Sin In Romans - Romans 7

1. A Prayer For The People of God
God of justice,
your word is
light and truth.
Let your face
shine on us
to restore us,
that we may walk in your way,
seeking justice and doing good.
Amen.

3. s/Sin in Romans
the EMERGENCE of SIN

4. Paul sees sin as a power, “as a
compulsion or constraint which
humans generally experience
within themselves or in their
social context, a compulsion
towards attitudes and actions
not always of their own willing
or approving.” (Dunn)
SIN - hamartia

6. Emergent reality
different-from-but
made-up-of-the
foundational relationships
Complex network
of relationships
EMERGENCE theory

8. WHERE does SIN originate?
Mythological?
Social?
Individual?

9. Mythological
Social
Individual
WHERE does SIN originate?

10. Disembodied
but-still-Personal
Agent/Body of Sin
Structures/Systems
Complex network
of individuals/sins
EMERGENCE of SIN

11. “What then should 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…
But Sin, seizing an opportunity
in the commandment, produced
in me (my individual sin…)”
- Romans 7:7-8
SIN + LAW = DEATH

12. “…the very commandment
that 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.”
- Romans 7:10-11
SIN + LAW = DEATH

13. 1. Abstract law: okay to use lethal force if you’re afraid
2. Body of Sin sets the context for legal enforcement:
implicit bias against black/brown bodies
3. Sin seizes upon the law, deceives those who
see themselves as impartial, creates a sense
of justification for killing/death
4. This plays out individually AND collectively, emerging
from individuals + law + context of racial bias
5. SIN thus works through the LAW to produce DEATH
STAND your GROUND law as SIN

14. 1. Abstract law: need to detain/cage/separate children…
2. Body of Sin sets the context for legal enforcement:
increased nationalism, xenophobia & white supremacy
3. Sin seizes upon the law, deceives those who
see themselves as compassionate, creates a sense
of justification for the death of “illegal” children
4. This plays out individually AND collectively, emerging
from individuals + law + context of fear/isolationism
5. SIN thus works through the LAW to produce DEATH
caging CHILDREN at the BORDER as SIN

15. 1. Humility in the face of the battlefield we all live in
WHAT this MEANS for US

16. 1. Humility in the face of the battlefield we all live in
2. Grace/patience with others in light of it all
WHAT this MEANS for US

17. 1. Humility in the face of the battlefield we all live in
2. Grace/patience with others in light of it all
3. Gratitude/worship for the scope of Jesus’ victory
WHAT this MEANS for US

18. 1. Humility in the face of the battlefield we all live in
2. Grace/patience with others in light of it all
3. Gratitude/worship for the scope of Jesus’ victory
4. Commitment to combat the Body of Sin
through the Body of Christ
WHAT this MEANS for US

21. s/Sin in Romans
the EMERGENCE of SIN

22. Benediction
Most merciful God, we have sinned against you
in thought, word and deed, by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart,
and we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves.
We are truly sorry, and humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus, have mercy, and forgive us,
that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.