I am a retired pastor of the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India.

Email: Pastor True Gospel

Preface

In the previous chapter, we have seen that if we do not give fruits of holiness, it is proof that we are not yet freed from sins, and at the end we will not have everlasting life. So, let us examine ourselves whether we are giving fruit of holiness or of sin, because it will cause us to inherit heaven, or be cast us in hell. What we say or confess are not proof, since could be bluffing. God will give us the gift of eternal life only if we produce fruits for him.

In the beginning of this chapter, we see a woman, who is symbolic of us. She is married to a man, who is symbolic to religion. She marries another man, and her second husband is symbolic to Jesus Christ. Let us study the illustration: Here, the woman is married to religion, it is by the law. Now she want to marry another man, he is Jesus Christ; but it will not be according to the law, since she already has a husband; and so, it is adultery. But if the first husband dies, that is, if the religion became dead to her, then the second marriage to Jesus Christ, will not be adultery, because the law that bound with the first husband is ceased, because he is now dead. So, apostle Paul says, or the revelation of scripture to such a woman as us is that we must first let the religion die to us, which are church, ceremonies, rituals, tradition, and such; and then marry Jesus Christ as the second husband, then God will accept it. But, if we hold to religion, and we want Jesus Christ for us also, God considers it as adultery, and Jesus Christ will not be for you.

"1-4. 1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?" This is the law of marriage, which is the part of Mosaic law, that is for Jews. "2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." Yes, when the first husband dies, she is free from the first marriage contract or law, and she will be free to marry another, without being an adulterous. It is allowed and approved of God. "4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." The body of Christ is the Spirit of God. If we become of the Spirit, we will be dead to ceremonies and religion. Then we will be united with the resurrected Spirit Jesus as one, that is, we are married to the Lord Jesus Christ. Most people learn to say it as a cliché, which is fake. But we must have proof for it in our life.

"5&6. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." When we were with the law, that is, we were part of religion and church. Our worship to God was; by singing songs, giving offerings, chanting after the clergy, listening to sermons, and living a social and religious life. But now, as we grow in the Spirit of the Lord, we will yield the fruit to God that is in righteous living, loving our neighbor, and living to bring glory to our holy God. Now we will be proving that we are new creature.

"7&8. 7 What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." The law gives the knowledge of what is sin and what is righteousness. But the knowledge will not make us righteous. We must take effort to live the life of righteousness. For that we need the Spirit of God. "8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead." So, the law is not sin, it shows to us what is sin. We are born just with the body and soul. Jesus Christ told us to be born again, that is to be born of the Spirit. Then we are as newborn Spirit babies. Then we grow step by step. In the process, it is necessary to learn and grow above the law by schoolteachers. "Galatians 3: 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." So, now we are without the law.

Analogy and logic of apostle Paul which serves as stumbling stones

God uses this passage from here to the end of this chapter in a special way so that false preachers, false teachers and false believers may stumble and fall. When God became Man Jesus, the high priest, regular priests, the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and all were very religious and were zealous for God, but they were not righteous. God has rejected most of them, they were not saved, and all were given to eternal destruction. God is righteous and he does it the same way even in our churches. But Christians turn blind to this true fact, and are destroyed. They use such passages in this chapter for their own destruction as the religious people at the time of Jesus fell. It could be the plan of God. God is using apostle Paul for this purpose.

Apostle Paul was never without law; and he was born as a Jew. Let us see a few verses of his testimony about his religion as well as in Jesus Christ. It is "Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," and so on. He was born as a Jew, zealous for God and at the same time had confidence in the flesh, religion based on circumcision. He persecuted the church that is the body of Christ, until the day he was confronted by the Lord himself. Then he left all things for the excellency of Lord Jesus Christ. Now let us see the exposition of Paul, it is also the word of God.

Back to Romans 7: "9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." In his real life Paul was born as a Jew, and so, he was never without law. But here he says that he was without law. However, he is not lying here, but he hypothetically takes the position as a gentile, for the purpose of teaching. Here he speaks he is a proxy gentile, as if he has no knowledge in Judaism. Take caution to realize that he is only a proxy gentile, but he is a zealous Jew. He was never without the law. Without taking this caution, false preachers make themselves blind, and misguide may people to hell. However, let us just follow his logic. It is not literal, but hypothetical teaching, and he speaks as a gentile.

"10-15. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death." As a gentile he speaks: He came to accept Jesus Christ, and his gospel, which is his commands, which is the law of righteousness; caution: it is not the law of religion. As a gentile, or as a person who has no law, he was not a sinner. Now he came to Jesus Christ, he found that he is caught in the law, it is of righteousness, however now he finds that he is a sinner. He came to Jesus Christ to be saved, but now he finds that he is a sinner going to hell. So, he says, he came to be escaped fom hell, but he is caught in hell. So, just the opposite is happened to his expectation. "11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me." Sin is not sin, when there is no law. So he says that the law that he has expected to save him, killed him; it is a figure of speach. "12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." He says that the righteous law and commands are holy; caution, it is not referring to religious laws. "13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." Paul plays with his words and logic. He accepts that law of God is good, yet if we do not obey it, it will make exceeding sinful since now we know the law and not obeying it on purpose, so, we will face death. "14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." Here the law is the law of righteousness, it is of God, and men are of the flesh. "15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." It is the predicament that he is in, he is not able to do what is right.

"16-20. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good." He speaks as a new gentile believer, who is just introduced the faith, but yet not converted. He accept that the law of righteousness is good, even though he is not following it. "17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." That is the nature of the flesh is to sin, that is what we are. But, the Spirit can guide a person to righteousness, if he is born of the Spirit. "19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." He acknowledge that an unconverted person will be sinning, even though he know the law of righteousness. We have to be cautious about the teaching of preachers from this verse. Most of them teach this verse as the witness of Paul and say that Paul testifies as if he was living in sin despite that he was an apostle and know the law of righteousness. Then they argue that even Paul cannot but sin, how come we can live with no sin. And they conclude that no man can live without sinning. It is the teaching of the devil. This is a stumbling verse God has allowed Paul to write for these false preachers to be damned in eternal death. "20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." So, the flesh of an unconverted person will live in sin.

"21-24. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:" God gives good conscience to everybody. Gentiles also have it. As a gentile, Paul also have good conscience, and so, he desire to do good, but he does evil. This is the predicament of Paul as an assumed gentile, and so, this will be the status of all unconverted gentile. "23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." Paul repeats the same thing. As a new gentile believer, he has a good conscience, despite that because of his flesh, he is addicted to sin. Again the caution is that it is not the testimony of Paul, but these are hypothetical teaching of Paul as he is a proxy for a new gentile believer. "24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Again, the new gentile believer Paul, is crying out who can help him to get out of this strange situation of being locked into the flesh of sin. This should be the cry of any true repented person, who do not have the Holy Spirit in him yet. That is, he is not born again, that is born of the Spirit yet. As he realized his plight, he cried to God, the Lord Jesus Christ for help, and he gives the Holy Spirit to him, so that he may overcome his sins with the power of the Holy Spirit. Now he will be delivered. Many false preachers, who do not even know about the reality of the Holy Spirit, preach a lot of nonsense by twisting this verse. Mostly these preachers use these verses to prove that apostle Paul was living in sin.

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. … So, he thanks God through Lord Jesus Christ for the Holy Spirit that he has received. The rest of the verse 25. … So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. He concludes by showing the hopelessness, which is shown in the chapter, about a man who had not received the Holy Spirit to overcome the sins of the flesh. But the hope is also in the last verse since he has now received the Holy Spirit and thank God for it. The next chapter begins with the Holy Spirit and the work of God in us.