PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS

The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7)

Your Questions?

Any Questions from last topic or from preparation for today?

Review

The Gospel Introduced (Romans 1:1 – 1:15)

The Gospel Defined (Romans 1:16-17)

The Good News of God-Righteousness to all who believe on Christ

The Universal Need for Righteousness (Romans 1:18 –3:20)

Review (continued)

The Basis and Terms of the Gospel (Romans 3:21-31) RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTIFICATION, REDEMPTION, PROPITIATION, GRACE,

FAITH

The Agreement of the Gospel with the Old Testament (Romans 4)

The Practical Benefits of the Gospel (Romans 5:1-11)

The Victory of Christ’s Work over Adam’s Sin (Romans 5:12-21)

The Gospel’s Way to Holy Living (Romans 6) A Christian cannot continue in a sinful life – he is united to Christ (Romans

6:1-11)

A Christian does not need to continue in a sinful life – sin’s power has been broken (Romans 6:12-14)

A Christian must not continue in a sinful life – he has a new Master (Romans 6:15-19)

A Christian dare not continue in a sinful life – the end of that is disaster (Romans 6:20-23)

The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7)

Paul asks (and answers) 4 important questions: Don’t you know that laws only apply to living people? (v1-6)

Is the Law sin? (v7-12)

Is the Law death? (v13-23)

Who will deliver me from the power of sin? (v24-25)

Don’t you know that laws only apply to living people? (v1-6)

Read Romans 7:1-3

In the EXAMPLE of a married woman, what is the relationship of the woman to her husband while he is still alive? (v2) She is bound to him

In the same example, what happens to that relationship if the husband dies? (v3) She is automatically freed from her obligation to her husband

Read Romans 7:4-6

According to v 4, what does this example show about the believer’s relationship with the Law? The believer is dead to the law

The believer is “married” to Christ so that they can be fruitful through Him

Don’t you know that laws only apply to living people? (v1-6) - contd

Discuss what “in the flesh” means in v5 This is a description of people who are NOT SAVED – they have not been

born again by the Word and the Spirit of God and are therefore not IN CHRIST

“Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God…” (2Co 5:17-18)

According to v5, what effect does the Law have on the sinful desires of those “in the flesh”? The rebelliousness of the sinful nature causes sinful desires to be aroused by

the Law – the result is “fruit to death.”

Discuss the difference between the “oldness of the letter” and “newness of the Spirit” in v6 “The oldness of the letter (of the law)” describes the detailed requirements of

the law which are unable to give life/power “The newness of the Spirit” describes the desire of the believer to do

“instinctively” (by the new nature) those things which please God

Is the Law sin? (v7-12)

Read Romans 7:7-12

How does Paul use the example of the 10th commandment (You shall not covet) to show the effect of the Law? Without the 10th commandment we would not know how sinful

wrong desires are!

When forbidden to covet, we find that our hearts are in fact full of all kinds of sinful desires

In v9-11 how does Paul describe the process of becoming aware of sin by the Law? He describes the conviction of sin like being put to death

What does Paul conclude about the law in v12? The Law is not sin – it is holy!

Is the Law death? (v13-23)

Read Romans 7:13

Does Paul conclude that it was the Law which became death to Him? NO! The problem is not the Law, but sin – sin produced death

through the Law.

Read Romans 7:14-16

What reason does Paul give in v14 for the fact that we find it impossible on our own to do what we know is right according to the Law? The Law is spiritual – from God, but we are carnal – fleshly

We are sold as slaves to sin

Is the Law death? (v13-23) -continued

Discuss what Paul means in v 15 when he says, “What I am doing, I do not understand.” The believer now wants to do what is right, but is amazed at how

difficult it is to fulfil his new desires. He can’t understand why!

Read Romans 7:17-20

Discuss what is meant by, “It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” (v17 & 20) When “in the flesh” the unbeliever “dwelled in sin” but although

he has died to sin, and it no longer has dominion over him, he find that sin still “dwells in him.”

Indwelling sin frustrates the desire of the believer to please God

Is the Law death? (v13-23) -continued

Read Romans 7:21-23

Paul describes an important principle in v 21 – evil (sin) is present with me even though I desire to do good.

How do these verses describe the two forces which are competing within a Christian?

The law of the mind – controlling the inner man. This is the believer’s new nature since they are a new creation in Christ.

The law in my members – controlling the outward man. This is the believer’s old nature – the flesh, in which sin still dwells

Who will deliver me from the power of sin? (v24-25)

Read Romans 7:24-25

Why does Paul say, “O wretched man that I am” if he is born-again? He realises that, although he has been saved, and his “inner man” – his soul –

desires to please God, he will always be frustrated by indwelling sin as long as he is in the body.

Discuss who is able to deliver the believer from this frustrating conflict between his flesh and spirit The believer has the hope of future deliverance when we are taken home to

heaven and the Lord will change our bodies, making us free from indwelling sin. “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious

body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Php 3:21)

In the meantime, the believer has the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit to enable them fulfil the inner desire to please God But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Rom 8:9)

For next time:

The Holy Spirit as the Power for Holy Living (Part 1) –Romans 8:1-17 Try to read the passage two or three times before our next

meeting

Think about what the passage says about

Condemnation

Walking according to the flesh / Spirit

The Indwelling Holy Spirit

Our obligation (debt)

Think carefully about your position before God

Read pages 65-69 in Alive and Free

Write down any QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK