‘TIL DEATH DO US PART–A LESSON FROM MARRIAGE
Romans 7:1-6
SALVATION BY FAITH PRODUCES A HOLY LIFE (6-8).
Rom. 6-7: 3 COMMON OBJECTIONS to salvation by faith.
OBJECTION CONCERNING GRACE 6:1-14
OBJECTION: If salvation is by faith, greater sin = more grace
Wouldn’t it be better to sin more,
so God's grace might be more evident? 6:1
RESPONSE: No! We’ve died to sin and risen to new life with Christ.
We can't go on living in sin. 6:2-14
"You can't live as you once did because you’re no longer the person you once were."
Key to living free from sin’s control:
Perspective: Consider ourselves dead to sin but alive to God;
Stop presenting ourselves as instruments of sin
Present ourselves as instruments of righteousness
Summary: sin is no longer our master– God is!
because we aren’t under law, but under grace.
[ False charge: some might think that since we’re no longer under law, a little disobedience to the law won’t hurt us!We might as well go on sinning!]
OBJECTION CONCERNING LIBERTY 6:15-7:6
OBJECTION: We aren't saved by law; we're saved by grace.
Doesn't that leave us free to break the law? 6:15a
Christian living isn’t about following a list of rules!
So, if law doesn’t matter, we might as well go out and live it up!
Fear: people get idea they can forget about law and live however they please!
RESPONSE: 6:15b-7:6 No way! ”Don’t even think about it!”
Faith in Christ doesn't give us freedom to sin,
Faith in Christ gives us freedom from sin,
We’re now free to serve God.
[ 2 illustrations . . . People who raise this objection don’t understand grace NOR law! ]
ILLUSTRATION FROM SLAVERY 6:15b-23 Deals with issue of grace
When a slave changes owners, the old owner no longer has authority over him.
By God’s grace, we are free from bondage to sin.
By God’s grace, we are free to serve God.
We were slaves of sin, but now we are free from sin.
We don't have any reason to go on sinning.
We’re free to serve righteousness and to live an upright life.
We’re ALL slaves of something.
Some serve sin; Others serve righteousness.
You can tell who a slave’s master is by watching whom he obeys. Each obeys his own master!
Those who obey sin’s orders, are slaves to sin.
Those who walk in righteousness are slaves of righteousness.
Key to a satisfying life: slavery/obedience to God.
Slaves of sin produce wickedness which leads to death.
Slaves of righteousness produce holiness which leads to eternal life.
Gospel produces satisfying life, committed to God which leads to life.
Never produces “free” lifestyle that revolves around our desires.
Liberty faith produces motivates us to serve God!
ILLUSTRATION FROM MARRIAGE 7:1-6 Deals with the issue of law.
Law has no authority over dead people! 1-3
Principle stated: 7:1 Law applies only to people who are alive!
Principle illustrated: 7:2-3
Marriage teaches that law has authority over a person as long as he is alive. However, this authority ends when we die
Wife bound while husband lives. 2a
Wife released when husband dies. 2b
Implications:
If she unites with another, she becomes an adulteress. 3a
While he lives, she’s adulterous.
When he dies, she’s free.
She isn’t an adulteress if he’s dead![Similarly ]
We have DIED to the law 7:4-6 4
. . . so we could be united with Christ
. . . so we could bear fruit for God–glorify Him
We died with Christ > we died to law and are free from its authority.
DEATH BREAKS THE BOND, as with husband and wife,
so death—our death with Christ—breaks bond which formerly yoked us to law.
McGee: Before Civil War, plantation owner was married to beautiful wife. He became ill and died suddenly. It was a great heartbreak! She had him embalmed, and placed in a glass case in entry way. When you opened the door, there he was, looking at you.
Friends suggested she travel a while. She went north for 2 yr. During that time she met another man, fell in love, and they decided to marry. On honeymoon, they went to the plantation. He picked her up; carried her over the threshold, suddenly coming face to face with the man in the glass case.
“Who’s that?” She explained it was 1st husband, they decided it was time to bury him. She was married to a new man; it was time to bury the old man. He was dead.
Many have law in glass case in middle of the living room–still trying to live by law.
We’re now wed to Christ. We no longer live by the old law.
We’re united with Christ. We live in strength of new nature.
Contrast–past vs. present
Past: 7:5
The law used to arouse sinful desires in us
While we were under the law, human nature was producing its own fruit.
Law’s restrictions were provoking us to disobey
So we would bear the kind of fruit that leads to death–not a pretty sight! The results were self-centered, ugly, garbage!
We can imagine what it would be like for wife confronted daily by husband with long list of things to do.
Nothing short of perfection accepted; no excuses allowed!
Every failure results in bawling out for ineptitude and incompetence. She lashes out in anger.
Wife might celebrate death of such a husband. His death brings sighs of relief! She’s free!
Present: 7:6
We have died and been released from the law.
Death has freed us from law's dominion.
Now we can serve in a new way, obeying the Spirit
We no longer serve in the old way, obeying legalistic rules.
We serve under authority of the Spirit, rather than the letter.
New freedom in the air—expectancy we can do what God asks!
By power of the Holy Spirit we can fulfill God's demands.
Our life is useful in His sight
Joy when children outgrow “rule-setting” stage—we no longer have to force them to wash their hair or brush their teeth. New motivation comes into their life—it’s a girl (or a boyl)!—suddenly we have to make rules about how long they can tie up the bathroom! That’s the difference between the letter of the law and newness of the Spirit. They have their own, internal, motivation! Breath of fresh air!
Since our marriage to the law has been dissolved, we’re free to serve the Spirit in a new way.
Instead of despair, there’s joy!
Instead of bondage, freedom!
Instead of death, life!
We’re no longer yoked to law, but to Christ. Now Christ lives His life through us.
So then, shall we sin because we’re not under law but under grace?
NO WAY!
Why? Because we’re FREE to follow Christ .
We’ve received life-changing benefits that are ours, as His followers!
We’ve been freed from the law
so we can follow a new master, in newness of life!
Why would you EVER want to go back to all the RULES of past?!!!
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.