As we continue on in our series: Romans: The Letter That Changed the World

We are reminded of God’s Kindness to us as we see in Romans 3:24.

“Because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” (Romans 8:2, NLT)

Winning the War Within Romans 7:1-25

Released through Death Winning the War Within Released through Death

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.” (Romans 7:4, NLT)

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6, NLT)

“But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.” (Romans 7:6, NLT)

The Law = Torah, Law of Moses

Blessing of the Law Shows us our sin; right from wrong (v. 7) Designed to bring life (v. 10) Holy, right, good (v. 12)

Speed limits/human laws ILL : Adam and Eve Speed limits/human laws

the power to stimulate sin and then condemn for sinning. Power of the law… “…the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.” (Romans 7:5, NLT) the power to stimulate sin and then condemn for sinning.

winning the war within The lethal power of sin

Sin Principle “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”” (Genesis 4:7, NLT)

“Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4, NIV84)

Sin Arouses Evil Desire “But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.” (Romans 7:8, NLT)

Sin Corrupts God’s Commands “Sin took advantage of those commands ...” (Romans 7:11, NLT) “So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.” (Romans 7:13, NLT)

Sin Deceives “Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.” (Romans 7:11, NLT)

Sin Destroys “But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.” (Romans 7:9–11, NLT)

winning the war within The human struggle

Adam Paul Israel People

“I” = Paul as part of the people of Israel under the Law of Moses; representative of all people under the dominion of “law.”

I am all too human ● I am a slave to sin ● I don’t understand myself ● I want to do right; I don’t ● There’s nothing good in me ● I want to do right; I can’t ● I want to do good; I don’t ● I don’t want to do wrong; I do it anyway ● What a miserable person I am

Power of the Law Law Power of Sin Shame Death

Who can free me?

winning the war within Our Only hope

“Thank God. The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” (Romans 7:25, NLT)