“Love Is Greater Than Law”
Romans 7:1-6
(Galatians 5:16-26)
Introduction: When we come to Romans 7 we discover that it is neatly divided into three (3) sections: 1-6, 7-12, and 13-25. Romans 7 is also misunderstood by many Christians. The message about God’s grace is so good that many find it difficult to believe that we are not under the law, but under grace. Further than that, God does not expect you keep the law, in fact you can’t keep the law. Yet the law is still good for the purpose for which God gave it. For later in chapter 7 Paul says that it is through the law that he came to know sin. Another issue that is presented in this chapter is the illustration of marriage to show how Christians have been freed from law in order to be married to Jesus Christ. Yet a third problem presents itself in the later part of the chapter when Paul discusses the issue of sin in the life. Is he talking about sin in his life before he became a born-again believer, or sin in his life as a believer in Christ? In each case the problem of application is very real.
In verses 7:1-6 Paul further develops the argument that the believer is freed from the law in order to be married to Christ.
1. In these first six verses Paul is building on the comment in 6:14 and goes on to illustrate what he means by using the marriage relationship. Keep in mind that the marriage relationship is not Paul’s main emphasis here, though it does say some important things about marriage. If you want to understand what the Bible says about marriage, then you should study 1 Corinthians 7 and similar passage that deal directly with that topic.
2. However, what Paul says about marriage here is true, but it is intended to teach an even more important lesson. In the same way that a woman is bound to her husband in the marriage relationship until he dies, so we are to apply the same logic to our relationship to law and our new master who is Jesus Christ.
3. If one does not realize that they are dead to the law, then one will not bear fruit to God. Recognizing that you are free from the law sets you free to be married to another – Christ! Galatians 3:19 says that the law was in force UNTIL Christ came. When Christ died on the cross, the law died with Him.
4. When this truth is seen, some are prompted to say, “Doesn’t a doctrine like this lead to immoral behavior, since it seems to be saying that we will be saved eventually regardless of what we do?” And further, “Doesn’t it make the law of no account or useless?” Keep in mind that many of those who would read this letter, or hear it read, were Jews. And to them the law was good. I believe that Paul has already answered this first question in chapter 6. The gospel does not lead to immorality but to the reverse.
Here is how it works. When a person has been born again by the Spirit of God, that person has received a new nature that hears the Word of God, believes the Word of God, and has a new set of desires. To tell that person he is free to sin all he wants to is no temptation at all. Because he is already sinning more than he wants to. His new desire is to please his new master, not make Him sorrowful. His new desire is to do the will of God from the heart. If he thinks he is pleasing God by obeying certain rules and regulations, then he has the wrong motivation. He needs to hear the words of Galatians 3:3 ESV Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
The motivation that ought to lead the born again person is love. The focus is not on obeying a set of rules and regulations, but on pleasing his new master. Love is much more constraining than law. Keep in mind that law can never approve you; it can only condemn you. And that is true whether you are referring to civil law or God’s law. (Ill.) Consider the case of Job. While the word “love” is not found in Job, the concept is very apparent. Satan tries to convince God that the only reason Job fears (loves) God is because of all God has given to Job. Even after God grants Satan permission to take away everything Job has except his life,
Job remains faithful. His wife turns on him. His three friends accuse Job of sin and disobedience. Yet Job remains faithful through it all. Even if Job’s tragic condition continues until he dies, Job remains faithful and expects to see God at his resurrection. (19:25-26) This kind of faithfulness is motivated by love, not by legalistically obeying a set of rules and regulations. This kind of love is much better than law because it goes way beyond not breaking rules and regulations. It does so because it loves God, or the spouse, or the child, or the parent, or it loves the friend. Does your child obey you because he fears you and the punishment you may dish out, or because he fears (in a good sense) or loves you? How about your spouse, or your parents, or your friend?
Love is much more motivating than law.
I have already said that this passage is not a formal teaching on the subject of marriage and divorce. However, there is an aspect of the wedding ceremony that may help to shed light on the application of this passage. The marriage vows illustrate the new relationship that we have with Christ.
Marriage ceremony. I suppose everyone here has been to a wedding ceremony and heard these familiar words:
I, John, take thee, Mary, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge thee my faith.
I, Mary, take thee, John, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I pledge thee my faith.
Suppose we modify these traditional vows slightly and apply them to Jesus and us. Even before we knew Jesus and responded to His good news, Jesus said something like this:
I, Jesus, take thee, Sinner, to be my wedded wife; and I do promise and covenant, before God the heavenly Father, to be thy loving faithful Savior, in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, for this life and for all eternity.
Sometime later, when we heard the message of the good news and responded in faith, we said something like this:
I, Sinner, take thee, Jesus, to be my loving Bridegroom and Savior, and I do promise and covenant, before God and the heavenly Father, to be thy loving and faithful wife, in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, for this life and for all eternity.
In the same way that our reciting vows to each other is a covenant that makes the marriage, so the exercise of faith joins us to Jesus and establishes a whole new relationship. This new relationship leads to a life of holiness as indicated in verse 4. We have taken the name of Jesus (Christ’s-ones, Christians). We have left the old life behind (Sinner) and taken on the new name of Christ’s-ones. This spiritual truth is illustrated in the ceremony of a human marriage. The wife enters the church as Miss Anderson and leaves as Mrs. Smith. This is what happens when you are joined to Christ. You enter as Miss sinner, but leave as Mrs. Christian.
We have also entered into a new status. No matter how low our position was before we became married to Christ, we have now become sons and daughters of the King of the universe. And because we have this new status we have special privileges that lead us in holiness. We have direct access to God. See Philippians 4:6-7 ESV Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And ESV John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Our God has also promised to provide for all our needs. ESV Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Look how rich that care and protection is: ESV Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
And God has given us His word in the Bible. For the Christian not only does he have the Bible, but he also has the guaranteed promised Holy Spirit who helps us to understand and hear the voice of God. This new relationship is good for all eternity. Remember that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion as He said. (Phil 1:6)
Verses 5&6 reinforce verse 4b. In this new relationship we are to bear fruit to God. Only a person spiritually alive can do this. (Rom. 6:22; Gal. 5:22-23; Phil .1:10-11; Matt. 13)