Sermon Points

The Christian…

1. Has died to the law
2. Belongs to Christ
3. Bears fruit for God

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Scripture Reading

Romans 7:1–6 (ESV)

• (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.

Introduction

We are turning a corner this morning in our study of the Book of Romans. We are coming out of Chapter 6 where Paul told us that we are dead to sin and alive to God. He has explained that we are no longer slaves to sin, and that we should present ourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life (vs. 13).

We are entering Chapter 7, which contains some of the more debated verses in the letter, specifically considering in what way the later verses in Chapter 7 are biographical for Paul. Don’t worry, we’re not covering those today. But, if you want to read ahead, we’ll have three sermons through Chapter 7. Grab a commentary and read up on Chapter 7 for the next couple of weeks.

Today, though, we are discussing another topic that can be challenging for all of us: What is the relationship between the Christian and the Law of God?

We have already covered the truth that the Law cannot save anyone. Remember Romans 3:20?

Romans 3:20 (ESV) — For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Or to quote Paul from his letter to the Galatians:

Galatians 3:21 (ESV) — … For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.

We know that no one can be justified by keeping the law, and that there is no law that can give life. What does that mean, then, for the use of law in the Christian’s life?

Scripture’s High View of the Law

The Old and New Testaments both present a high view of the Law of God.

Moses presented this challenge to Israel before they entered the promised land.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (ESV) — And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Or consider how the Psalmists spoke of God’s Word.

The very first Psalm begins, “Blessed is the man … whose delight is in the law of the LORD and on his law he meditates day and night.

One of my favorite passages about the Law of God comes from Psalm 19. Here is a sample:

Psalm 19:7–11 (ESV) — The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

And then there is the entirety of Psalm 119—a masterful 176 verse poem written in an acrostic format with the Hebrew alphabet—all praising and commending God’s law and testimonies.

We must not forget the very words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:17–19 (ESV) — “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

With all of that fresh in our minds, now hear the words of Paul again in Romans 6 and 7.

Romans 6:14 (ESV) — … you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 7:4 (ESV) — 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.

How do you think Paul’s readers would have responded to these statements? Do you think they would have had question?

• “Yes, Paul, we understand that we can’t be saved by keeping the law, but … shouldn’t we still keep the law once we’re Christians?”
• Paul, shouldn’t our holiness be based on keeping the Law? Didn’t the Psalmist teach us, Psalm 119:11 (ESV) — I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

I’m going to structure the message this morning from the central verse in our passage—verse 4. From this verse we will see that:

The Christian…

1. Has died to the law
2. Belongs to Christ
3. Bears fruit for God

Pastoral Prayer

I. The Christian has died to the law

We get this statement from the beginning of verses 4 and 6.

Romans 7:4 (ESV) — Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ…

Romans 7:6 (ESV) — But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive…

Before Paul even writes these verses though, he establishes the relationship of a person to law with the example of marriage and death.

The example of marriage and death

Romans 7:1–3 (ESV)

• (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.

The Old Testament gave husbands a mechanism to divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, but that law did not give the same privileges to the woman. Roman law in Paul’s day gave allowances for both.

Paul has more to say about marriage and divorce in other places (1 Cor. 7 for example), but his goal here is not to set out to give a full doctrine of marriage and divorce. He’s simply noting that in marriage, a woman is bound by her vows to her husband until death. Here, Paul is simply pointing out what we all acknowledge in our wedding vows…”until death us do part.”

The simple point that Paul wants his readers to consider is that death nullifies the marriage covenant. If one spouse dies, the other is free to remarry without committing adultery in any way.

The clear application of this marriage example is that…

We are obligated to obey God’s Law until a death occurs

You may have a lingering question in your mind. What law are we talking about? What does Paul mean by Law?

I believe the most straightforward answer would be that Paul is referring to the Mosaic Law, the Old Covenant. That is how most commentaries I read explain this. I do think there is a larger application beyond the Jewish Torah that includes the Gentiles as well. Remember, most of the Christians in Rome (to whom Paul is writing) would be Gentile believers.

Paul does write to them in verse one expecting that they are in fact those who “know the law.”

But, I think Paul is applying this principle more broadly. He wrote regarding Gentiles in chapter 2:

Romans 2:15 (ESV) — They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

Moo presents the Jews and the Mosaic Law as a paradigm for all.

We suggest that Paul views the Jewish experience with the Mosaic law as paradigmatic for the experience of all people with “law.” Israel stands in redemptive history as a kind of test case, and its relationship with the law is ipso facto applicable to the relationship of all people with that law which God has revealed to them (2:14–15).

• Douglas J. Moo, NICNT, 442–443.

What does it mean to die to the law?

The first thing to notice, considering the marriage and death example, is that the Law doesn’t die. If in the marriage example we are considered the wife who is freed by the death of the husband, we would expect that the Law would die so that we might be free. Instead, we are freed through our union with Christ who died and was raised.

To understand what it means that we have died to the Law, we should compare Chapter 7 to Chapter 6. There are a number of striking parallels.

John Stott highlights a number of comparisons in his Bible Speaks Today commentary on Romans (p. 194).

Romans 7 — Freedom from the law	Romans 6 — Freedom from sin
died to the law (7:4)	died to sin (6:2)
through the body of Christ (7:4)	by union with Christ’s death (6:3)
released from the law (7:6)	freed from sin (6:7, 18)
belong to him who was raised (7:4)	shared in Christ’s resurrection (6:4-5)
serve in newness of Spirit (7:6)	live in newness of life (6:4)
bear fruit to God (7:4)	fruit leads to sanctification (6:22)

Stott summarizes this way;

Therefore to die to sin and to die to the law are identical. Both signify that through participation in the death of Christ the law’s curse or condemnation on sin has been taken away. ‘The death to sin … is necessarily also a death to the law’s condemnation.’

• John R. W. Stott, The Bible Speaks Today, 194.

Dying to the law is not a command but a reality

Look back at verse 4.

Romans 7:4 (ESV)

• (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.

This is not a command to the Christian; it is the reality of what it means to be a Christian. It is something that has happened to you.

• Romans 7:4 (NASB 95) — … you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ…
• Romans 7:4 (CSB) — … you also were put to death in relation to the law through the body of Christ …

The “body of Christ” here does not refer to the church as Paul will write about in 1 Cor or Ephesians. Here, he is speaking of the bodily crucifixion of Jesus.

Colossians 1:22 (ESV) — he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Legalism is excluded for the Christian

What is the point of all of this? We’ve been down in the details of what Paul means, but why is he writing all of this?

There are two dangerous approaches to law as a Christian. Legalism and Antinomianism.

Legalism demands that one must keep the law in order to be right with God, either for salvation or for acceptance. It is often revealed by boasting, measuring ourselves against others, or holding others to our own standard.

Antinomianism demands throwing off the shackles of law and living as one pleases.

Some of us are by disposition “rule-keepers.” And, others of us are “rule-breakers.”

Here, we are addressing the rule-keepers and legalism. Sinclair Ferguson deals with this in his book, The Whole Christ.

For legalism arises not only out of a distortion of the grace of God but also from a warped view of the law of God. We could put it this way: legalism begins to manifest itself when we view God’s law as a contract with conditions to be fulfilled and not as the implications of a covenant graciously given to us.

God’s covenant is his sovereign, freely bestowed, unconditional promise: “I will be your God,” which carries with it a multidimensional implication: therefore “you will be my people.”

By contrast, a contract would be in the form: “I will be your God if you will live as becomes my people.”

It is the difference between “therefore” and “if.” The former introduces the implications of a relationship that has been established; the latter introduces the conditions under which a relationship will be established.

• Sinclair B. Ferguson, The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 115.

How does legalism manifest in my life?

Legalism can manifest in our lives in different ways. Here are two for us to consider.

First is our conception of a committed Christian life. How would you describe the difference between an immature or nominal Christian and a serious, committed disciple? Would your answer center around the number of areas in the person’s life where he is obeying God’s law or would you be more focused on his joy, thankfulness, and delight in God’s Grace?

I don’t mean to imply at all that we should not love God’s word and be committed to obedience. More on that later, but the key is our understanding of law and grace.

Second would be our experience of the love and acceptance of God. Do you regularly imagine God frowning or scowling at you like an angry father to a kid that never quite measures up—like you can never quite do anything well enough to please him? Are you anxious and fearful that you’re not a “good enough” Christian? Have you invented new laws that God didn’t even give to measure your acceptableness to God?

At least part of the answer to this legalism is to remember that Christians have died to the Law.

Now, let us consider point two, which is the reason we have died to law.

II. The Christian Belongs to Christ

Romans 7:4 (ESV)

• (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.

Here Paul gives the reason that we had to die to the law. It was “so that” we might belong to Christ. Remember in the marriage example, to marry another before the death had occurred would have been considered unfaithfulness. We died to the law so that we could legitimately give our total allegiance to Christ himself.

Paul is being very careful. He’s not calling the Roman Christians to die to the law in order to be sinful or lawless.

Romans 6:15 (ESV) — What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Romans 6:19 (ESV) — I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

We must not stop with “death to the law”

Simple “death to the law” could result in completely opposite outcomes. If we just stopped with the statement that Christians died to the law, what could be inferred?

• obedience does not matter / lawlessness
• we are allowed to make up our own rules
• we are now obligated to something or someone else

We previously “belonged” to the Law. Now we belong to Christ. This is not a lesser commitment, but a greater one.

Jesus said in John 14,

John 14:15 (ESV) — “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Just as Paul was using relational terms in our passage (i.e. “belong”) Jesus uses relational language (i.e. “love”). This goes beyond moral and ethical obligation to a relational desire.

To be clear, this does not simply move us from one kind of law-keeping to another.

1 John 4:19 (ESV) — We love because he first loved us.

This order is not a secondary issue or mere technicality. It is at the center of God’s transforming power.

1 John 3:1 (ESV) — See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God…

This belonging to God is beautiful. We belong to God the Father as his children (and joint-heirs with Christ). We belong to Christ as his Bride forever. Meditating on these truths will elicit joy, thankfulness, love, and devotion far beyond anything the law could ever produce.

Our passage does give us one more purpose statement which we will consider now in point 3.

III. The Christian bears fruit for God

Romans 7:4–6 (ESV)

• (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.

We see two parallel ideas in vv. 4 and 6. Both are “so that” statements. Why have we died to the law and been joined to Christ in his death and resurrection?

• In order that we may bear fruit for God (v. 4).
• So that we serve in the new way of the Spirit (v. 6).

This passage is already pointing to Paul’s argument in Chapter 8 about the power of the Spirit working in us.

Romans 8:3–4 (ESV) — For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Do you see the connections? We have another “in order that…” statement—“that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.”

In fact, we could treat the rest of Chapter 7 as a kind of parenthetical treatment of the Christian and the Law before he comes back to this argument in Chapter 8.

Something new is true of the believer who belongs to Christ and not simply relying on the Law. We see the limitations of the law in verse 5.

• Romans 7:5 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.

Here Paul is describing what it was like to live under the law. He’s using the phrase “living in the flesh” to describe life under the Old Covenant and the Mosaic Law. Without the work of the Spirit the Law could not bring life, only condemnation. The text next Sunday will deal with this even more.

The significant change in salvation history is indicated in the first two words of verse 6, “But now…”

• Romans 7:6 (ESV) — 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.

Just as Paul preached dying to sin in Chapter 6 so that we might present ourselves to God, here he preaches dying to the law that we might bear fruit to God.

What is this fruit, then?

Righteous deeds

Fruit of the spirit

• Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV) — But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Fruitfulness in ministry to others

• Colossians 1:10 (ESV) — so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Praise

• Hebrews 13:15 (ESV) — Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

This is empowered by our union with Christ (verse 4) and by the “new way of the Spirit” (verse 6).

Part of the “new way of the Spirit” is captured in the fact that we are obedient “from the heart” (Rom 6:17).

This is what was promised in the Prophets.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 (ESV) — And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Why do we serve? Not because the law is our master and we have to, but because Christ is our husband and we want to. Not because obedience leads to salvation, but because salvation leads to obedience.

And how do we serve? We serve in the new way of the Spirit (6). For the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the distinguishing characteristic of the new age, and so of the new life in Christ.

• John R. W. Stott, The Bible Speaks Today, 197.

Conclusion / Application

Preach the gospel to yourself daily. (Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace)

• Gospel Moment for the believer and unbeliever!

Remember that you are called to a genuine freedom in Christ.

Galatians 5:13 (ESV) — For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Root out the ways that you are we tempted to reminisce to your former spouse of the law?

Is your obedience dependent on guilt, shame, or fear?

• check your spiritual disciplines
• check your participation or service in the church
• Is this from the heart?

Give thanks to God that we are released from the judgment of the Law!