Romans 7

Romans 7:1

As we are discovering, the Book of Romans is radical in concept, rich in content, and readable in construct. Truly, the concepts in Romans are indeed radical. But they’re not esoteric. They’re not difficult to comprehend or hard to understand because of the logical way in which Romans is laid out. It’s laid out perfectly, which is not surprising, considering the Author, who always does everything just right (Mar_7:37). Romans 1 deals with the perversity of sin; Rom_2-3:18 with the pervasiveness of sin; Rom. 3:18-5:21 with the penalty of sin. Romans 6 deals a death blow to the power of sin. And this brings us to chapter 7, wherein Paul will deal with the question of preoccupation with sin. The brothers Paul is referring to are his Jewish brothers, the people of Israel. According to Old Testament law, a husband could divorce his wife, but a wife could never divorce her husband. Paul uses the analogy to say, “You were married to the law, and there’s no way you could get away from it.” If only the law would die, we would be free from its hold on us. But the law is in excellent health (Mat_5:18). This husband is not about to die. This is so wonderful! You have become dead to the law. That’s the key. You’ll never see a dead body in a courtroom trial because when a person is dead, he’s no longer under the authority of the law. So, too, because you died in Christ (Gal_2:20), you are free from legalism. Thus, there is no reason to be preoccupied with your failings, your lack of prayer, your lack of love, your lack of anything. There is no reason to try to live up to the rules, regulations, and expectations you’ve put upon yourself. When you realize that you died with Christ positionally on Calvary, you’re free from the demands of the law and free instead to just love the Lord. Because the Christian who finally throws off the yoke of legalism inevitably becomes fruitful, churches grow whenever believers become excited about their relationship with Jesus. Loosed from Legalism A Topical Study of Rom_7:1-4 Philosopher, social critic, and writer for The London Daily Observer, G. K. Chesterton was addressed by a woman who wrote a letter asking him to write a series of articles explaining what was wrong with the world. The following day, Chesterton penned this classic reply: “Madam, I will tell you what is wrong with the world in two words: I am.” What’s wrong with the world? I am. Not a political problem, or an economic situation, the real reason for the problems of the world is you and me personally. And what is responsible for the problems within us? Sin. Sin in us causes problems to come pouring out from us, which affects the world around us. Sin is the problem. Sin is the issue. In our culture, people don’t want to talk about sin. When he was nearing the end of his illustrious career, Dr. Karl Meninger, the brilliant psychiatrist and prolific author, wrote one final book in which he appraised the psychiatric health of the nation. In this book, entitled Whatever Happened To Sin? he concluded that the problem with our culture is that we have forgotten the word “sin.” We call people “dysfunctional” or “victims,” but Meninger maintained the real issue is just plain sin. Some may extol the power of positive thinking, but the apostle Paul declares it to be no match for the destructiveness of sin. Thus, because Paul tackles the root issue head-on, I find those who propose only positive thinking appalling, but the apostle Paul very appealing. “The power of sin brings destruction,” wrote Paul in Rom_6:20-21. It’s true. Everything I’m ashamed of in my life is always directly linked to sin. Yet the preoccupation with sin only brings depression and exhaustion. It’s like two guys riding a tandem bike uphill. After what seems like an eternity, they finally reach the top and the guy in front says, “Man, I didn’t think we would ever make it to the top. I thought we’d end up rolling back down.” “Me too,” answers the guy in back. “That’s why I kept the brakes on the whole time.” The same thing happens to Christians. “I get it,” we say. “I see what Paul is saying. I don’t want to fall back down the hill. I don’t want to roll back into carnality, so I’ll put the brakes on. I’ll put rules and regulations around myself in order that I might not sin.” But the rules and regulations we think will break our fall into sin only lead us to exhaustion and depression as we discover we are unable to keep them. In Romans 7, Paul deals with this very issue as he likens the relationship between the law and the believer to the relationship between a husband and wife. Mr. Perfect You wake up. Lying next to you is your husband, Mr. Perfect. His breath is mint-fresh and not a single hair is out of place. His pajamas are pressed, and even the sheet over him is unruffled. He’s perfect, and he’s your hubby! “Good morning,” he says as he gives you a perfect peck on the cheek.

Then, with amazing energy, he bounds out of bed with a smile on his face, goes to his closet, and takes out his perfectly tailored suit with his perfectly white starched shirt, and perfectly matched tie. He dresses himself impeccably, puts his belt around his perfect-sized waist, and goes into the kitchen to make his breakfast. He has no coffee, no sweet rolls, no eggs, and no cholesterol. He has granola with skim milk, and tomato juice to drink. Finished with breakfast, he picks up his bowl, rinses it out, puts it in the dishwasher, and sets the timer. Then he gives you another peck on the cheek, and out the door he goes to work. He drives perfectlynot one mile over the speed limit, nor one mile under, stopping for pedestrians along the way. At work, he fulfills his tasks to the letter. Then, at 5:00not 4:59, not 5:01 he finishes cleaning up his spotless desk, walks to his car, and drives home. As you greet him at the door, you’re again amazed that you had the good fortune to marry Mr. Perfect. But as he walks into the house, he stops and looks at you rather quizzically. You realize he’s looking at your hair because there’s a strand out of place. Then he goes into the kitchen, and, being a perfect six feet four inches tall, he notices dust on top of the refrigerator. “How can this be?” he wonders. Panic begins to fill your heart, and anguish begins to set in until you remember that you fixed a fabulous meal. As he sits down to dinner, you bring out the six-course meal you prepared, the aroma filling the room. But as you uncover the entree, you realize your husband, Mr. Perfect, is staring at the parsley, which, to your dismay, looks a bit wilted. As he reaches for something to drink, your heart sinks as you see a spot on his glass. The evening goes downhill from there, and you go to bed, thinking, Yes, I’m married to Mr. Perfectbut he’s driving me crazy. This goes on until you become filled with so much tension and anxiety that you decide it was a mistake to marry Mr. Perfect. “I want a divorce,” you say. “On what grounds?” asks the judge. “My husband is perfect,” you answer. “Request denied,” declares the judge. “Perfection is not grounds for divorce.” You go your way thinking you can’t last a moment longer, when suddenly you remember Rom_7:2-3, which says that the woman is bound to her husband only so long as he is alive. So the next day, as he’s reading the paper, you pour a bottle of arsenic into your husband’s celery juice. You wait with anticipation as he takes a sip and two and three. Your anticipation turns to amazement as he asks for secondsuntil you remember that he’s in perfect health. His kidneys filter out the poison totally. “Oh no,” you say. “I can’t divorce him because he’s perfect. He won’t die because he’s perfect. I’m stuck in this bondage forever. And in your despair, you slam the door behind you as you walk out into the rain. You return half an hour later sniffling, sneezing, and coughing; and you know you’re coming down with pneumonia. Your lungs start to fill with fluid. Your temperature rises. You get sicker and sickerand you realize you’re dying. As you let go of your life, you say to yourself, “This is the way out. I’m finally free. Mr. Perfect couldn’t be divorced. Mr. Perfect wouldn’t die. But I’m dying. And that sets me free to marry another oneMr. LoveWho’s waiting for me in heaven.” On the basis of Jesus’ words in Mat_5:18, like Mr. Perfect, the law will never die. Because of this, the law looms over us continually, ever making us aware of our imperfections and inconsistencies. We can’t live with it. We can’t divorce it. We can’t kill it. “There’s only one way out,” says Paul in Romans. “And when you discover it, you’re free!” You see, folks, the penalty for sin was paid on the Cross (Romans 15). The power of sin was broken by the Cross (Romans 6). The preoccupation with sin is solved through the Cross (Rom_7:4-6). You are no longer married to the rules and regulations of the law. Why? Is the law dead? No. You are (Gal_2:20). You’ve died to Mr. Perfectionand you’re linked to Mr. Love. Consequently, you’re free from roller-coaster spirituality. Mr. Love In the years when I thought I was still married to Mr. Law, even though I was a Christian, I set up rules and regulations, disciplines and expectations. When I kept them, I would look down on other Christians who didn’t, thinking, What time did he get up for devotions this morning? And I would walk around like a self-righteous prude inside. But invariably, I couldn’t keep my own rules and regulations. I’d sleep late one morning, or two, or threeand then what happened? I plummeted into depression. “Woe is me,” I’d say. “I’m such a wretch. I can’t go to church. Why should I even read the Bible? I’ll just watch TV all day.” Up and down I went until I understood that Paul said, “The rules and standards you set up to prove you’re a good little Christian are all irrelevant.” That is why, when people say Christianity is narrow and restrictive, I respond, “You’re not reading your Bible. Jesus represented such radical freedom that the only way the religious community could contain Him was to kill Him.” “All things are lawfulbut all things are not expedient,” wrote Paul (see 1Co_6:12). In other words, “I’m not going to jeopardize this glorious liberty I have, this wonderful freedom I enjoy by becoming enslaved to any substance, habit, or activity. I’m free not to sin, even though all things are lawful to me.” Then he went on to say, “All things are lawful for mebut not all things edify” (see 1Co_10:23). In other words, “Even though I have liberty to do all things, seeing me do certain things might cause someone else to become entangled. So I choose not to do those things which will cause others to stumble.” Forget your regulations, your rules, your external stipulations, saint. You’re free in Christ totally and completely. You’re married now to Mr. Love. When we understand this, what happens? We no longer live by rules written down on a list, or by commandments etched in stone, but by the Word written in our hearts (Rom_7:6). If you have rules written down in your journal or Bible, perhaps you’re dangerously close to falling into the Old Covenantinto legalism. You may pride yourself when you keep them and turn up your spiritual nose at others who aren’t as devoted or as committed as you, but watch out. Exhaustion and depression are inevitable. “But,” you protest, “if we’re no longer married to the law, we’ll do all kinds of bad stuff.” Not true. Your own experience tells you differently. As a sixteen-year-old, washing the family car was one of my Saturday chores. The law was laid down, and I followed it: I squirted some water on our green Buick Skylark, flung a towel over it a couple times, and went on my way. But that all changed when I thought I fell in love with a girl named Stephanie. You see, because Dad gave me permission one weekend to use the Skylark to take Stephanie out to dinner, I washed it, dried it, waxed it, buffed it, shined the chrome, polished the hubcaps, vacuumed the interior, and washed the windows. I transformed the Skylark into a thing of beauty. Why? Because of lovefor while the law made me wash the car, love made me do the rest. So, too, when you really grasp what Jesus Christ did for you and how much He cares about you, it’s no longer, “I gotta have devotions,“but, “I get to talk with You today, Lord.” And you end up doing much more than you ever did with your rules, regulations, and tradition-based Christianity. You’re free because the Lord whispers in your heart, in the newness of the Spirit day by day, moment by moment. “You don’t want to be with those kids. They’re walking in a way that will be damaging to you.” “Okay, Lord,” you say. “Thanks for the tip.” “You don’t want to go into that place. There’s a bunch of stuff coming down there that’s really ugly.” “Okay, thanks, Lord.” Folks, the law says, “Responsibility!” Love says, “Just respond to Me.” It’s wonderful. From day to day, I never know what lies ahead as the Lord guides me in the newness of the Spirit rather than the oldness of the letter. “I’m glad my kids aren’t here,” you say, “because if Junior hears that all things are lawful, that there are no rules and regulationsI’m in real trouble.” This brings up a valid question. What about kids who are unruly, or criminals in our society? Paul says although the law is not made for a righteous manfor a guy who’s in love with the Lord, walking close to the Lord, desiring to please the Lordit is made for the lawless, the disobedient, the ungodly (1Ti_1:8-9). Those who don’t care about the Lord need the law laid upon them for their own protection. Thus, the law has a two-fold purpose. It keeps the unrighteous from rampant sin and drives the self-righteous to Jesus Christ. “If the law’s sole purpose in the life of a believer is to drive us to Christ, then why even bother reading the Old Testament with all of its ordinances and regulations?” Because each ordinance, each statute, each Old Testament picture points to Jesus and gives us a clearer picture of Him (Luk_24:27). Consider, for example, the Sabbath. There are those who say things like, “If you don’t worship on Saturday, you’re violating the law.” Like Paul, our answer can be, “Sabbaths and all of those regulations are simply a shadow of the reality of the Person of Jesus Christ” (see Col_2:16-17). Folks, there are people in “church-ianity,” in legalism, who are caught up in the shadows when the reality is Christ. You see, He is our Sabbath. He is our Rest. He is the Reality. Not only is Jesus the reality of the law, but there is practicality for us in the law. That is why Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man’s benefit. It was given to you by the Father in order that you might have a day of rest and relaxation. But you’ve turned it into a responsibility and an obligation” (Mar_2:27). When you look at the law, listen to the heart of the Father. Don’t get caught up in the technicalities. When you read the Old Testament, say, “Lord, show me something about You and something practical for me.” Precious brother, dear sistermy prayer for you today is a very simple one: that God would keep you from the depression and exhaustion that are the result of a preoccupation with rules and regulations, obligations and stipulationsthat you might know what it means to be dead to Mr. Perfect and married to Another who loves you unconditionally and will lead you day by day in joy and liberty.

Romans 7:5

“Newness of spirit” speaks of the New Covenant, of an entirely new way of living (Jeremiah 31; Ezekiel 36). “No longer will I give you tables of stone,” the Lord declares in the New Covenant, “but I will write My will upon the table of your heart. Every day will be an adventure. Some days I might awaken you at 4:30 A.M. to seek My face and to pray, while other times, I might tell you to sleep in.” That’s the way Christianity was meant to be. But what have we done? We have constructed legalistic systems and expectations both personally and corporately. We were meant to live in a newness of the Spirit, moment by moment obeying, yielding, and asking, “Lord, what next?” Therefore, throw off the yoke of legalism. Walk in the Spirit. Respond to His directionand I guarantee you will find yourself on the adventure of a lifetime!

Romans 7:7

What was Paul lusting after? I suggest the object of Paul’s desire was not the sensual type of sin we usually associate with lust. No, I believe Paul was lusting after prestige. He wanted to excel as a scholarwhich seems a noble goal. Yet as he studied the law, I believe he saw that the underlying reason for his pursuit was a hunger for prominence.

Romans 7:8

The more Paul studied the law, the more he realized how far he was from the law. I can recall a period of time when then four-year-old Peter-John would walk around whistling and snapping his fingers. “What are you doing, Pete?” I asked him one day. “Practicing my snaps,” he said. “I know how to whistle. I’m getting my snaps down. And when I learn how to tie my shoe, all the hard stuff will be done.” As he has since discovered, there’s a little more to life than tying shoes and snapping fingers. So, too, Paul thought all he had to do was study the law, but the more he did, the more he realized how far he was from true spirituality.

Romans 7:11

Whenever I sense a pharisaical tendency in myself, I know it is indicative that I have not been immersing myself in the Word. You see, if we’re truly spending time in the presence of the Lord, we’ll find ourselves saying just what Isaiah said. After spending the first five chapters of his book pronouncing woe on peoples and nations, in chapter 6, he saw the Lord and said, “Woe is me” for in the presence of the Lord he realized he was no better than those he was indicting. A life lived in God’s presence excludes judgment of others. “I’m lusting; I’m coveting,” said Paul. But he didn’t realize this until he spent time in the Scriptures and saw that he was a sinner. Now this was all pre-conversion. As evidenced by the use of the past tense, Paul was looking back. But as Chapter 7 unfolds, we see that even after he was saved, he still struggled.

Romans 7:14

As outlined in 1 Corinthians 2-3, there are basically three types of people. The natural man is what we all were before we were saved. The spiritual man is the one who is saved and who walks in the Spirit. The carnal man is born again but lives in the energy of his flesh. Therefore, although the carnal man can appear to be saintly and righteous, he is miserable internally because he knows he can’t live up to the rules, regulations, and expectations he has placed upon himself. That’s where Paul was. Yes, he was converted, but he was miserable in his carnality.

Romans 7:15

“I want to do what’s right,” said Paul, “but I end up doing the things I hate.” Ever feel that way, dieters?

Romans 7:16

“The problem isn’t with the law,” said Paul. “The problem is with the sin in me.”

Romans 7:18

Whenever I’m disappointed in myself, it’s because I’m denying what God said when He said, “Jon, in you dwells no good thing.” I still struggle with this. I understand the concept theologically and can quote the verse from memory. But sometimes I think, There’s some good in meisn’t there? Am I really this bad, Father? Every time I get down on myself, I hear His voice again saying, “Jon, didn’t I tell you straight out, didn’t I record it in black and white that in your flesh, in you personally, dwells no good thing? Why, then, are you disappointed in yourself?” Those who have a tendency to despair of life do so because they think there’s something good in them that they’re failing to utilize. They’re not living up to their self-image. Although we want our kids to have high self-esteem, the Scriptures say, “Sorry. In you dwells no good thing.” Far from depressing me, I am incredibly free when I finally understand this. “How to perform I find not.” Ever feel that way? Can you relate to Paul in his carnal state? I can!

Romans 7:20

Here’s how to differentiate between a pig and a prodigal, between an unbeliever and a carnal Christian: Take the pig out of the pigpen, wash him in bubble bath, spray him with cologne, put a ribbon in his hair, a bow on his tail, and watch what happens the first time he sees some mud. The pig will wallow in it with joy. The prodigal, on the other hand, although he might foolishly find himself in the mud from time to time will not be comfortable there. Eventually, he’ll come to his senses and say, “Get me out of here. I hate this stuff"which is exactly where Paul was.

Romans 7:21

In my mind I want to follow the law of God. I want to walk in His ways and keep His commandments. That’s truly my determination and my mind-set. But my body rebels. My eyes are prone toward lusting. My ears strain to hear something juicy. My tongue wags so readily to gossip. There’s a war going on. How can I get victory?

Romans 7:23

When Paul was a natural man, the law slew him. When he became a believer, he found himself once again under legalism, with a war going on inside of him. The original translation of the last phrase of this verse sums up Paul’s state perfectly: “O wretched manme!” In Paul’s day, the sentence of a man convicted of first-degree murder could be to be tied to the body of his victim. Often, the stench alone would kill the murderer. It is possibly this Roman practice to which Paul is referring when he cries, “Who will free me from the failures, shortcomings, and sinful tendencies I’m forced to drag behind me wherever I go?” Paul is now ready to lead us into an explosively liberating truth. In verse Rom_7:18, he said, “How can I get victory?” After struggling a little longer, he realizes it’s not “how.” It’s “who.” And he’s only a verse or two away from the most exciting part of Romans because he’s no longer looking for how. He realizes it’s Him. Many Christians are concerned with “how.” “Please give us procedures, plans, and programs,” they say, not realizing those things only produce perpetual struggle. The flesh always cries, “How?” The Bible always answers, “Him!”

Romans 7:25

While we may readily agree with Paul that the answer lies not in a program or a procedureit is harder for us to understand that neither is the answer found in a principle. At this point in my study of Romans, I can say, “Wow! I get it. The penalty for my sin was paid on the Cross. The power of my sin was broken by the Cross. Preoccupation with my sin is eliminated because of the Cross. I’m free! It’s a principle I’m going to jot down in my journal, a principle in which I will rejoice.” But wait. Even as I have immersed myself in the Book of Romans, I’ve been on edge. When my temper has flared, I’ve been taken aback by the ugliness of my own flesh until the Lord dealt with my heart again, saying, “You are free. But you’re missing out on what only I can produce as you spend time with Me. Even if you have the principles down and the theology right, without Me, there will be no self-control or peace, love or joy, gentleness or goodness, faith or meekness. Those only come from spending time with Me.” One morning, I was kneeling beside my bed in prayer. As I got up to let in some air, my finger got caught between the two windows. Now, although this was just the kind of irritation that had been getting to me, this time I didn’t get upset at all. Why? It wasn’t because I was reading a book on how not to get mad when your finger gets stuck in the window. No, it’s because I was simply enjoying the Lord’s presence. Who shall deliver me? Not “How shall I be delivered theologically"but “Who shall deliver me personally?” Like Paul, I declare to you experientially and emphatically that Jesus Christ is the key!