Peter Barnes | Romans 7:1-6
SERMON NOTES
FREED FROM THE LAW
(Romans 7:1-6)
– in Romans 6:2, 11 the Christian dies to sin, but in Romans 7:1-6 he dies to the law.
– Martyn Lloyd-Jones: ‘The way to overcome sin is not to teach morality, it is to preach the gospel.’ Sanctification is in Christ (1 Cor.1:30).
1. The law rules over us as long as we live.
– 7:1; it is the command of the king – either obedience or the scaffold.
2. This relationship is like a marriage.
– 7:2-3; this is only an illustration. He is dealing with broad principles, not divorce and remarriage as a subject.
– 1 Cor.7:39 – death allows remarriage.
3. The law without the Spirit produces sin; being married to Christ produces holiness.
– 7:4-6; the law does not die, we do! It is Gal.2:19, not Rom.6:2
– we do not tack Jesus onto our goodness (Mark 2:21-22)
– the law can restrain sin (e.g. 1 Tim.1:8-10), but Rom.7:5 says that it can provoke it
– the Spirit provides the power (2 Cor.3:6; Ezek.36:25-27); like the housekeeper who hates her work until she falls in love with the master