Romans 7:1 to 8:21
Having had a righteousness from God imputed to us by faith apart from the Law, we now have the choice to live a life of holiness.  No longer enslaved to our sin nature, we can rise above any self-destructive behavior that has caused us, and those around us, sorrow in the past. We’ve been given an eternal perspective, knowing that the best is yet to come. (2 Cor. 4:18)  Free from the compulsive need to grab all we can, however we can, as long as we can, we can begin to live lives of peace and experience the joy of giving, in gratitude for all we’ve received
Remember, our most important goal now is to prepare for the soon coming kingdom. (Phil 3:13-14)  It’s time to start storing up our treasure there because that’s where we’re headed. (Matt. 6:19-21)  Because we’ve been freed from bondage, all we need to do is decide to adopt an eternal perspective and start making the choices that accompany it.  From then on every day brings us one day closer.  To help us prepare, Paul will now take us through “Law School” asRomans 7 is sometimes called.

Romans 7
An Illustration From Marriage
Do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to men who know the law—that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.  So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 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. (Romans 7:1-6)

No longer forced to live by the Law and fear the punishment due us for disobedience, we can choose to live by the Spirit and enjoy the blessings that accompany obedience.  As we do, others around us will be drawn by our example, and soon we’ll be storing up treasure in Heaven.

Struggling With Sin
What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”  But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead.  Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.  I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.  So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.  Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. (Romans 7:7-13)

Paul displayed a healthy dose of his towering intellect here, and if we’re not careful we’ll get lost in it.  Simply put, the Law sets forth God’s standard of righteousness.  It’s a pattern that we can superimpose upon our behavior to show us how well we conform.  We sin by thinking that if our external actions conform then we’re righteous, because in reality our internal thoughts betray our true motives. We think that because we don’t go around murdering people, we haven’t broken the commandment.  Then we discover that being angry with someone is just as bad as killing them.  Same with adultery vs. lust, theft vs. coveting, and so on.  So the Law, which is holy, righteous, and good reveals how utterly sinful we are and condemns us to death.

As children, we weren’t subject to the Law and had life.  But as soon as we could comprehend it, the Law revealed our sinfulness and from then on we were as good as dead.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:14-20)

In a moment of extreme candor, Paul admitted that though he tried with all his heart to avoid sinning, his sin nature always betrayed him. In other words, He wasn’t a sinner because he sinned, he sinned because he was a sinner.  It was his nature to sin, and it’s ours too. Once you realize this, you’ll experience an overwhelming sense of relief because Paul wrote under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  And that means that God understands this about us, and prompted Paul’s disclosure to give us peace.  He knows that no matter how hard we try, we’ll fail to meet His righteous standard because we’re flawed.  Our sin nature will always betray us. Knowing that is what allows Him to forgive us over and over for the same sins, every time we ask.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:21-25)

Deep down, we all want to be good, but our flawed nature will always sabotage us.  This is why only God could rescue us.  Where the law is concerned, we can’t save ourselves from the penalty due us for our violations.  It took the God who created us to do it.  That’s the message of Law School.

Romans 8:1-21
Life Through the Spirit
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.  And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-5)

If we have trusted Jesus for our salvation, we can no longer be condemned when we fall short of the Law’s standards.  When He paid the full penalty due us, Jesus confirmed that the Law was righteous in condemning us for our past sins.  But at the same time His death relieved us of any future liability that might accrue to us as well.  Since the full measure of the Law’s requirements have been met in Him, we cannot be charged. The Law of Double Jeopardy protects us. We need only confess to be forgiven. (1 John 1:9)

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.  Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Romans 8:6-8)

By comparing this passage with what Paul admitted about himself in Romans 7:14-20, we know that it’s our intent he’s speaking of here, not our actions.  We all sin from time to time, and we do it on purpose.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8)  One of the ways in which the sinful nature has been defined is “the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God.” How we react to our own behavior helps us see our intent.  When we feel convicted by our sinful behavior and are prompted to confess and be forgiven, we’re responding to the Spirit’s divine influence, living in accordance with the Spirit.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:9-11)

If we’re saved, the Holy Spirit dwells within us.  Even though our physical bodies are doomed to die because of our sins, our spirits are alive in Christ. And one day, with the same power He used to bring Jesus out of the tomb, God will bring the bodies of those who’ve died in Him out of their tombs as well, so that body and spirit may be reunited.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.   And by him we cry, “Abba Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:12-17)

Knowing what our destiny is, our obligation is to become in fact what we already are in faith. Think of it as being royalty in training, learning to live in the manner of the noble born.  We’re above the heathen now and no longer compelled to act as they do. And even when we fall short of the standard to which we’re called, the Spirit within us reminds us that we’re not slaves living in fear of expulsion from the household, but sons and daughters of the King Himself.  Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12) If we have shared in the Lord’s suffering, meaning that we’ve allowed His death to pay for our sins, then we’ll share in His glory.  For if we’re God’s children then we’re also God’s heirs, and along with Jesus will divide His estate.

Future Glory
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21)

It wasn’t just man who was judged at the Fall. The entire creation suffered as well. And it’s been waiting ever since for the Church to be revealed in glory.  Only then can it be liberated from its bondage to decay.  When we descend from heaven in the New Jerusalem, there’ll be no more mourning or death or crying or pain for us, for the old order of things will have passed away. (Rev. 21:4)  And when the Redeemed of Israel march forth into the Promised Land to begin the Kingdom Age on Earth, they’ll go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before them, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Psalm 55:12)  The long night of its bondage finally over, the creation itself will burst into song.  We can only imagine. Selah

Paul spent the better part of three chapters showing us man’s desperate need for a savior.  Any righteousness we can earn on our own is clearly inadequate to meet God’s standards.  We need to acquire a righteousness equal to His in order to dwell in His presence.  Thankfully such a righteousness is available.  It was made so by the Lord Himself, and is imputed to us by faith in His completed work on the cross.

Romans 5
Peace and Joy
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:1-5)

Suffering is normally not a cause for rejoicing, but as believers we have a right to rejoice even then because we know that God is working everything together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)  “Rejoice in the Lord always,” Paul said.  “I will say it again.  Rejoice!” (Phil 4:4)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

Notice how it says, “Christ died for the ungodly,” and, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Paul didn’t say, “Because you’re worthy” or even, “If you become worthy,” but simply, “Christ died for the ungodly … while we were still sinners.”  Jesus died for us all, irrespective of our merit or worthiness, whether we accept it or not.  How will those who’ve done so justify rejecting such a gift?

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)

Saved from God’s wrath.  There’s that word “from” again.  It first showed up in 1 Thes. 1:10 where Paul says we’re rescued “from” the coming wrath. The Greek word is “apo”.  It denotes departure and separation, as the separation of a part from the whole, putting distance between them, both of place and of time.  It’s used 671 times in the New Testament and overwhelmingly means “from” or “out of”.  Before the coming wrath, those who are saved will be separated from those who aren’t.  Separated by distance and time.  That means we won’t be here when it happens.  We’ve been justified (rendered righteous), we’ve been reconciled (returned to favor), and we’ve been saved (rescued from danger or destruction). Praise the Lord!

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:12-14)

There was only one commandment in Adam’s time, and he broke it.  This brought death and allowed sin to enter the world.  Even though the commandments were not yet given, and therefore sin was not being measured, sin was now in the world and all men sinned, so all men died.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:15-17)

Though all men die because of one man’s sin, the Lord’s death does much more than simply restore man to life. Immeasurable blessings will accrue to those who receive God’s gift of grace, both in this life and the next.

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5: 18-21)

Adam’s single trespass wound up condemning all men.  Then the Law was given to show us just how sinful we really are.  But our Lord’s death brought a gift of grace sufficient to cover all our sins and endow us with a righteousness that’s equal to God’s own, qualifying us for eternal life with Him. (2 Cor. 5:21).

Romans 6
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.(Romans 6:1-7)

This gift of grace is not a license to sin.  Quite the contrary, we’ve been freed from the bondage of sin.  We can now choose to live a life pleasing to God, no longer slaves but free. As we sank beneath the baptismal waters our old selves died, and as we rose again we became a new creation with new potential and new possibilities.  The old has gone, and the new has come! (2 Cor. 5:17) Not will come, but has come.  In the Lord’s eyes we’re now as righteous as He is with the power to live the life He’s always dreamed we’d live. A life that brings glory to Him and peace to us.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.  For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. (Romans 6:8-14)

Only believers truly have this power of choice in their lives. Since we’ve been freed from bondage we can choose to live a life that unbelievers could never hope for, and we can do it without any fear of failure, aspiring to its highest levels, knowing that His grace is sufficient when we fall.  No matter how big a disaster yesterday was, with each morning comes a new beginning, filled with promise.

Slaves to Righteousness
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:15-22)

The Dylan song goes, “It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve someone.”   We can serve the god of this world who offers only death as a reward, or we can choose to serve the God of Life and receive an eternal portion of His abundance.  Those are our only choices. The unbeliever looks back on his worldly life and longs for another chance, because he knows he’s gotten all he’s ever going to get.  The believer looks forward to eternal life because he knows that the best is yet to come.  Selah.