We are released from the law, and given to the Spirit.
Paul uses marriage to communicate where we stand in relation to the Old law. Just as a woman is no longer bound to her husband after his death, we too have died to the law through Christ—so we can now belong to Him.
Romans 7:1-4
"Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man."4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Through the body of Christ, we are released from the law - so that we might bear fruit for God.
Romans 7:6
"6 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."
Now, we serve in the way of the Spirit, rather than the law and commandments. But that doesn't mean that the law is bad, and it doesn't change what's holy or unholy - those are spiritual things set by God.
The Law is still holy and serves a purpose.
Romans 7:9-13
" 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful."
The law is holy and good, but it exposes the sin in our lives. Paul is in no way saying that the Old Testament law is what brought about sin, because we know that sin existed and thrived long before the law was ever given to Moses and the Israelites.
The law is to sin as an x-ray is to broken bones. It doesn't cause the fracture, but it reveals the break.
We are saved, set free from sin and from the law by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. But there's still a tension within us between our flesh and our spirit.
Romans 7:15-20
"15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
At any given moment there is an intense struggle within between God's law, and what Paul calls our sinful nature.
It's in this tongue-twister that Paul describes to us the inner turmoil going on in his heart. He can't stop doing the things that he hates - and he struggles to carry out the good that he desires to do.
We can all relate to this! The good things we try to do we often fail at, and the bad things we try to avoid seem to keep happening
Romans 7:21-24
"21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?"
Paul, an apostle of Jesus, who God used to grow the early church and write the majority of the New Testament, struggled with sin. We all struggle with sin. The only time that we won't need to worry about sin, is when we're with God in heaven.
God's intention for us when we see our sin for what it is, is to bring us to a place of genuine repentance, not unnecessary self-loathing.
We were never meant to struggle with sin alone. We need community, discipleship, accountability - and, above all else - the love and forgiveness of Christ to experience freedom from the sin that runs amuck in our lives.
Ultimately, we are rescued by Christ.
Romans 7:24-25
"24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
