Romans Episode 16

Romans Chapter 7. Paul deals with those that know the Torah, the Jewish converts to Messiah living in Rome.

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Transcript

Romans Chapter 7

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Romans 7:1 KJV 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?

Chapter 7 is pretty well addressed to Paul’s Jewish audience; “for I speak to them that know the law”. It’s been assumed by many that the apostle detested the Torah that he once loved, but we will see in the next few verses that that is not true.

Romans 7:2 KJV 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.

So Paul launches into this chapter with the example of a married woman under the Torah. Let’s get a parallel here from another of Paul’s epistles;

1 Corinthians 7:39 NASB A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

This is something that is understood across many cultures. Maybe not practiced, but understood. You have made your vow to your spouse and that vow is in effect “until death do us part”. This is one of those “can of worm topics” but I’m not going to address it here as Paul is only using this as an example. 

Romans 7:3-4 KJV 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.

I’m doing something here I’m not sure I’ve done on the podcast before. I’ve stated numerous times that I prefer using oneness pentecostal authors, but in this instance I want to bring in a source that is messianic since we’re discussing the Torah.

David H. Stern is the author, translator, not sure what to call him, but he’s responsible for the “Complete Jewish Bible”. He has also authored a commentary to go along with his translation so we will consult that here.

You have been made dead with regard to theTorah. It is not the Torah that has been made dead (abrogated), nor is a believer made dead in the sense of no longer responding to its truth. Rather, he has been made dead not to all of Torah, but to three aspects of it: (1) its capacity to stir up sin in him (Rom_7:5-14), (2) its capacity to produce irremediable guilt feelings (Rom_7:15-25), and (3) its penalties, punishments and curses (Rom_8:1-4).

For the sake of our understanding here I’m going to read the next few verses in the NASB instead of the KJV. The subject matter is difficult as it is so we will use something a little more modern.

Romans 7:5-12 NASB For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were brought to light by the Law, were at work in the parts of our body to bear fruit for death. (6) But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. (7) What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” (8) But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. (9) I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died; (10) and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; (11) for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it, killed me. (12) So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

I would like to both at once paraphrase and boil down what the apostle has said here; There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Torah. Torah is not bad, human nature is rotten because of the fall.

This is why we are told things like;

Colossians 3:5 KJV Mortify (greek nekro-o, to deaden, to subdue, to be dead according to Strong’s) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Galatians 5:16-18 KJV This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

1 Timothy 1:8-11 NASB But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, (9) realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and worldly, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, (10) for the sexually immoral, homosexuals, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, (11) according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

Romans 7:13-14 NASB Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? Far from it! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by bringing about my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful. (14) For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold into bondage to sin.

David Bernard “The Message of Romans” pgs 167,168

Whom does the passage describe? Paul wrote in the first person, so apparently he spoke from personal experience. His experience must have general application or else God would not have inspired him to include it here. The first person narrative portrays the human dilemma vividly and helps the reader identify with it personally.

Since the account does not fit the Christian, many commentators propose that the passage describes an unregenerate person. Since the speaker acknowledges God’s law, it seems to be particularly relevant to the unregenerate Jew. Consequently, some propose that it depicts Paul’s life under the law before conversion.

While this view is plausible, the use of the present tense complicates matters. Possibly the present tense is used for the same reason the first person is used-to make the description more vivid, relevant, and immediate. More likely, the present tense indicates that the passage could apply to a Christian in his present regenerate state as well as in his past unregenerate state. The main point is this: Romans 7:14-25 describes someone who tries to be good and live holy by his own efforts, whether he is born again or not. In other words, the passage describes the fleshly nature of Paul or any other individual when viewed alone-it describes what even a born again person is like if he attempts to live for God by human effort alone.

Romans 7:15 NASB For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate.

I can see so much of myself in this verse. Paul said;

Ephesians 5:4 KJV Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

I don’t believe it’s always a bad thing when we make others laugh, but especially when I was younger no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I felt the need to make people laugh no matter how foolish it made me look. Obviously there’s many more examples. To this day if I’m behind the wheel for long driving, I have to pray God give me the strength to control my temper. I’ll end up angry and then remember that that was the very thing I had asked Him to help me with. 

Romans 7:16-18 NASB However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. (17) But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. (18) For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

I’m not going to quote the whole verse in Galatians, but again, if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

I have found in my years of walking for the Lord, fasting and praying. I’ve enjoyed watching videos of brother Stoneking talking about wrestling with his flesh. In a nutshell he said when his flesh gets the upper hand when he plans on praying an hour, then he’ll pray two. It’s all a matter of keeping the Spirit in a place over the will of the flesh. It’s not easy but I don’t understand how anyone could walk for God and let their flesh have free reign.

Romans 7:19-23 NASB For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (20) But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. (21) I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. (22) For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner person, (23) but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts.

There is a hopelessness in the situation that the apostle is speaking of. Most of us have been there. I’ve seen good men do very bad things just because they let their flesh have the upper hand. It’s a pit we can all fall into. Again, that’s why we are instructed to;

Galatians 6:1 KJV Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Romans 7:24-25 NASB Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (25) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

It’s a fight that we’ll never be totally finished with until our race is over.

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Colossians 2:9 KJV For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.