Have you ever felt powerless to overcome your long-time sins? Join the club! According to Romans 7.14-25, the Apostle Paul felt the same way. In verse 14, Paul contrasts God’s law and our sinfulness: “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.” Sin is a ruthless master. How ruthless? According to verses 15-20, sin drives a wedge between our desires and our deeds: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what … Continue reading The Most Basic Freedom (Romans 7.14-25)

Is the law of God sinful? Paul asks this question in Romans 7.7-13. It’s a very strange question. After all, since God is not sinful, nothing he says is sinful. The law is one of the things God says, so obviously, it cannot be sinful. Why, then, does Paul ask the question in the first place? Because the logic of his argument in Romans requires him to do so. Remember, the theme of Paul’s letter is justification by faith. In Romans 1.17, Paul puts it this way: “in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is … Continue reading Is the Law Sinful? (Romans 7.7-13)

In Romans 6.2, Paul writes, â..We died to sin.â. In Romans 7.4, he goes on to say, â..you also died to the law.â. I think we all understand what it means to die to sin, for the second half of Romans 6.2 asks, â..how can we live in it any longer?â. But what does it mean to die to the law? Does it mean we no longer have to obey the commandments? Was Paul an antinomian after all? To answer these questions, letâ..s take a closer look at Romans 7.1-6. Paul begins with a statement of legal principle in verse … Continue reading Dead to the Law (Romans 7.1-6)

What role does the Old Testament law play in the life of the believer? The church has argued about its answer to this question since the first century. Basically, three positions have emerged: legalism, antinomianism, and the orthodox consensus. Letâ..s briefly consider each one in turn. Legalism is the notion that our salvation is wrapped up with our obedience to the Old Testament law. We read about early Christian legalists in Acts 15.1: â..Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: â..Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be … Continue reading The Law and the Believer (Romans 7.1-25)