The things Paul wanted to do, he confessed he didn’t do, yet the things he didn’t want do, these things he did. This is what happens when we wrestle between the flesh and the spirit. All Christians know this fight.
Romans 7: Released from the Law
1 Or do you not know, brothers---for I am speaking to those who know the law---that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?
2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage.
3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
The Law and Sin
7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."
8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.
10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.
11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Things to think about…
1. Paul says the law is binding – like marriage is binding before God, Rom 7:1-6. But if a husband dies the wife is free to marry. So too with the law. Christ has died; we are free from the law, vs 4. Paul’s point is that we belong to another and as such are released from the law. We now serve the Spirit, vs 6 and not the law. Praise God for the freedom we have in Christ.
2. Does the law now have no purpose? Paul asks, is the law sinful? His answer – certainly not!, Rom 7:7. What then is the purpose of the Levitical law and the Ten Commandments? Paul goes on to say that it showed up our problem – our sin, Rom 7:8ff. We don’t see our need for a Saviour unless we are shown the fact that we have sin working in us and this is the thing that separates us from God. Paul says it (sin) killed him, vs 11. This is why we need to preach the OT law. We need to know that we are all spiritually dead and if Christ is not accepted as our Saviour we will remain spiritually and eternally dead. A fearful thing.
3. Paul then goes on to explain that his fleshly nature makes him do what he doesn’t want to do and vice versa, Rom 7:15-20. Some commentators say here that Paul is speaking about his previous life as one who was under the law and not under grace. They say this is not the case for the Christian. But Paul seems to be saying in these verses that he still struggles with the sinful nature, hence his conclusion on Rom 7:25. I do too and as such I find incredible comfort from Paul’s honesty in these verses.
4. I believe one of the things that confirms that Paul is speaking as part of a post Christian experience in Rom 7 is found in vs 22. We can only delight in the law in our inner being through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us before his conversion he obeyed the law outwardly, but he did not delight in it in his ‘inner being’. He was a Pharisee and everything to the Pharisees was outward and hypocritical, their hearts were hard. As such as a Pharisee Paul could never say what he says in Rom 7:24, 25. The Pharisees believed they could fulfil the law through their righteousness. Paul says this is only possible through Christ, which delivers us from the law’s death sentence. The glorious truth remains for Paul and for us “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”, vss 24, 25.Amen.
Vision Point for Cell groups
CBC's Vision "To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission".
Cell group questions from Sunday morning’s sermon “Lord of all” Job 42.
1. Have you ever seen something new in the scriptures. Jay mentioned he had to change his views on end times and the work of the Spirit. Perhaps you have held some theology for a while but then changed you view after looking further into things. Discuss.
2. Job experienced blessing, but then knew a great amount of suffering. His perspective was changed, then he was abundantly blessed in the end, Job 42:10-17. What does Job’s final blessing say to us as believers in Christ?
3. Jesus promises to bless us as our Saviour from sin, we will inherit eternity with him. Can you imagine heaven and the blessings of heaven? What do you think they look like? Consider Rev 21, 22.
4. Prayer and praise points below.
Prayer Points
1. New folk coming to church, pray they are loved and looked after.
2. America still considering who will be their president. Pray for the supreme court challenges. Pray for truth, grace and peace.
3. Keep praying for Zac’s dad, Mark Torrington not out of the woods yet.
4. Sunday’s message. This week – “We’re in trouble” Rom 1-3, Jay.
7. Church finances to meet our expenses and to put a roof over our café.
8. Our City and Country – Pray for revival over our city and the leadership of our country even through these challenging times.
Praise Points.
1. Prayer time Sunday morning – God over all plans – even when technology doesn’t work.
2. AGM – more confirmation of our Lord’s care and blessing over CBC.
3. All those who served on Sunday with Music, audio, words and streaming.
4. Angelo, Helen, Doug, Maddison, Yuki thankyou for your efforts every week.
5. Early teens youth group will run at CBC on Friday afternoons. Zach Lipp heading this up. Contact Zac for more details. Starts after school on Fridays 3:30pm and goes to 5:00pm.
6. Unity, peace and grace at CBC.
6. Finances have been blessed. Thankyou.
Announcements
1. Carols Sun 20th Dec 6pm. Start with a meal. Carols to start after the meal around 7pm.
2. AGM – this Sunday 15th November after the morning service. Open for all.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Kids Church activity sheets provided – either in the house or church.
