ROMANS 7 VERSES 1 THROUGH 20

Lets start in Romans seven, verse 1. 
This starts off with an analogy, and 
gives us clues as to who is being addressed, 
who is being spoken to in is part of Paul's epistle.
There is a place at about verse 20, or 21, 
that it blends into Romans 8, through verse 15. 
So, when we get to Romans 7, verse 21, 
we will determine whether 
we are going to go on through to Romans 8, verse 15. 
I'd rather not break up that continuity in that section. 
 
But, starting with Romans 7, verse 1, Paul is talking 
to them which know the law.
"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."
So, Paul is starting into this analogy. 
but he gives us a clue as to whom he is speaking here.  
"I speak to them that know the law,"
So, at this point, he is not talking to all men, only to those who know the law.  
So, Paul is talking to them that know the law,
to Jews, 
to proselytes to Judaism, 
and to Greek Gentiles that blessed Israel, and 
feared the God of Abraham.

In other places we also see that. 
Lets look at the Romans 2, verse 17.
We see that Paul says, 
"Behold, thou art called a Jew, 
and restest in the law, 
and makest thy boast of God"
Here, it sounds like he's talking to Jews, but he is not.  
Look at Romans 11, verse 13. 
At least at this point, in Romans 11, Paul is saying, 
"for I speak to you Gentiles" 
Why do there seem to be differences there?  
When you go back to a Romans 1, verse 16, 
he mentions that he's going to the Jew first 
and also to the Greek. 
he says, 
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: 
for it is the power of God unto salvation 
to every one that believeth; 
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" 

The Greeks were the Gentiles that had 
come to the synagogues to find the God of Abraham. 
They had blessed Israel, knowing that 
Israel was God's means of working with people, 
as it says in John 4, verse 22.  
"Salvation is of the Jews" 
That was true, AT THAT TIME. 
But, things did change. 

We now have salvation offered directly to us, 
but by A DIFFERENT OFFER from God.  
God interrupted His earthly, prophecy program, 
and set up a pattern FOR US, starting with Paul, 
with Paul being the first person offered that pattern.  
as the Bible says in First Timothy 1, verse 16. 
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, 
that IN ME FIRST Jesus Christ might 
shew forth all longsuffering, 
FOR A PATTERN to them which should 
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Lets look in Romans 1, verse 7. Paul says,
"to all that be in Rome" 
So, as he is writing, he says it's from 
"Paul," 
and says it's 
"To all that be in Rome, 
beloved of God, 
called to be saints"
That's the reason why he wrote to them. 
He wrote to them, calling them to be Saints.  
He is telling them how to be saved, 
and laying out God's plan before them. 
In the past, we went through how he had an outline. 
Paul was going to cover what he called 
"my gospel," 
and then 
"the preaching of Jesus Christ, 
according to the revelation of the mystery" 
and that second of three parts is what we are going through here, 
basically from Romans 5, verse 12, 
through the end of Romans 8, verse 39. 
So, Paul writes, 
"to all that be in Rome." 
And, as we goes through his epistle, 
you find different places, 
like little landmark verses in which 
he notes who he is actually talking to, at that time in the epistle. 
Whether he is talking to Gentiles in 
Romans 11, verse 13, or Romans 1, verse 13, 
where he also mentions that he is speaking to Gentiles. 
Or, if you look in Romans 4, verse 1, he talks about Abraham being 
"our father." 
So, at that point, Paul is talking to Jews. 
Abraham was not my father, 
but every Jew, every Israelite has Abraham as a father. 
so at that point he's talking to Israel. 
So, Paul identifies who he is talking to, as he goes through here. 

As we begin this study, in Romans 7, verse 1, Paul speaks, 
"to them that know the law." 
So, at this point, Paul is speaking to the Commonwealth of Israel, 
those Jews, Jewish proselytes, and Greeks, that 
met in the synagogues, on the Sabbath Day, 
or heard the scriptures in the synagogue. 
Actually, in this case, being in Rome, 
Paul hadn't yet physically been there, to preach to them 
by the time he wrote this epistle. 
So this epistle was to the Commonwealth of Israel in Rome, 
being the Jews, 
proselytes to Judaism (Gentiles circumcised and called Jews), 
and Greeks (which are Gentiles that bless Israel). 

In Romans 7, verse 4, Paul says, 
"ye also are become dead to the law" 
and he explains with this analogy in Romans 7, verse 2, 
to show how we are become dead to the law.
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.
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.

So, this analogy is about what he spoke of in Romans 7, verse 1, that
"I speak to them that know the law," 
and that is to whom this analogy is directed, 
the Jews, proselytes, and Greeks, 
that existed back then, at that time, in Rome. 
It is NOT FOR US to apply to ourselves, in our different situation.. 

So, we see that Paul is not saying that to us. 
He is speaking to those Jews, proselytes, and Greeks 
in Rome at that time, NOT TO ALL MEN. 
Paul is not even saying that they were married to Christ.  
In this analogy, Paul is saying that, 
AS IT IS when a man dies, that his wife is free to marry another, 
well he goes on to say in Romans 7, verse 4, that, 
"YE ALSO are become dead to the law BY the body of Christ"
Well, we weren't under the law;  
but those Jews were under the law BACK THEN. 

So, Paul is beginning to explain the transition, 
and he says it's 
"by the body of Christ" 
Well, what about the body of Christ, 
look in Romans 6, verses 2, through 7, in sequence here, 
and get the picture of what he is referring to 

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ 
were baptized into his death?
4  
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 
that LIKE AS Christ was raised up from the dead 
BY the glory of the Father, 
EVEN SO we also should walk in newness of life.
  
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, 
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6  
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified WITH HIM, 
that the body of sin might be destroyed, 
that henceforth we should not serve sin.
  
For he that is dead is freed from sin.

That is what Paul is talking about here, when he is referring to 
them, being dead by the body of Christ. 
If you look back one verse, in Romans 6, verse 6, it says, 

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, 
that the body of sin might be destroyed, 
that henceforth we should not serve sin.  

So, they are not only dead to sin, but also dead to THE LAW,
BY the body of Christ, 
BY Him being crucified, and them being crucified with him, 
that the body of sin might be destroyed. 

Next, come back to Romans 7, verse 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.
In a sense, Paul is speaking as the chief of sinners 
which he calls himself in First Timothy 1, verse 15. 
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that 
Christ Jesus CAME into the world TO SAVE SINNERS; 
of whom I AM CHIEF.

Then in Romans 7, verse 6, in a sense, 
Paul is speaking as the CHIEF, or FIRST pattern follower. 
Christ set up a pattern by which to be saved,  
which we now know as the gospel of salvation, 
called the gospel of Christ. 
It was called the gospel of Christ, 
while there were Jews and the Greeks to be won 
from Israel's remnant according to the election of grace.  
But it was called the gospel of the grace of God, when 
it was actively preached to all men,
no longer only to the Jew first and also to the Greek.. 

But we see that we are delivered from the law. 
Only the Commonwealth of Israel had the law to be delivered from. 
Lets read Romans 7, verses 5, and 6. 
"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.

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." 

You can see the transition, 
the difference between the old and the new, 
between what people were, 
before Christ, and then after salvation.

Let's take a look at Romans 7, the last half of verse 25, right here. 
It summarizes the last few verses. 
Let's take a look to help us, to get an understanding of these verses.
 
"So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; 
but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Paul is going to be telling how these two can fit together, 
without us being offensive to God, 
and at the same time, without God compromising His justice. 
As it says in Romans 3, verse 26, 
God justifies us while remaining just, 
"that he might be just, 
and the justifier of 
him which believeth in Jesus." 

God has to remain just. 
How can this happen? 
How can these fit together? 
That is pretty much what he is covering here. 

After we first look at Romans 7, verse 25, regarding Paul's statement, 
we will then look at First Corinthians 2, verse 16.

"So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God" 

"Who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? 
But we have the mind of Christ."

so a believer has the mind of Christ, 
and does not need to try and figure things out by 
human wisdom or philosophy or other means. 
We have the mind of Christ. 
That helps us understand the God-inspired scriptures.
That makes a difference in our daily living, too. 
"I myself serve the law of God, with the flesh the law of sin."

So, when we look at the difference, 
Our death with Christ, and 
God's imputed righteousness, frees us from the law. 
If you look back at the Romans 7, verse 4, we see, 
"Wherefore, my brethren, 
ye also are become dead to the law 
by the body of Christ" 
So, the body of Christ, dying on the cross 
was God's means of our becoming dead to the law.
Those who believe that he died for them, are imputed God's righteousness.
In our account, we have Christ's own righteousness, not our righteousness. 
It's not looked at, whether we live a sinless life, 
or whether we are a mass murderer. 
That's not looked at 
if we are a true believer in Christ having died for all of our sins, 
because we have been imputed the righteousness of God. 

Don't misunderstand me. 
I am not saying that it gives us license to sin. 
It certainly does NOT! 
God gives us many instructions about Godly living. 
If we look at Romans 6, verses 7, and 18, 
we see that God's imputed righteousness also frees us from sin. 
"he that is dead is freed from sin" 

"being then made free from sin, 
ye became servants of righteousness." 

That is all part of God's transaction, God's way of saving us. 
As we have looked before, we have seen that 
when you trust in Christ to save you, 
by becoming a believer in Paul's gospel,
you're baptized into the body of Christ, 
you're baptized into Christ, 
you're baptized into his death, 
you're sealed by the Holy Spirit, 
you're accounted with the righteousness of God, 
You are given the position of being raised up together with Christ, 
You are given the position of being made to sit 
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Jim Brackin's 3 minute reading called "Who Are You" 
lists 77 benefits to the believer, in Christ.
All of those are part of that transaction, when we believe in Christ. 
They are all part of that pattern, that God set up. 
That list of benefits is all part of the mystery 
it was not available before God initiated that pattern, 
with Paul, the prototype, 
being the first to believe, and 
to be saved by that gospel. 

END OF PART 1 of 2 - START OF PART 2 of 2

Let's look at Romans 5, verse 17. 
By receiving God's imputed righteousness, 
we became servants of righteousness.
" For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; 
much more they which receive abundance of grace 
AND of the gift of righteousness 
shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) " 
So, this "reigning in life" is to us who received the abundance of grace 
that God has given us, 
AND 
the gift of righteousness. 
They go together. 
So, that imputed righteousness, is what Paul calls 
in Romans 3, verses 21, and 22, 
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 

Let's look at Romans 6, verses 19, and 22, 
verses that also reemphasize this fact, 
the connection between what we believe, and what we do. 
The imputed righteousness that we receive from God, when we believe, 
can make a difference in what we do. 

"I speak after the manner of men 
because of the infirmity of your flesh: 
for as ye have yielded your members 
servants to uncleanness 
and to iniquity unto iniquity; 
even so now yield your members 
servants to righteousness unto holiness."

" But now BEING MADE FREE from sin, and become servants to God, 
ye have your fruit unto holiness, 
and the end everlasting life."
So God guarantees us everlasting life, 
and he enables a change in our behavior, in our actions. 

This is not to say that the flesh doesn't still exist, 
and that's what this balance is that he's heading into here, 
and in Romans 7, and 8. 

I am trying to bring this all together, 
so that we can see the relationship between 
the imputed righteousness of God in our lives, 
and in our daily living. 

So, let's jump ahead to Romans 8, verse 23.  
That gives some light in this area, 
" And not only they, but ourselves also, 
which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, 
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, 
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." 
24:16

So this struggle GOES ON in our life, until our bodies are redeemed, 
whether it be by the catching up, 
or we die and are resurrected in the catching up. 

We were in Adam, 
now we are in Christ, 
and there is a struggle that goes on, 
awaiting the redemption of the body. 

We can see various parts of the mystery, 
that were unrevealed before Paul, 
in this area of the imputed righteousness 

I have a list of verses here that show what had been unrevealed.  
So can we just go through these, and touch on them.  
Can we just post them in rapid succession. 
I just want to make a brief comment on each, without reading the verses. 

Let's start with Romans 3, verses 21, and 22.  
These verses say, 
"but now the righteousness of God WITHOUT THE LAW is manifested" 
"Without the law," did you get that?  
It's NOT righteousness by keeping the law. 
The law is taken out of the picture. 
It's NOT a measuring stick anymore. 
Now, it's that THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD is manifested, 
and it appears "unto all," and it is "upon all them that believe" 

Ok, let's go to the next verses, First Corinthians 2, verses 7, and 8, 
"we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom" 
Paul is talking about this 
unrevealed body of information of the good things that come to us.. 

Look at First Corinthians 2, verse 16. 
"we have the mind of Christ" 
They weren't told that in the Old Testament. 
Jesus Christ, when he walked the earth, 
did NOT make that part of his teaching, to Israel. 
Its new!  It's to us, to all men actually, 
all people are now included in Paul's gospel. 

What about Colossians 1, verse 27?  
"Christ in you" 
Isn't that a precious fact? Colossians 127 

Then we have Colossians 3, verse 1.  
"risen with Christ seek those things which are above" 
Israel was seeking the Land. 
They were seeking to enter the Land, 
to reign from Jerusalem, 
to reign in the world. 
Their promises were about the land, and about the Earth. 

We are told that we are "risen with Christ." 
We died with Christ, and we are risen with Christ. 
Christ resurrected over 1900 years ago, so that's an accomplished fact. 
"Seek those things which are above," 
Our goals, and our destiny is above. 

Please look at Colossians 3, verses 2, and 3. 
" ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." 
That's new, too. 
That's not a position that Israel had been given.  
That was unrevealed, before. 
It was hidden. 

Colossians 3, verse 4.  
" ye also appear with him in glory,"
our heavenly future, 
in the heavens, 
not on Earth, 
not to have everlasting life on the Land, as Israel was covenanted. 

Colossians 3, verse 8. 
"but now ye also put off all these" 
Why would God tell us to do that, IF we could not do it? 
We can do that now. 
The body of Christ enables us.
We are crucified with Christ.
Now, we can put off those evil deeds. 
Colossians 3, verse 9. 
" ye have put off the old man with his deeds;" 
That's past tense, isn't it? 

Colossians 3, verse 10. 
You "have put on the new man" 
So, there is a change that takes place, 
and there was no preaching of that happening, 
before the Acts 9, conversion of Paul. 
They are not told of in the Old Testament, or the "four gospels." 
These things are all new to us, in the body of Christ. 

Now,we get to Ephesians 1, verse 3. 
We are "blessed with all spiritual blessings," 
not earthly blessings like Israel was promised in 
Genesis 12, verses 1, through 3. 
"I will bless them that bless thee"
and in verse 2
" thou shalt be a blessing" 
and in verse 3
" in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed"

But look at what is ours in Ephesians 2, verse 6. 
" and made us sit together 
in heavenly places 
in Christ Jesus"
God has given us a heavenly position in Christ. 
What Christ has, we have, we are joint-heirs. 

Look at the Ephesians 4, verse 16. 
"The whole body fitly joined together maketh increase of the body" 
There was no body of Christ preached, before Christ revealed it to Paul. 
That is all new also. 

Finally, let's look at Ephesians 5, verses 31, 28, 29, 30, and 32. 
Paul makes 2 points from this comparison.
Let's look at the first point first, in Ephesians 5, verse 31.
	"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, 
and shall BE JOINED unto his wife, 
and they two shall BE ONE FLESH"
So, Paul's first point from these verses (that we will read),
	is that a man and his wife are to be joined,
		as if they are one flesh, one body.
Let's see how Paul arrives at that point, 
and also, lets see the second point, 
by reading the verses now.
Ephesians 5, verse 28:
" So ought men to love their wives AS THEIR OWN BODIES. 
He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 
29.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; 
but nourisheth and cherisheth it, 
EVEN AS the Lord the church: 
30.
For we ARE members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 
32.
This is a great mystery: but 
I speak concerning CHRIST AND THE CHURCH." 
joined together as one.

So in this often misunderstood passage, 
Paul is speaking of us being members of Christ's body, 
That we are ONE JOINED BODY.
A person loves, and takes care of his own body.
Paul is applying that one body principle, to 
marriage relationship among believers, 
but he is NOT saying that the church is like a marriage relationship. 
It is the other way around.
Paul is saying that the marriage relationship should be 
as close as a person is to his own body, 
with Christ being the head, and us being the one body of Christ. 
The marriage relationship is to be that close and intimate.

First Timothy 1, verse 9. 
"Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, 
but for the lawless and disobedient, 
for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, 
for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, 
for manslayers." 

First of all, the Law was given to Israel, 
but it does serve a purpose in showing us also as being sinners, 
and being in need of salvation, and needing God's grace. 
The Law shuts everybody's mouth.  
We don't have one argument to present to God, 
that we were good enough to get into his heaven 

Let's go to Romans 7, verses 7, through 13. 
The law does it's work exposing my sin. 
Now I'm hoping as we read this, 
with the background of what we have talked about, and exposed, 
that we will understand these words, 
and how they fit into what Paul is saying in the overall picture, 
that in these verses,  
the law is doing its work, 
showing my sin to me. 

Then, we will read in Romans 7, verses 14, through 20, 
Paul is even more explicit that sin is in me. 
But, remember also that the Bible said that we are dead to sin. 
Also, remember all these things we've talked about before, 
we have righteousness of God, imputed within us. 
Paul has talked about getting a person saved 
in Romans 1, through the beginning of Romans 5.  
So he is talking to saved people here in Romans 6, 7, and 8.

So, here in Romans 7, verses 7, through 13, Paul says, 
"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."
8.  
"But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, 
wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. 
For without the law sin was dead."
9  
For I was alive without the law once: 
but when the commandment came, 
sin revived, and I died.
10  
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, 
I found to be unto death.
11  
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, 
deceived me, and by it slew me.
12  
Wherefore the law is holy, 
and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
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.
In other words, it's the same as, what we said before, 
the law exposes our sin. 
It shines a light on our lives, 
and makes us realize that 
WE ARE SINNERS. 

Look in Romans 7, verses 14, through 20. 
This is more personal isn't it? 
It's more individual. 
It's more pointed at the reader. 
So lets all read it. 
"For we know that the law is spiritual: 
but I am carnal, sold under sin."
15  
"For that which I do, I allow not" 

In other words, the things that he does, he does not allow. 
He doesn't say they are good. He says,

"For that which I do, I allow not: 
for what I would, that do I not"

in other words, what I know I should do, what I want to do, 
what I would do, I don't end up doing. 

"but what I hate, that do I"
16.
"If then I do that which I would not, 
I consent unto the law that it is good"
17.
"Now then it is no more I that do it, 
but sin that dwelleth in me" 

Let's believe our Bible.
Let's not belittle Paul's statement here.
Sin dwells in Paul as he is speaking this. 
Sin dwells in us, in me, in you!

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." 
19.
"For the good that I would, I do not: 
but the evil which I would not, that I do"
20.
"Now if I do, that I would not, 
it is no more I that do it, 
but sin that dwelleth in me"

This is all to show that we have the imputed RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 
BUT, UNTIL we are in heaven, 
we still have these bodies made of flesh, 
and, as it says in Romans 8, verse 23,  
"we ourselves groan within ourselves, 
waiting for...the redemption of our body"

In the meantime, there is this STRUGGLE going on in our lives.  
the struggle between sin, 
and the imputed righteousness that is in our account right now. 
We have His righteousness, and 
by means of God's righteousness in our account, 
WE ARE SAVED IMMEDIATELY, 
at the moment we believe Paul's gospel.  

We don't have to wait to be saved, as Israel did in Matthew 24, verse 13. 
They had to "endure unto the end" to "be saved."

So, we have this utter righteousness, 
BUT we also have the flesh that were dragging along with us. 
Regarding that flesh, before we close, 
let's look quickly, at 4 verses in 2 places.
Colossians 2, verses 10, and 11.
10.  
And YE ARE COMPLETE in him, 
which is the head of all principality and power:
11.  
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision 
MADE WITHOUT HANDS, 
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh 
by the circumcision of Christ:
and;
Romans 6, verses 6, and 7.  
6.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, 
that the body of sin might be destroyed, 
that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7.  
For he that is dead is FREED FROM SIN.
Christ put off the body of the sins of the flesh, ON THE CROSS 
	where YOU were crucified IN CHRIST.

I don't want to leave you with what sounds like a negative ending.  
So, let's see that he does resolve it, as he goes on. 
Let's take a minute to see this strong connection between 
what we have read earlier and 
what we see here in Romans 8, verses 18, through 23. 
" For I RECKON THAT the sufferings of this present time 
are not worthy to be compared with 
the glory which shall be revealed IN US."
19  
"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for 
the manifestation of the sons of God."  

We were created, and we wait for this manifestation, 
the showing of this righteousness that IS IN US.  
There is still the STRUGGLE going on. 

" For the creature was made subject to vanity, 
not willingly, but by reason of him who hath 
subjected the same in hope,"
21  
"Because the creature itself also shall be delivered 
from the bondage of corruption 
into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
22  
"For we know that the whole creation 
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" 

In other words, it wasn't just mankind that fell, at the fall. 
The whole of creation FELL. 
That's why there are mosquitoes, thorns, colds, and things like that. 

23  
"And not only they, but ourselves also, 
which have the firstfruits of the Spirit" 

We have the Holy Spirit. 
We are sealed with the Spirit. 
We were baptized by the spirit into the body of Christ. 
It's a done deal. 
We have the first fruits, the earnest of God, the Holy Spirit. 

"Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, 
waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body"

How many times a day do we hear someone say, 
"I wish the Lord would come today, 
before I have this test, or 
before I have any more pain. 

So we do have THIS STRUGGLE STILL GOING ON, 
that will be resolved, 
AT the redemption of our body.
But, in the meantime, the Bible does have more to say about it, 
in the next chapter.