Review:
The Letter of Paul to the Roman Church is a power theological treatise of the relation of God to mankind. It explains the nature of God and his righteousness towards both Jews and Gentiles; it carries with it both a spiritual and practical message. Paul makes it clear in the opening verses that there is a Gospel of Good News. He states, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Rom 1:16). In contrast, Paul highlights the bad news that has affected us all from the time of Adam and Eve; that all humanity lies, spiritually dead and without hope, under the judgment of God. The Jews put their hope in the Law of Moses, which was no aid to the eternal salvation offered in the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Gentiles were also without excuse because the very nature of God is evident in creation. Both the Law and Creation are to mirror the righteousness of God in contrast to our own sinfulness.
However, Paul does not leave us stuck in the bad news, but brings to us hope through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His atoning sacrifice has made salvation possible. His blood and his body released the flow of life, healing and righteousness which comes to us as a gift. The question remains, how is this gift received? In Romans 4, Paul reviewed Jewish history, and highlighted an important principle which has operated from the time of Abraham; “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (verse 3). The beauty of the Gospel is we, as believers, have the privilege to experience the peace that faith comes to us in Jesus Christ. Even though the Adam’s sin brought death into the world, the second Adam, Jesus Christ brings with him the gift of righteousness and abundant life in God (Romans 5).
Courtroom Drama
Romans 6:1–14 is a pivotal passage in Paul’s legal argument, remember the Court of Law that was described several weeks ago. One of the aspects of a courtroom is the interaction between the prosecutor, the defense lawyer and the witnesses. The end desire of the lawyers is to win their case. The Judge presides, but the lawyers argue and debate their points. Eventually, a guilty or not guilty verdict is reached. This reminds me of the Accuser of the Brethren bringing charges against us to the Judge but finding our Mediator Jesus Christ standing in our defense. Stay with me as we follow this back-and-forth interaction! The courtroom thoughts of Romans 6-7 are also the launching pad for another presentation: A Sanctified Life through the Spirit; that is the title of a coming sermon. But first, let’s carry on with our courtroom drama.
Not Under Law, But Under Grace
This key verse begins a series of bantering back and forth between lawyers, between the logic needed to be liberated under grace. We must remember that we are not to be mastered by anything, especially sin… “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” (Rom 6:14). This is one of the opening statements from our advocate and lawyer Jesus Christ. This powerful thought permeates the Book of Romans. We are not under sin because we are not obligated to the Law. Paul tells us we are actually “under” grace; this means we are under the rule or the mastery or dominion of grace. This is the Good News of the Gospel. Not only has the righteousness of God been supplied to us in Jesus, but also the full effect and influence of grace.
The courtroom, with all the question and answers, is full of debate. The next thought in Paul’s spiritual courtroom forms around the repetitive questions found in Rom 6:1 and 6:15. “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (verse 1) and “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” (verse 15) The obvious answer is an emphatic – NO! As believers we have new life in accordance with Jesus Christ. We have been baptized into his death and raised to life through his resurrection. As well, we no longer need to be slave to sin. We can come into faith in Jesus and be slave of righteousness leading to holiness. This is the climax of Paul’s presentation; those who are spiritually dead can have life through faith in Jesus, resulting in union with God! We are no longer under the Law of Moses but under God’s glorious grace.
Freed from the Law
Paul has clearly stated that the believers in Rome were under the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Gospel, the Good News that was sweeping across the Roman Empire. A question again arises - How can we legally be freed from the Law? The Law in no longer our point of reference with God, it is Jesus Christ. So, Paul turned to marriage for an illustration (Romans 7:1-6). He reminds us that a married couple is bound to each other under their marriage vows until one of them dies. The death of one frees the remaining spouse, so that the living partner is free to remarry. When we consider this in the context of the Law, God considers us to have “died to the Law through the body of Christ” (verse 4), and so to be free from any past obligation to live “under” the Law (Rom 6:14 – again this is our key verse springing forth). In a similar thought, our union with Jesus is like a marriage, so that when he died and fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, we were legally released from any obligation to the Law. We must remember that Jesus came full of grace and truth… (John 1:14).
Why is it important to be free from the Law? Because it is the Law that defines and recognizes sin. The Law then energizes or stimulates our sinful nature, arousing sinful passions, resulting in death. Paul tells us there is a new way. Rom 7:6 – “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” This new way is remarkable to experience. First the impartation of the righteousness of God, through faith in our Lord Jesus (Justification). Secondly, the application of the righteousness of God, through faith in our Lord Jesus (Sanctification). When we pronounce the Law is dead to us and Jesus and the grace of God are alive to us, by faith we become the righteousness of God. It then becomes the work of the Spirit to apply this righteousness from the inside out in the life of a believer.
Back to the courtroom. We see Paul again using question and answer and to debate and engage the Roman believers. If the Law is so intricately linked to sin, is Law evil? (Rom 7:7–12). We know that the Law energizes the sinful nature. However, this does not make the Law sinful. It simply points out sin. And when sin is acted upon, it is the sin, not the Law, that is producing death. In other words, the Law is is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good (Rom 7:12) but sin is not. If we want to experience freedom we must put to death the deeds of the sinful nature by not living under the Law, but under grace. It is the life of the Spirit that then energizes our new nature found in Christ Jesus.
Have you ever struggled with sin?
Paul did. I believe he is sharing his personal journey of transitioning out of the life of a Pharisee of Pharisees. He is identifying what happens to the life of a believer who tries to relate to God through Law? (Romans 7:13–25). It is impossible to live the Christian life when we approach the gospel based on do’s and don’ts, well meaning rules or even good laws… The problem that arises is this. None of us are perfect, therefore, we will struggle with sin, shame and blame. Here is how Paul states this in the Scriptures – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:15-20).
In conclusion
Paul’s conclusion to this awkward dilemma is to cry out and acknowledge – “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom 7:24-25).
Paul has taken the time to lay out a thoughtful, step by step theological approach to the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has very clearly stated that we are no longer to live under the Law. In the same breath, he tells us to count ourselves dead to sin (Rom 6:11) and slaves to righteousness (Rom 6:18). At some point in Paul’s walk with Jesus he made a great discovery. When he stopped trying to fulfill the Law and depended upon God to impart and express Jesus’ righteousness through Paul’s inner life, then the righteous obligations of the Law were completely met. This again is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God empowers our new spirit nature to live a righteous life, when we focus on trusting Jesus. It is all about connecting and trusting in Jesus Christ that enables us to fully live the abundant life.
Let’s Pray…