist church in 1981 when he realized he could no longer teach the investigative judgment in clear conscience. He has authored Sabbath in Christ, The Cultic Doctrine of Seventh-day Adventists, The Truth About Adventist "Truth", and Truth Led Me Out. These are available through his website, LifeAssuranceMinistries.com. The Ratzlaffs reside in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Christians can commit spiritual adultery, which is legalism. While married to Christ they can also have an illicit love affair with the old law. This may happen when we take the focus of our attention off our standing in Christ and flirt with the law.