Paul’s Letter to the Romans: The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7
•Télécharger en tant que PPTX, PDF•
0 j'aime•269 vues
The Place of the Law in the life of a believer
Recommandé
Contenu connexe
Tendances
Tendances (20)
En vedette
Similaire à Paul’s Letter to the Romans: The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7
Similaire à Paul’s Letter to the Romans: The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7 (20)
Plus de Stephen Harper
Plus de Stephen Harper (7)
Paul’s Letter to the Romans: The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7
- 1. Paul’s Letter to the Romans The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7)
- 2. Your Questions? Any Questions from last topic or from preparation for today?
- 3. Review The Gospel Introduced (Romans 1:1 – 1:15) The Gospel Defined (Romans 1:16-17) The Good News of God-Righteousness to all who believe on Christ The Universal Need for Righteousness (Romans 1:18 – 3:20)
- 4. Review (continued) The Basis and Terms of the Gospel (Romans 3:21-31) RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTIFICATION, REDEMPTION, PROPITIATION, GRACE, FAITH The Agreement of the Gospel with the Old Testament (Romans 4) The Practical Benefits of the Gospel (Romans 5:1-11) The Victory of Christ’s Work over Adam’s Sin (Romans 5:12-21) The Gospel’s Way to Holy Living (Romans 6) A Christian cannot continue in a sinful life – he is united to Christ (Romans 6:1-11) A Christian does not need to continue in a sinful life – sin’s power has been broken (Romans 6:12-14) A Christian must not continue in a sinful life – he has a new Master (Romans 6:15-19) A Christian dare not continue in a sinful life – the end of that is disaster (Romans 6:20-23)
- 5. The Place of the Law in the Believer's Life (Chap. 7) Paul asks (and answers) 4 important questions: Don’t you know that laws only apply to living people? (v1-6) Is the Law sin? (v7-12) Is the Law death? (v13-23) Who will deliver me from the power of sin? (v24-25)
- 6. Don’t you know that laws only apply to living people? (v1-6) Read Romans 7:1-3 In the EXAMPLE of a married woman, what is the relationship of the woman to her husband while he is still alive? (v2) She is bound to him In the same example, what happens to that relationship if the husband dies? (v3) She is automatically freed from her obligation to her husband Read Romans 7:4-6 According to v 4, what does this example show about the believer’s relationship with the Law? The believer is dead to the law The believer is “married” to Christ so that they can be fruitful through Him
- 7. Don’t you know that laws only apply to living people? (v1-6) - contd Discuss what “in the flesh” means in v5 This is a description of people who are NOT SAVED – they have not been born again by the Word and the Spirit of God and are therefore not IN CHRIST “Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God…” (2Co 5:17-18) According to v5, what effect does the Law have on the sinful desires of those “in the flesh”? The rebelliousness of the sinful nature causes sinful desires to be aroused by the Law – the result is “fruit to death.” Discuss the difference between the “oldness of the letter” and “newness of the Spirit” in v6 “The oldness of the letter (of the law)” describes the detailed requirements of the law which are unable to give life/power “The newness of the Spirit” describes the desire of the believer to do “instinctively” (by the new nature) those things which please God
- 8. Is the Law sin? (v7-12) Read Romans 7:7-12 How does Paul use the example of the 10th commandment (You shall not covet) to show the effect of the Law? Without the 10th commandment we would not know how sinful wrong desires are! When forbidden to covet, we find that our hearts are in fact full of all kinds of sinful desires In v9-11 how does Paul describe the process of becoming aware of sin by the Law? He describes the conviction of sin like being put to death What does Paul conclude about the law in v12? The Law is not sin – it is holy!
- 9. Is the Law death? (v13-23) Read Romans 7:13 Does Paul conclude that it was the Law which became death to Him? NO! The problem is not the Law, but sin – sin produced death through the Law. Read Romans 7:14-16 What reason does Paul give in v14 for the fact that we find it impossible on our own to do what we know is right according to the Law? The Law is spiritual – from God, but we are carnal – fleshly We are sold as slaves to sin
- 10. Is the Law death? (v13-23) - continued Discuss what Paul means in v 15 when he says, “What I am doing, I do not understand.” The believer now wants to do what is right, but is amazed at how difficult it is to fulfil his new desires. He can’t understand why! Read Romans 7:17-20 Discuss what is meant by, “It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” (v17 & 20) When “in the flesh” the unbeliever “dwelled in sin” but although he has died to sin, and it no longer has dominion over him, he find that sin still “dwells in him.” Indwelling sin frustrates the desire of the believer to please God
- 11. Is the Law death? (v13-23) - continued Read Romans 7:21-23 Paul describes an important principle in v 21 – evil (sin) is present with me even though I desire to do good. How do these verses describe the two forces which are competing within a Christian? The law of the mind – controlling the inner man. This is the believer’s new nature since they are a new creation in Christ. The law in my members – controlling the outward man. This is the believer’s old nature – the flesh, in which sin still dwells
- 12. Who will deliver me from the power of sin? (v24-25) Read Romans 7:24-25 Why does Paul say, “O wretched man that I am” if he is born-again? He realises that, although he has been saved, and his “inner man” – his soul – desires to please God, he will always be frustrated by indwelling sin as long as he is in the body. Discuss who is able to deliver the believer from this frustrating conflict between his flesh and spirit The believer has the hope of future deliverance when we are taken home to heaven and the Lord will change our bodies, making us free from indwelling sin. “who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Php 3:21) In the meantime, the believer has the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit to enable them fulfil the inner desire to please God But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Rom 8:9)
- 13. For next time: The Holy Spirit as the Power for Holy Living (Part 1) – Romans 8:1-17 Try to read the passage two or three times before our next meeting Think about what the passage says about Condemnation Walking according to the flesh / Spirit The Indwelling Holy Spirit Our obligation (debt) Think carefully about your position before God Read pages 65-69 in Alive and Free Write down any QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK
Notes de l'éditeur
- It is extremely important to understand that our union with Christ in His death not only breaks the domination of sin in the life of a Christian, but it also ends the rule of the Law over us. We are going to sin that not only does the Law not rule over us, but in fact it is of no help to us in living a God-glorifying life.
- In this chapter Paul also uses the word “carnal” or “fleshly” and speaks of the flesh which remains in him. However, it is important not to confuse the flesh which remains in a believer after they are born again (v18) with being “in the flesh”. Being “in the flesh” is a description of someone who lives entirely in the flesh and who has not been made new “in Christ”. Experience tells us that this is entirely true. There is nothing that provokes us to do something wrong like someone telling not to do it. Often people say “Rules are made to be broken!” proving that our natures are extremely rebellious. Therefore, human history and personal experience tell us that God Law has often provoked sinful people to do the very things He forbids, and to resist doing the things He commands.
- These verses describe the experience of an unsaved person who is under conviction of sin – that is, God has begun to impress upon them how sinful they are.It is very likely that the Holy Spirit uses this example to show how deep the problem of sin is. It may be possible for someone to control their behaviour to some extent – lying, stealing, murder etc., but it is impossible to control desire. Even in the heart of the most “righteous” person who is unsaved, sinful desires rage wildly.In v9, being “alive” once describes an unsaved person who is unaware of and unconcerned about their guilt and sin. They are alive in the sense that their sinful life is satisfying to them. However, once they become convicted by the commandment about their sinfulness, they die – that is, life becomes dreadful to them as they fear the consequence of sin, and the wrong things they once enjoyed no longer satisfy them.
- IMPORTANT - Prior to v13 the experience described is of a sinner under conviction of sin, but from v13 to v25 the experience described is the frustration of a born-again person who is trying to please God in their own strength, without relying upon the power of the Spirit.We know that this describes a believer because v15 shows that this person has a genuine desire to do what is right, and hates what is wrong. Also, v 17 says, “It is no longer I who do it,” showing that something has changed in this person’s experience and v22 says that this person delights, or rejoices in the law of God, but none of these things are true of a person who has not been born-again.Romans and Galatians both give us an important insight into the purpose of the Law – God added the Law so that it might appear how dreadful sin really is. When the uprightness of the Law causes conviction of sin it does exactly what God intended it to do. However it is not the Law that causes “death”, but sin.“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom 5:20) and “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made…” (Gal 3:19)Although a person who has been born-again always finds that they have new interests and a desire to live for God by doing those things which please Him and avoiding those things which offend Him, it is still impossible to do this in their own strength for they are only “flesh” and still prone to the lusts of sin. This describes the frustration of being willing, but not able to do what pleases God.We can be sure that when the Holy Spirit repeats something it is important and we need to take note. Here He repeats the fact that it is indwelling sin which causes us to fail if we have been born-again.This introduces at least two important facts – 1) any person who says that they have no sin is a liar (compare 1John 1:8) and proves that they are not saved, and 2)although sin remains in us it has no “right” to be there any longer and we are not under its control.The Holy Spirit uses the word “dwell” to indicate that sin is like a tenant who occupies our house (body). He does not own the house, and in fact, he is there illegally. In Romans 8 we will find that the Holy Spirit also “dwells” in the believer, and so we find that there are two competing influences within us as believers. Whether we please God, or not, depends upon which influence we obey!
- It is important for a believer to understand this principle if they are to avoid despair – we need to understand our problem if we are to be able to overcome it.The inner man has been renewed (converted) and delights in pleasing God. However these desires are always frustrated when we try to fulfil them in the power of the flesh, for it is sinful. The result is “captivity” – v23. We will see in our next study how the believer can be released from this captivity.
- The message of Romans 7 is that the believer has no hope in the Law to enable them to live for God. However, when we realise that our sinful flesh cannot be improved, but rather that it must be put to death, we are able to overcome by living in the power of the Holy Spirit. We will learn more of that in our next lesson.