REBC Adult Bible Study - Romans 7
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Text Reading:
Text Reading:
Verse 1: The law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
When we are under the law...
The only way out of the law is death
Paul, in the following verses, uses an example...
To help us understand this truth
Verse 2: The married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
So, Paul is saying that when you look at marriage...
A person is bound to another....
Until death due us part (unless adultery is involved)
So, once a spouse passes away...
The vows, the promise, and more importantly...
The law of God (concerning that specific union) is no longer in place
Verse 3: If her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
So, Paul clarifies...
If a spouse remarries...
They are not sinning for death in a sense...
Frees from the law that held the previous marriage
Verse 4: You also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
This applies to us more than just in marriage...
But in our relationship with God...
As we died to the Law as Christ died on the cross...
We are now freed to be joined together with Jesus
Note that we went from one relationship to another...
From under the Law to under Grace...
From under the slavery to sin to slavery under Christ
Verse 5: For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
The “flesh” used here in Scripture...
Describe man’s physical being...
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
And in a morally evil sense to describe man’s unredeemed humanness
The remnant of the old self which will remain with each believer...
Until each receives his or her glorified body as described in
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
“In the flesh” here means an unredeemed and unregenerated person...
(“In the flesh” here means an unredeemed and unregenerated person...
Who can only operate in a fallen state...
Although the believer can manifest some of the deeds of the flesh...
He or she can never again be “in the flesh”
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
When we where in the flesh...
Our sinful passions...
Our sinful desires...
While in the flesh...
Individuals are awakened with rebellion when they have restrictions put in place
How many times are we tempted to break a rule...
Only once the rule is announced
Once we are forbidden to do something...
The desire to do it increases, where no desire to do it existed beforehand
Verse 6: But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Thank God...
Belivers in Christ...
Have been released from the penalties of law...
Which we where previously bound by
Because we died in Christ when He died...
The law with its condemnation and penalties...
No longer has jurisdiction over us
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Verse 6: We serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Paul clarifies...
We serve in the newness of the Spirit of God...
Not is the old ways of the letter of the Law
“Serve” means slavery...
This is emphasizing that this service is not voluntary...
Not only is the believer able to do what is right...
He or she will do what is right
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Questions or Comments?
Text Reading:
Text Reading:
Background
Paul uses the personal pronoun “I” throughout the rest of the chapter...
Using his own experience as an example...
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Of what is true of unredeemed mankind in verses 7–12...
And true of true Christians in verses 13–25
Verse 7: What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be!
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
So, with all this said about the Law...
Is the Law sin?...
Is the Law bad?...
In the strongest objection...
Paul says NO! A Thousand times NO!
Verse 7: I would not have come to know sin except through the Law
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
So, what makes the Law good?...
x
We would not know about what is sin and what is not sin without the Law...
The world may be very confused with what is right and wrong...
Is abortion a sin?...
Is same sex relationships and marriage a sin?...
Is the use of vulgar language a sin?...
Is drunkenness and getting high a sin?...
The world may be confused but we are not...
Yes, abortion is a sin...
Yes, same sex relationships and marriage is a sin...
Yes, the use of vulgar language is a sin...
Yes, drunkenness and getting high is a sin...
As the popular children’s song goes...
For the Bible tells me so
The Law is good because it make clear what is a sin...
And what we as His followers should not do
Verse 8: But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
But sin...
In all it’s evilness...
Takes advantage of the Law...
Sin takes advantage of the Law...
So much that many falsely view the Law...
As bad but that is absolutely not the case
Another way to think about it...
Sin uses the specific requirements of the law...
As a base of operation from which to launch its evil work
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Verse 8: Apart from the Law sin is dead
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Sin is not lifeless or nonexistent...
But is actually dormant
Sin kills
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
When the law comes...
Sin becomes fully active and overwhelms the sinner
Verse 9: I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Look at Adam and Eve before the Fall...
In perfect relationship with God..
But with the commandment of...
Not eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
Sin became alive...
Adam and Eve wanted to be like God
And they died
So, when we have an external or imperfect understanding of the Law...
We are not aware of the magnitude of sin’s impact...
However once we begin to understand the requirements of God’s Law...
Once we realize our true condition as a desperately wicked sinner...
Once we realize our spiritual deadness...
We then realize although we are physically alive...
We are truly dead
Verse 10: This commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
The Law gives us the instructions how to have eternal life...
If one was sinless, as in the case of Jesus, they would avoid the death penalty...
However, all fall short of the glory of God...
No one seeks after God...
No not one...
So the Law actually results in our death instead of life
Verse 11: Sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Sin took advantage of the Law...
Deceived us...
And killed us
Questions or Comments?
Text Reading:
Text Reading:
Verse 12: The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Again, Paul clarifies...
The Law is good, righteous and holy
Paul repeating this is to make sure he drives home the point
Never view the Law as bad
Verse 13: It was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
If you want something to hate...
Don’t hate the Law but instead hate sin...
For it was sin that lead to our death
Verse 13: So that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful
So, with the Law...
Sin’s evilness was made evident...
Sin’s deadly character was revealed
Questions or Comments?
Text Reading:
Text Reading:
Verse 14: For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
The Law is of God..
It reveals God’s standard of holiness...
But we are of flesh...
We continue to fall short of God’s standard of holiness...
Even as saved followers of Christ
We should note that Paul does not say...
He is still “in the flesh”...
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
But the flesh is in him.
Verse 14: I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin
Sin no longer controls the whole man...
But it does hold captive the believer’s fleshly body
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Specifically, being of the flesh...
Means our flesh has been sold into bondage to sin
Our flesh, our physical body is still a slave to the power of sin....
Even if we have a regenerated mind
If we do not have a saving relationship with God
That is why we can never trust our heart or emotions...
Even if we are saved
We are constantly in battle...
Between our spirit and our flesh
So, sin contaminates us...
And frustrates our inner desire to obey the will of God
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Verse 15: For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Being in the flesh...
We do things we don’t want to do...
Our spirit doesn’t want to sin...
But our flesh desires only tom sin
Verse 16: But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
By doing what we don’t want to do...
We prove that the Law is good...
And confess the Law’s goodness...
And our desire to follow it
When we fall into sin...
It must be agonizing for us...
It should disgust us...
And we should fight not to sin again
Verse 17: No longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Our flesh being a slave to sin means we are not in control of our flesh...
The sin that dwells in the flesh is in control...
Our sin does not flow out of our new redeemed innermost self...
But from our unredeemed humanness
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
So, we must follow our regenerated mind...
And the Holy Spirit that guides us
Verse 18: I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
We must realize this fact...
Nothing that dwells in our flesh...
Nothing that dwells in our flesh...
Is good
We are never to trust our flesh
Verse 18: The willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
Our will as a born again believer is to do good...
But the will of the flesh may at times overpower our own will...
We must
Questions or Comments?
Text Reading:
Text Reading:
Verse 19: The good that I want, I do not do
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Paul confesses that even as an apostle...
He does not always do the good that he wants to do
Verse 19: I practice the very evil that I do not want
Paul confesses to practicing...
The very evil that he hates
Verse 20: If I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
If we hate sin, a sign of a genuine believer of Christ...
But still fall into sin...
Then it is the sin in the flesh that is really the one doing it
Verse 21: I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
The reason believers...
Who surrender to Christ
Yet still fall at times...
Is due the the sin in our flesh
Verse 22: For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
The important question is if the inner man...
The spirit in us...
Joyfully loves the Law of God
The believer’s justified...
New inner self no longer sides with sin...
But joyfully agrees with the law of God against sin
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Verse 23: I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Their is a battle raging in us in just the view of the Law...
The flesh hates the Law but our renewed mind knows it is good
Verse 24: Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
In frustration and grief...
Paul laments his sin calling himself a wretched man ...
A believer perceives his own sinfulness in direct proportion...
To how clearly he sees the holiness of God...
And perfection of His law
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ro 7:24.
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
After clearly stating how evil and useless our flesh is...
Paul asks a question...
Who will set us free from our sin infested flesh?
“Set free” in this verse means “to rescue from danger”...
And was used of a soldier pulling his wounded comrade from the battlefield
from the battlefield. Paul longed to be rescued from his sinful flesh
Paul longed to be rescued from his sinful flesh...
As we should to as believers in Chrst
John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), .
Verse 25: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), .
Who else but our Savior...
Jesus Christ...
Our Lord
Verse 25: 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
Paul concludes with two facts...
His mind serves the law of God...
But his flesh serves the law of sin...
So we must realize we are a war with ourselves
Questions or Comments?
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer