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What does it mean to die to the law?
In "Biblical Perspective" Gordon Snider writes concerning Romans 7:4:
In verses 1-3 Paul had shown how death changes the relationship of the surviving marriage partner to the deceased. In this analogy the sinner is married to the law. But death (i.e., being crucified with Christ) breaks that bond. We would have expected that if man is married to the law, the law would have had to die in order for man to be free to marry another. It is not the law that dies, but the believer dies to the law. So long as we live for the law, we cannot live for Christ. That ye should be married to another. The person who is satisfied merely to be delivered from guilt does not truly understand the work of the cross. We are delivered from the law to be united with Christ, that we should bring forth fruit. In 6:22 Paul spoke of “fruit unto holiness,” and that thought seems to be carried on here, as the next two verses suggest.
Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 34.
The Struggle of the Believer
In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:
In verses 18 and 21, we have another important word that helps us to see the struggle of the believer — to will is present with me (v. 18), and evil is present with me (v. 21). The Greek word for is present with means “to lie beside” or “to be near.” It can be defined also as “to be present, at hand.” What a paradox! The “will” or intent to do good is present or at hand, but to “perform” (carry the desire into effect) is not present. In other words, the desire to do good was possible, it was in his power, and it was his habitual inclination and purpose of mind to do right. But in contrast, verse 21 also says that evil is present with him. This “evil” is as near at hand as the desire to do good. It raises its ugly head unbidden and undesired, to turn one from doing good. Thus we see here man with sin dwelling (or making its abode) within him and causing him to miss the design of doing good. Even when the will to do good is present, the power of sin is also present. There is only one Power that can enable man to overcome the power of sin — that is the indwelling power of the blessed Holy Spirit.
Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 34.
The Story of Humanity
In "God's Word for Today" William Snider writes:
Romans 7 is, in all reality, a story of humanity. Faced with a sober assessment of his own nature, the troubled/convicted person seeks a peace which, he comes to understand, is beyond his reach. It is a painful moment of self-realization. The awareness of the human limitation aided by the awakening/convicting grace of God provides for a view of a struggle in the inner self. The quality of life being lived by the supplicant suggests that he is an awak-ened sinner, fleeing what Bunyan described as “the city of destruction.” In his self-promoted revolution, he meets with total defeat. First, he proposes to change the pattern of his past and commit himself to doing what is ethically right. Apparently confident in this resolution, he is surprised to discover that the law or reality of sin as a governing principle in his life makes it impossible for him to achieve his goal. Disappointed in his resolution and now aware of his weakness, he resolves to at least avoid that which is wrong as determined by obedience to the law. Whatever ideas he had of who he was in terms of righteousness, he now becomes aware that, despite intentions otherwise, not only can he not do right, but he cannot avoid doing wrong. The first revelation is disappointing at best, but the second is grounds for despair. Locked into an ever-revolving world of sin and death, he looks away from himself for assistance, but where to look? …
Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, pages 34-35.
Pray for Your Lesson
Heavenly Father, I ask for Your wisdom and enlightenment as I study for next week’s lesson.
Help me, Lord, to understand Your Word. I know that thousands of years separate us from when Your Word was written. The culture today is very different than those to whom Your Word was first written. Therefore, I pray for Your help as I seek to understand how the first hearers of scripture understood what You were saying to them and then bridge it to our context and culture today.
Father, I ask for wisdom in applying Your scripture. Help us not to use Your words as “proof texts” to create legalistic rules with which You are not pleased. Yet help us also to regard Your Word as authoritative, rather than merely “good suggestions” for living.
I pray also that You would give me creativity and passion in delivering this lesson. Help me to present it in such a way that my students are truly engaged with the topic and text. Help me to teach it with such passion that the students are not bored or might think that the text does not matter to their lives.
Thank You for the help You are sure to give. Amen.
What does the relationship of the Christian to Christ look like?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Omar Lee writes:
Hardly any orthodox Christian will deny that a person who is a Christian should be in a relationship with Christ. What that relationship is may draw widely differing doctrines. Perhaps the two that are most often put forward are these: 1. We are “in Christ.” Therefore, God sees only the righteousness of Christ, and we are accepted by God no matter how we live after being accepted through faith in Christ. 2. Others contend that, while we are “in Christ,” we must also have “Christ in us.” This teaching conforms more closely to the Scriptures. Romans 6:1 asks the question, “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” The following verse gives the emphatic answer, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
See your Adult Insights for the conclusion of Dr. Lee's thoughts.
Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 32.