Romans 7:6 - The Letter and Spirit of the Law.
Romans 7:6 - The Letter and Spirit of the Law.
Romans 7:6 (KJV) 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.
Romans 7:6 (TNIV) But now, by dying to what once bound us, we
have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of
the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Romans 7:6 (CWR) But now we're delivered from the condemnation
of the law because our sinful lives have died. "We are no longer
slaves to the law of sin but serve God willingly and joyously with a
new spirit, not in the old way of obeying just the letter of the
law.
That being dead (KJV). Textual evidence attests the following
reading of the passage: "having died [to that] wherein we were held."
The reading of the KJV is found in the Textus Receptus but not in
any manuscript. This reading has seemed to give support to the idea
that under the gospel the law is dead. Paul is simply restating the
means by which we are discharged from the law. It is accomplished by
the death of the old sinful man, in the same way as the death of the
husband gave freedom to the wife. [SDA Commentary]
This passage does not suggest that Christians have no obligation
to obey God. Actually, our obligations are now greater since we
know Christ and belong to God's family. The demands now are far more
severe than under the Mosaic law. For example, the Sermon on the Mount
goes beyond outward actions to deal with inward attitudes. The law of
Moses found murderers guilty, but Jesus said that hatred is equivalent
to murder. But this passage teaches that our motivation for obeying
is different: we do not mechanically obey a set of rules, but we
lovingly, from the heart, obey the Spirit of God who fulfills the
righteousness of the Law in us (8:4). A beginning pianist can play a number
"letter perfect" and still not capture the inner spirit of the song the
way an accomplished musician can. Our obedience to God is not that
of a slave fearing a master, but that of a bride lovingly pleasing
her bridegroom. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines]
As a new believer, you have put your faith in Jesus Christ as
your Savior. The Bible says that true faith is then revealed by "a
harvest of good deeds for God." But how is that harvest produced?
Paul says here that we have died with Christ, and now we have
access to the power that raised him from the dead. This power helps us
yield a rich harvest of good deeds.
Your faith is not only a list of beliefs or doctrines; real
faith is your surrender and connection with God and his subsequent
work in and through you. As the apostle Paul said, "What is important
is faith expressing itself in love" (Galatians 5:6). Jesus said, "I
am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in
them, will produce much fruit" (John 15:5). What kind of harvest is
your life producing? [The One Year Bible for New Believers re Rom.
7:4]
The Holy Spirit within us helps us to do what God wants us to do
(Rom. 8:1-5) and to be what God wants us to be (Gal. 5:22-23). Keep
your love relationship with the Lord alive and exciting, and you will
have righteousness instead of wretchedness. [Chapter by Chapter Bible
Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re Rom. 7]
Obeying God is not a dreaded, impossible duty but a natural
result of the Spirit in us. [Disciple SB]
Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/
Excellent Sermon Resource Site:
http://www.pmchurch.tv/
Another Excellent Sermon Resource Site:
http://www.lluc.org/podcastlist.php
More Spiritual Resources:
http://www.aBible.com
