Romans 7:1-6

KING JAMES:

Rom 7:1  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? 

Rom 7:2  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. 

Rom 7:3  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. 

Rom 7:4  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. 

Rom 7:5  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. 

Rom 7:6  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. 

Main Points: Paul continues his life/death analogies to describe how it is that law has effectively DIED, freeing the Jew to join (marry) the new system (Jesus). He is essentially killing off the law. Wow.

1.                   How does the illustration in verses 1-3 explain the impact of the law? He is telling the Jew “the law is dead and you need to marry this new way (through Jesus). This needed to happen in the Israelite mind to understand the bond of the law has been severed and so they are free from that covenant. These are extraordinary implications….very strong words.

2.                   What does it mean to be “in the flesh” (5)? Consider a variety of translations (NIV controlled by the sinful nature; NIV 2011 in the realm of the flesh; NLT: controlled by our old nature). “In the flesh” is simply a reference to the condition of some who were practicing the law. Paul’s assertion is that the prohibition that law brings actually stirred up sin (and sinful conduct). This appears to be an outright accusation of immaturity to a degree. I’m not sure that Paul is saying that every one of them is practicing sin….I believe he is addressing specific people/practices.
Flesh: G4561 σάρξ sarx sarx Probably from the base of G4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), that is, (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit),

3.                   What is “the new way of the Spirit?” What is the old way of the written code? No doubt “written code” is referring to a system of law. The new way (or renewal) of the spirit does not infer the Holy Spirit. The word used is generic as in YOUR spirit…..the one we all have. The last time he mentioned the spirit was 2:29 -he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter  …see the pattern?
Paul is getting ready to spring into his main message : Jesus addresses our spiritual well being….Jesus  helps us conquer sin, become victorious over death, become righteous and justified before God, live eternally!  He uses the word spirit 21 times in chapter eight.