Romans 7:1-6
I’m concerned for people who have grown up in church because we’re prone to mistake church for Jesus and morality for Christianity. This passage might help us think more clearly about what it means to be a Christian.
Law
When Paul says ‘law’, he’s referring to the rules, the do’s and don’ts such as do give to the poor and don’t murder people. The big idea of this passage is that Christians are no longer bound to the law.
1. Christians used to belong to the law. Now they belong to Jesus. v.1-4
Death releases us from the law. When a person becomes a Christian, they die (see Romans 6:1-11), and are become free to join to Jesus. The Christian has moved from living by inanimate rules to living with and for a person, the greatest person in all history. It’s the difference between fulfilling vows and loving a wife/husband.
Note that before one can join to Jesus, they must be released from the law. One cannot be a legalist and a Christian, under law and Christ at the same time.
2. Christians used to bear death-fruit. Now they bear God-fruit. v.4-5
The Pharisees were great at fulfilling the law; but Jesus said they were like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27). Heartlessly following rules or tradition does not please God. In fact, the law arouses deathly sin in non-Christians. It makes them proud of their self-discipline or despairing in their failure. The Christian, however, has been changed into a new creature that can produce a different kind of fruit altogether. Divine fruit.
3. Christians used to serve by law. Now they serve by the Spirit. v.6
Christians have received a new heart and a new Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27). They are now enabled to serve with supernatural love and potency. Non-Christians are capable of drawing a crowd, organizing a crowd, teaching a crowd, etc. Christians have access to the miraculous, life changing Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, enables repentance, opens eyes to Scripture, and grows glorious fruit in the lives of Christians (Galatians 5:22).
Conclusion
Some practical implications of this text:
– Go hard after Jesus, not the law (the do’s and don’ts).
– Keep an eye on your fruit. If you’re producing death, turn back to Jesus.
– Don’t do church. Go to Jesus and become the church.
Discussion Starters
1. Work as a group to list all the Bible rules you can think of in five minutes. (Ex: Don’t kill people)
2. What do you lean toward more, law or Jesus? Rules or Jesus? Dos/don’ts or Jesus? Why?
3. Read verses 1-4. Discuss how Paul’s analogy applies to your relationship with the law.
4. Read verses 4-5. What fruit are you bearing? What effect does your Christianity have on your life? On the lives of those around you? Does it life you and others up? Or bring you and others down?
5. Read verse 6. What does serving in the old way of the written code look like? What does serving in the new way or the Spirit look like? (See Romans 2:29; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Philippians 3:2-11)
6. How can we serve on another in light of this passage?
7. How can the group pray for you this week?
