2. Outline of Romans 7
Release from the Law, 1-6
Purpose of the Law, 7-13
Weakness of the Law, 14-25

3. The Principle: Romans 7:1
Law binds a person only while he lives
“Has dominion over” = control, govern, as 6:9 (death), 14 (sin)
Only way to serve new Master: get out from under the law that demands perfection
Death cancels all contracts

4. The Illustration: Ro.7:2-3
Bound by law
Law binds her: a wife is bound by what-ever the law says about her relationship to her husband while they are both alive
One remarriage is adultery; the other is not (3). Why?
Adultery: her husband lives
Not adultery: her husband has died
Adultery: bound to one, joined to another

5. The Application: Romans 7:4
Wife married to husband: he dies
We married to law: we die
Ro.6:4; Ga.2:19
Death dissolves marriage and bondage to law
Through the body of Christ (= His death)
Ep.2:14-16; Hb.10:10; 1 Pt.2:24
Married to another (2 Co.11:2; Ep.5:22-27; Rv.19:7)
We are like a widow who remarries

6. “In the flesh”: Romans 7:5-6
…when we were in the flesh…
When we were under control of its desires
Ro.6:6; 8:4; Ga.5:19-21
But now…
Delivered from the law (= v.2, released)
Having died… (= v.4, dead to the law)
Newness of Spirit oldness of letter
Spirit = NT [forgiveness] (6:16-22)
Letter = OT [perfection] (7:4-7)

7. Romans 7:7 Don’t think Paul is blaming the law Law did its job well
Its purpose was not to make men sinners, but to command and prohibit, and to identify sin
Covetousness is an example (Ex.20:17)
Without law, would not have known it was a sin

8. Romans 7:8 Sin personified
“Opportunity” = a base for military operations
Sin used law to do its work
Gn.3:1-6
Satan used the opportunity afforded by the commandment to lead Eve into sin

9. Romans 7:9 I was alive once Before reaching age of accountability
Word order:
Alive (innocent)
Command came (accountable)
Sinned (sin sprang to life)
He died (was killed, 11)
Contrast THD

10. Romans 7:10-11
Purpose of commandment: life
Result of commandment: death
Reason? He sinned
Sin deceived him (as 2 Co.11:3)
Sin killed him

11. Romans 7:12
Law is holy, just, good
The problem: not the law, but sin
Solution: Eliminate law?
Some blame laws, not criminals

12. Romans 7:13
Law showed sin in its true colors
Exceedingly sinful
Puts straightedge of law against crookedness of sin

13. Romans 7:14-25 – Who? (1/2)
Paul represents the frustrated Jew who tried to keep the law but failed
“I” – possible uses:
Personal (Paul’s own experience)
Typical (his experience typifies another’s)
Fictive (no personal ref. intended). Cf. “we” and “us” (13:11-13)
Polite (Ga.2:18)

14. Romans 7:14-25 – Who? (2/2) “Present tense” 1 Tim.1:15
“We experience such a conflict”
Ga.5:17ff.
“Only a Christian could struggle this strongly against sin”
Ro.2:14-15
Drunkard may admit sins but . . .

15. Quotes Ovid: Desire counsels me in one direction, reason in another
Ovid: I see the better part, and approve it; but I follow the worse
Plautus: I knew what I ought to be, but, unhappy that I am, I could not do it
Seneca: What then is it that, when we would go in one direction, drags us in the other?
Epictetus: He who sins does not what he would, and does what he would not

16. Context: Romans 7:7-13… Ro.7:7-13 . . .
A Jew, trained under Law, understood sin, but Law could not deliver him
Job 42:6; Is.6:5; Lk.5:8; 18:13
Paul’s purpose is not to answer questions about a Christian’s struggles with sin, but to explain the place of law in God’s purpose
“Law,” “commandment,” etc. occur some 35 times from 7:1-8:4

17. Context: Romans 7:13 The real culprit is sin, not the law
Purpose of law:
That sin might appear sin
That sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful
Beyond measure, in the extreme
A criminal cannot blame the law for his punishment

18. Romans 7 Contrast Romans 6 / 8 Sold under sin, 14 6:1-2, 9-11; Mt.6:24
Sin dwells in me, 17, 20
6:12, 14
In me no good thing, 18
8:1, 9-11, 12-14
Do not good but evil, 18f
6:4
Captive to law of sin, 23
6:13, 19; 7:5; 8:2
Wretched, 24
6:6
Who will rescue me? 24
7:25; 8:1-3
Body of death, 24
8:1-2
Slave to law of sin, 25
6:6, 17-18, 20, 22