Romans 7:1-13 - by Don Neuendorf
You might want to pay special attention to the epistle lessons for the next couple of months. They are all in sequence from a very important part of Paul's letter to the Romans. I'll be preaching on them the first 2 Sundays in July.
Here at the beginning of chapter 7 Paul is concerned with the question, so what do we do with the law? Have you asked yourself that? What is the place of the law in your Christian life?...
After all, you're saved now, right? So why do you need it? Aren't you free from the law now?
Or, on the other hand, do you use the law to browbeat yourself or others? Your own little self-improvement program?
For many Christians the law is still a terrible burden. They are still not free of the guilt of their constant failure. (And their failure, like yours and mine, IS constant. We NEVER love God as much as we should.) Every time we turn around we are getting sucked into another disgrace. A beautiful woman who is not my wife has sat down near me. If I sit forward just a little bit, can I see just a bit more of what does not belong to me? A co-worker has made a big mistake. If I temper my reassurances a bit and make sure that he retains more guilt than he should, might I be able to have him in my debt so that I can get what I want at some other time?
I am free from the law! And yet, it is the law that makes me know my sin and drives me to my Savior. Shouldn't I still love the law for that reason?
I hate dieting and exercise. It's not that I want to eat a lot. I'm actually a pretty light eater - but I hate to have to think about it that much. And it's not that I'm lazy, but I hate the mind-numbing waste of time that exercising seems to be. And yet, shouldn't I love good diet and exercise? These are the laws that will give me freedom to do all the other things I love. If I eat well and take care of my body I will be fit enough to go backpacking. If I carry 20 extra pounds around my waist, will my knees be able to endure a 40 pound pack?
We have a love/hate relationship with God's law. But Paul says the law is necessary - and yet it is useful only for certain things. We cannot use the law to become closer to God. But it is God's gift to drive us further from ourselves.