Post by arete on Sept 23, 2014 0:43:59 GMT
Introduction:
I remember reading about a rather cruel study. At least it seemed cruel to me. It also seemed designed to prove what common sense should have been able to handle. The test was to have kids go into a room while under surveillance. In the room was a table covered with snacks of all kinds – including a plate of a particular name brand sandwich cookie. On that one plate was a sign that forbid the eating of just that kind of snack – all the others were fair game. While we might not have the same academic credentials as the people doing the study – I bet we all know which snack was eaten first – most of the time. The idea of forbidden fruit – the name comes from Genesis. We know that there is something rebellious in people that needs to break the rules. This is the attitude behind those who want to do away entirely with the Law of God and then move directly into all sorts of sin. Yet, Paul has been clear in Romans and is clear again this morning that God’s covenant of grace is not a license to sin…
Context:
Last time we were sitting under Paul’s teaching in Romans, he was dealing with the issue of sin. Specifically, he was addressing the possibility that people might excuse their sin by claiming to be under grace and not law. He countered by pointing out that while believers at one time were slaves to sin, now they are slaves to the one who saved them. Paul also pointed out that while we were slaves to sin, our due was only death. Now that we are slaves to Christ, we receive the free gift of eternal life. Paul moves now to clarifying the role of law and refute the idea that freedom in Christ could ever be used as a license to sin.
Body – Romans 7:1-6 – ESV
Released from the Law
7:1 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Lawfully Bound vv.1-3
Paul begins this section by reminding the readers of some things they should know. I almost hear frustration and annoyance in this opening. These are things the readers should know.
Paul softens this opening though by specifically addressing those who should know the Law. This is not just the Jews at Rome, but also mature believers that have studied the Scriptures
What should the mature know? The law is only binding while one is alive. After all, one cannot sin while he is dead. Paul even adds a pastoral illustration to explain
He speaks of the “until death you do part” portion of marriage. While married, spouses are bound to one another as one flesh. Upon the death of a husband, a wife is free to remarry. But if a wife leaves her husband to live with another man, Paul reminds us that such is called adultery. However, adultery is not found when a widow or widower remarries
In this section Paul does use one particular sin to help clarify his words, but this should not be taken that adultery is the main point of the passage, nor that adultery is somehow a worse sin than another. Rather Paul is setting the opening statement of an argument – not arguing to be mad at his audience, but he is using a common formula in his time to teach the Romans
Application:
What Paul is telling us here is that when we were dead in sin, we were still alive to the law. The Law’s primary mission is to cast a brilliant light upon the darkness of sin. While the Law functions wonderfully in this regard, it lacks a vital element for the need of man – it cannot empower men to keep it. This is no flaw. This is precisely the will of the Sovereign Lord. The Law is not meant to save – but to convince us we need saving. The Law condemns. No amount of feeble human effort can ever contribute to our salvation. To even suggest such is to cheapen the work of Jesus Christ. Let us be clear – works based salvation does not save, cannot save. No scraps and bits of human effort can undo the sin in anyone’s life. But there is good news…
Legally Dead vv. 4
Paul continues by adding the next step to his argument. While the law only has effect until a person dies – believers do indeed die to the law through Jesus Christ – he died in our place & paid our debt to the Law. So one aspect of eternal life is actually being dead to the binding of the Law.
So – does that mean we are free to ignore the Law? To borrow from Paul – By no means! Now, instead of being bound by the Law, we belong to the Law-Giver. Most specifically we belong to Jesus – who not only paid our sin debt with his death, but is now raised and very much alive
We are not saved with a real end & goal. God has a purpose in our continued life on earth – even as we also enjoy eternal life. The goal is bearing fruit. We could perhaps consider Paul’s list of spiritual fruit – but the word here is a bit different. We could also think on Christ’s teaching that we are to produce fruit in evangelism. This is not an either/or but a both/and situation.
Just like when seed is planted in the field and perhaps fertilized and sprayed for weeds – farmers must trust that God will provide the sun, the rain, and the growth. Likewise, when we belong to the Law-Giver, we pursue eternal life and ministry as best we can – we pursue Christian growth as best we can – but we need not shoulder the burden for what only God can do – bring fruit to our meager efforts
Illustration:
1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”
Application:
In the first section, I mentioned that Paul was telling us that when we were dead in sin, we were alive to the law. It is important to note that now we who are dead in Christ – we are alive to grace. The grace of God saves us – and we can be ever so grateful for saving Grace – but grace does more than save us and is more than a quick prayer before eating. Grace is the very power of God to live in ways that please him, fulfill & grow us, and impact other people for the Kingdom. Even when our efforts are feeble – grace reigns. So even when faced with a spiritually dry time – when prayers feel dead and Scripture reading is hard and ministry seems to be empty – be faithful anyway – grace will prevail. When sin rears its ugly head in our lives, and we struggle with obeying God’s commands – grace reigns – by grace we are forgiven and grace will begin & end the process of restoring us. The storehouse of God’s grace has no limitations and like the good father he is – he lavishes it upon us. Yet, when we feel the need for an extra touch of grace when faced with the trials and struggles of everyday life – pray and ask for more. He will hear such a prayer and will he will move in your life.
Led by the Spirit v. 5-6
Life in the flesh – which is to say an unsaved life here – is marked. Life in the flesh is being dead in sin. Spiritual death responds in a particular way to the Law. It sees the Law as a dare or challenge. Life in the flesh revels in breaking the Law – and this leads to death
Now Paul adds a great word – “But” – while our lives before Christ were soaked in sin and death – there is something new now
That new is that we are not bound by the Law – we have been released from its power – the power of the Law is the power to condemn – we have been freed from such condemnation
The new is in our empowerment to serve. While the Law only seemed to make us desire to sin more – we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. What does this mean?
It does not mean that we get to ignore the commands of God – that is lawlessness
It does mean that we are empowered to serve and obey God, not by ourselves – but by God
It does mean that we desire to obey him because he loves us and we love him – our driving force is not the fear of punishment by the code of Law – but by love for our God and Savior
Illustration:
A husband and wife didn’t really love each other. The man was very demanding, so much so that he prepared a list of rules and regulations for his wife to follow. He insisted that she read them over every day and obey them to the letter. Among other things, his “do’s and don’ts” indicated such details as what time she had to get up in the morning, when his breakfast should be served, and how the housework should be done. After several long years, the husband died. As time passed, the woman fell in love with another man, one who dearly loved her. Soon they were married. This husband did everything he could to make his new wife happy, continually showering her with tokens of his appreciation. One day as she was cleaning house, she found tucked away in a drawer the list of commands her first husband had drawn up for her. As she looked it over, it dawned on her that even though her present husband hadn’t given her any kind of list, she was doing everything her first husband’s list required anyway. She realized she was so devoted to this man that her deepest desire was to please him out of love, not obligation.
Application:
Being under grace is not so that we get to reject the law – it’s so we have the right relationship with the law-giver. We need to seriously consider why we do what we do as Christians. Do we come to church to fulfill an obligation, check it off the list, and move on to the fun stuff? Do we read our Bible’s only because we have to? Do we treat one another compassionately on the surface, but harbor resentment against brothers and sisters? Sometimes our walk with Christ will feel like a chore. We also need to keep doing these things even if they feel like chores and ask God to forgive us. When we feel like our faith is a chore - Christ hasn’t changed - we just need a reminder of our relationship and a good dose of grace.
So What Now?
Don’t confuse the Law and grace – also do not abuse grace to allow for sin.
Evangelist Fred Brown used three images to describe the purpose of the law. First he likened it to a dentist’s little mirror, which he sticks into the patient’s mouth. With the mirror he can detect any cavities. But he doesn’t drill with it or use it to pull teeth. It can show him the decayed area or other abnormality, but it can’t provide the solution. Brown then drew another analogy. He said that the law is also like a flashlight. If suddenly at night the lights go out, you use it to guide you down the darkened basement stairs to the electrical box. When you point it toward the fuses, it helps you see the one that is burned out. But after you’ve removed the bad fuse, you don’t try to insert the flashlight in its place. You put in a new fuse to restore the electricity. In his third image, Brown likened the law to a plumbline. When a builder wants to check his work, he uses a weighted string to see if it’s true to the vertical. But if he finds that he has made a mistake, he doesn’t use the plumbline to correct it. He gets out his hammer and saw. The law points out the problem of sin; it doesn’t provide a solution.
The Law has a purpose – to help us know right from wrong – grace is what sets our hearts right to pursue the right and repent of the wrong.
Grace is an essential to our eternal life like oxygen and food and water are to our earthly life. We cannot be healthy long without the grace of God. Praise God that he bestows grace in abundance to his children. Still, there are times when we feel the need for grace specifically – this is not because God has forgotten us – instead he has given us the gift of reminding us how much we need him and how much he loves to give
Still, even though we know how blessed we are to have God as our Father – we can feel stale at times in that relationship. It’s going to happen sooner or later. It doesn’t make you a leper. These times are yet another opportunity to be reminded of how much we need God’s grace and presence – when we feel stale, let us ask for forgiveness for allowing the relationship to suffer – it’s not God who is at fault. Let us also ask for constant reminders of grace and for renewed fire and passion for the God who saved us.
Finally, we are human. When we abuse grace and invent excuses to sin now and repent later – let us repent sooner. The sooner we repent, the sooner God graciously restores us to himself – exactly where we need to be…
Benediction
"Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, in truth and love." (2 John 1:3 NRSV
I remember reading about a rather cruel study. At least it seemed cruel to me. It also seemed designed to prove what common sense should have been able to handle. The test was to have kids go into a room while under surveillance. In the room was a table covered with snacks of all kinds – including a plate of a particular name brand sandwich cookie. On that one plate was a sign that forbid the eating of just that kind of snack – all the others were fair game. While we might not have the same academic credentials as the people doing the study – I bet we all know which snack was eaten first – most of the time. The idea of forbidden fruit – the name comes from Genesis. We know that there is something rebellious in people that needs to break the rules. This is the attitude behind those who want to do away entirely with the Law of God and then move directly into all sorts of sin. Yet, Paul has been clear in Romans and is clear again this morning that God’s covenant of grace is not a license to sin…
Context:
Last time we were sitting under Paul’s teaching in Romans, he was dealing with the issue of sin. Specifically, he was addressing the possibility that people might excuse their sin by claiming to be under grace and not law. He countered by pointing out that while believers at one time were slaves to sin, now they are slaves to the one who saved them. Paul also pointed out that while we were slaves to sin, our due was only death. Now that we are slaves to Christ, we receive the free gift of eternal life. Paul moves now to clarifying the role of law and refute the idea that freedom in Christ could ever be used as a license to sin.
Body – Romans 7:1-6 – ESV
Released from the Law
7:1 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Lawfully Bound vv.1-3
Paul begins this section by reminding the readers of some things they should know. I almost hear frustration and annoyance in this opening. These are things the readers should know.
Paul softens this opening though by specifically addressing those who should know the Law. This is not just the Jews at Rome, but also mature believers that have studied the Scriptures
What should the mature know? The law is only binding while one is alive. After all, one cannot sin while he is dead. Paul even adds a pastoral illustration to explain
He speaks of the “until death you do part” portion of marriage. While married, spouses are bound to one another as one flesh. Upon the death of a husband, a wife is free to remarry. But if a wife leaves her husband to live with another man, Paul reminds us that such is called adultery. However, adultery is not found when a widow or widower remarries
In this section Paul does use one particular sin to help clarify his words, but this should not be taken that adultery is the main point of the passage, nor that adultery is somehow a worse sin than another. Rather Paul is setting the opening statement of an argument – not arguing to be mad at his audience, but he is using a common formula in his time to teach the Romans
Application:
What Paul is telling us here is that when we were dead in sin, we were still alive to the law. The Law’s primary mission is to cast a brilliant light upon the darkness of sin. While the Law functions wonderfully in this regard, it lacks a vital element for the need of man – it cannot empower men to keep it. This is no flaw. This is precisely the will of the Sovereign Lord. The Law is not meant to save – but to convince us we need saving. The Law condemns. No amount of feeble human effort can ever contribute to our salvation. To even suggest such is to cheapen the work of Jesus Christ. Let us be clear – works based salvation does not save, cannot save. No scraps and bits of human effort can undo the sin in anyone’s life. But there is good news…
Legally Dead vv. 4
Paul continues by adding the next step to his argument. While the law only has effect until a person dies – believers do indeed die to the law through Jesus Christ – he died in our place & paid our debt to the Law. So one aspect of eternal life is actually being dead to the binding of the Law.
So – does that mean we are free to ignore the Law? To borrow from Paul – By no means! Now, instead of being bound by the Law, we belong to the Law-Giver. Most specifically we belong to Jesus – who not only paid our sin debt with his death, but is now raised and very much alive
We are not saved with a real end & goal. God has a purpose in our continued life on earth – even as we also enjoy eternal life. The goal is bearing fruit. We could perhaps consider Paul’s list of spiritual fruit – but the word here is a bit different. We could also think on Christ’s teaching that we are to produce fruit in evangelism. This is not an either/or but a both/and situation.
Just like when seed is planted in the field and perhaps fertilized and sprayed for weeds – farmers must trust that God will provide the sun, the rain, and the growth. Likewise, when we belong to the Law-Giver, we pursue eternal life and ministry as best we can – we pursue Christian growth as best we can – but we need not shoulder the burden for what only God can do – bring fruit to our meager efforts
Illustration:
1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”
Application:
In the first section, I mentioned that Paul was telling us that when we were dead in sin, we were alive to the law. It is important to note that now we who are dead in Christ – we are alive to grace. The grace of God saves us – and we can be ever so grateful for saving Grace – but grace does more than save us and is more than a quick prayer before eating. Grace is the very power of God to live in ways that please him, fulfill & grow us, and impact other people for the Kingdom. Even when our efforts are feeble – grace reigns. So even when faced with a spiritually dry time – when prayers feel dead and Scripture reading is hard and ministry seems to be empty – be faithful anyway – grace will prevail. When sin rears its ugly head in our lives, and we struggle with obeying God’s commands – grace reigns – by grace we are forgiven and grace will begin & end the process of restoring us. The storehouse of God’s grace has no limitations and like the good father he is – he lavishes it upon us. Yet, when we feel the need for an extra touch of grace when faced with the trials and struggles of everyday life – pray and ask for more. He will hear such a prayer and will he will move in your life.
Led by the Spirit v. 5-6
Life in the flesh – which is to say an unsaved life here – is marked. Life in the flesh is being dead in sin. Spiritual death responds in a particular way to the Law. It sees the Law as a dare or challenge. Life in the flesh revels in breaking the Law – and this leads to death
Now Paul adds a great word – “But” – while our lives before Christ were soaked in sin and death – there is something new now
That new is that we are not bound by the Law – we have been released from its power – the power of the Law is the power to condemn – we have been freed from such condemnation
The new is in our empowerment to serve. While the Law only seemed to make us desire to sin more – we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. What does this mean?
It does not mean that we get to ignore the commands of God – that is lawlessness
It does mean that we are empowered to serve and obey God, not by ourselves – but by God
It does mean that we desire to obey him because he loves us and we love him – our driving force is not the fear of punishment by the code of Law – but by love for our God and Savior
Illustration:
A husband and wife didn’t really love each other. The man was very demanding, so much so that he prepared a list of rules and regulations for his wife to follow. He insisted that she read them over every day and obey them to the letter. Among other things, his “do’s and don’ts” indicated such details as what time she had to get up in the morning, when his breakfast should be served, and how the housework should be done. After several long years, the husband died. As time passed, the woman fell in love with another man, one who dearly loved her. Soon they were married. This husband did everything he could to make his new wife happy, continually showering her with tokens of his appreciation. One day as she was cleaning house, she found tucked away in a drawer the list of commands her first husband had drawn up for her. As she looked it over, it dawned on her that even though her present husband hadn’t given her any kind of list, she was doing everything her first husband’s list required anyway. She realized she was so devoted to this man that her deepest desire was to please him out of love, not obligation.
Application:
Being under grace is not so that we get to reject the law – it’s so we have the right relationship with the law-giver. We need to seriously consider why we do what we do as Christians. Do we come to church to fulfill an obligation, check it off the list, and move on to the fun stuff? Do we read our Bible’s only because we have to? Do we treat one another compassionately on the surface, but harbor resentment against brothers and sisters? Sometimes our walk with Christ will feel like a chore. We also need to keep doing these things even if they feel like chores and ask God to forgive us. When we feel like our faith is a chore - Christ hasn’t changed - we just need a reminder of our relationship and a good dose of grace.
So What Now?
Don’t confuse the Law and grace – also do not abuse grace to allow for sin.
Evangelist Fred Brown used three images to describe the purpose of the law. First he likened it to a dentist’s little mirror, which he sticks into the patient’s mouth. With the mirror he can detect any cavities. But he doesn’t drill with it or use it to pull teeth. It can show him the decayed area or other abnormality, but it can’t provide the solution. Brown then drew another analogy. He said that the law is also like a flashlight. If suddenly at night the lights go out, you use it to guide you down the darkened basement stairs to the electrical box. When you point it toward the fuses, it helps you see the one that is burned out. But after you’ve removed the bad fuse, you don’t try to insert the flashlight in its place. You put in a new fuse to restore the electricity. In his third image, Brown likened the law to a plumbline. When a builder wants to check his work, he uses a weighted string to see if it’s true to the vertical. But if he finds that he has made a mistake, he doesn’t use the plumbline to correct it. He gets out his hammer and saw. The law points out the problem of sin; it doesn’t provide a solution.
The Law has a purpose – to help us know right from wrong – grace is what sets our hearts right to pursue the right and repent of the wrong.
Grace is an essential to our eternal life like oxygen and food and water are to our earthly life. We cannot be healthy long without the grace of God. Praise God that he bestows grace in abundance to his children. Still, there are times when we feel the need for grace specifically – this is not because God has forgotten us – instead he has given us the gift of reminding us how much we need him and how much he loves to give
Still, even though we know how blessed we are to have God as our Father – we can feel stale at times in that relationship. It’s going to happen sooner or later. It doesn’t make you a leper. These times are yet another opportunity to be reminded of how much we need God’s grace and presence – when we feel stale, let us ask for forgiveness for allowing the relationship to suffer – it’s not God who is at fault. Let us also ask for constant reminders of grace and for renewed fire and passion for the God who saved us.
Finally, we are human. When we abuse grace and invent excuses to sin now and repent later – let us repent sooner. The sooner we repent, the sooner God graciously restores us to himself – exactly where we need to be…
Benediction
"Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, in truth and love." (2 John 1:3 NRSV