Romans Chapter 7 Vs. 7

The Law and Sin

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Rom 7:7

What shall we... Questions 41-42. Next, Rom. 7:13. The law itself is not sinful in demanding me to live right. The law only makes known what sin really is (Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 7:7; 1Jhn. 3:4).

Thou shalt not... Quoted here and in Rom. 13:9 from Exo. 20:17.

The law is not sin. It just makes us aware of right from wrong. When we know right from wrong and do wrong anyway, then we have sinned. Paul did not want his readers to conclude that the law itself was evil.

Gal. 3:24 “Therefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

We would not have even known we needed a Savior had there been no law.

The law reveals the divine standard, and as believers compare themselves against that standard, they can accurately identify sin, which is the failure to meet the standard.

Paul uses the personal pronoun “I” throughout the rest of the chapter, using his own experience as an example of what is true of unredeemed mankind and true of Christians.

The Law And Sin

The involvement of the Mosaic Law in the discussion of a believer’s identification with Christ and death to sin raises a question about
Law’s relationship to sin.

Is the Law sin? Paul’s response again was a vehement denial. Certainly not! (mē genoito; cf. See Rom. 3:4) The Law arouses sin (Rom. 7:5) but that does not mean the Law itself is sin. In fact, Paul said later, the Law is holy (Rom. 7:12) and spiritual (Rom. 7:14). Paul went on to explain that the Law made sin known (cf. Rom. 3:19-20). Then to be specific, he mentioned coveting. The Law’s prohibition, Do not covet (Exo. 20:17; Deut. 5:21), makes people want to covet all the more. 

Daniel Chapter 9 Vs. 17

 Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:17 "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake."

Having prayed for the negative, the removal of God’s wrath (Dan. 9:15-16), the prophet now prayed for the positive, God’s favor, mercy, and forgiveness (Dan. 9:17-19). Daniel asked that God would hear his prayers and restore (look with favor on) the sanctuary (the temple in Jerusalem) for His sake (cf. Dan. 9:19). And he wanted God to hear his request (give ear) and to see (open Your eyes) the city’s desolation. Interestingly Daniel did not specify what God should do; he only asked that God “look” on the sanctuary and “see” the city, both in desolation for many years.

Daniel based his requests on God’s great mercy (cf. Dan. 9:9), not on the nation’s righteousness for she had none. But because God is merciful and forgiving, he prayed, O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! Concerned for God’s reputation, Daniel wanted the Lord to act quickly (do not delay) on behalf of the city and people that bore His name. All this would bring glory to God for it was for His sake (cf. Dan. 9:17).

The sanctuary in Jerusalem had been a place where all the believers in the world had looked to. Daniel, himself, opened his window toward Jerusalem, when he prayed. Notice, Daniel calls himself, servant of God. The beautiful part of this prayer is the reason; for the Lord's sake.

Romans Chapter 7 Vs. 6

Released from the Law

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. Rom 7:6

But now we... In Christ we are delivered from the law which condemned us for sins, but made no provision for pardon and gave no power to obey it.

that being dead... We were dead in sins while under law and held helpless to free ourselves from its bondage and death.

we should serve... Is the verb from of the word for “bondservant”, but here it is parallel to being slaves of righteousness, emphasizing that this service is not voluntary. Not only is the believer able to do what is right, he will do what is right.

oldness of the... We see that the law merely typifies the gospel, and can only be fulfilled by the gospel. We serve God now, not in the old literal sense of forms and rituals, but in the true spiritual meaning. Was the external, written law code that produced only hostility and condemnation.

Gal. 5:18 “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Those whom Jesus made free are free indeed.

We are not free to do what the law forbids, but freedom from the spiritual liabilities and penalties of God’s law.

Because we died in Christ when He died, the law with its condemnation and penalties no longer has jurisdiction over us.

The newness of spirit is a new state of mind which the Spirit produces, characterized by a new desire and ability to keep the law of God.

But now, being identified with Christ, believers are dead to the Law. Like a widow released from marital obligations, so believers are released from the Law and its arousal to sin. The purpose of this release “from the Law” is so that they may serve (a better rendering is “be slaves”; cf. “slave[s]” in Rom. 6:6, 6:16 [thrice], Rom. 6:17-18, 6:20, 6:22) in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. The word “Spirit” may be “spirit” (lowercase “s”) to contrast with the written document, the Law. The thought then is that believers do not live by the “oldness” of the Law but by the “newness” of a regenerated spirit. Or “Spirit” may refer to the Holy Spirit, the Source of new life. (Cf. see “the Spirit” and “the letter,” 2Cor. 3:6.). 

Daniel Chapter 9 Vs. 16

Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:16 "O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people [are become] a reproach to all [that are] about us."




I beseech thee... let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, Ten requests of Daniel:

1. Let Your anger and fury be turned away from Jerusalem and Mt. Zion (Dan. 9:16).

2. Hear my prayer (Dan. 9:17, 9:18, 9:19).

3. Hear my supplications (Dan. 9:17).

4. Cause Your face to shine upon Your sanctuary (Dan. 9:17).

5. Incline Your ear to hear (Dan. 9:18).

6. Open Your eyes (Dan. 9:18).

7. See our desolations (Dan. 9:18).

8. Forgive our sins (Dan. 9:19).

9. Hearken and do (Dan. 9:19).

10. Defer not my answer (Dan. 9:19).

thy city Jerusalem... Jerusalem has been chosen by God to be the capital of His eternal kingdom on earth (Psm. 2:6; 48:2; 87:2; 102:16; 132:13; Isa. 2:2-4; Eze. 48:1-35; Zec. 14:1-21).

thy holy mountain... Mt. Zion (Psm. 2:6; 48:2; 87:2).

reproach to all that are about us... This is what men fear (Jer. 24:9; 29:18; 42:18; 44:8, 44:12; Eze. 5:14-51; 22:4).

Daniel is pleading for Jerusalem and all of God's people. Where they had been highly respected, because of their God before, now they are ridiculed. Daniel says that even Jerusalem is falling to some ridicule. Notice, Daniel asks forgiveness according to God's righteousness, not the people's righteousness. Daniel knows when God stops being angry with them, He will turn and bless them.

Daniel prayed for restoration in 3 aspects, In effect he asked God to bring back “(your city”, v.16 & 18), “Your desolate sanctuary, v.17, and “Your people”, v.19. God’s answer embraced all three, v.24.



In prayer that God, in keeping with His righteous acts (cf. Dan. 9:7, 9:14), would turn away His anger and… wrath from Jerusalem, Daniel was asking that God’s discipline might be lifted and the people freed from their present bondage. (Jerusalem is God’s city; cf. Dan. 9:24, and His holy hill; cf. Dan. 9:20; Joel 2:1; 3:17; Zeph. 3:11.)

Once again Daniel attributed the nation’s present status to her past sin, the sins and… iniquities of our fathers (cf. Dan. 9:6, 9:8).

Romans Chapter 7 Vs. 5

 

Released from the Law

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 7:5

For when we... When we were in the flesh and carnal program of the law (Heb. 9:10), the passions of sin worked in our members by the law and produced sins that the law had to condemn to death. This is explained fully in Rom. 7:7-25.

in the flesh... Meaning living in sin (Rom. 8:8-9).

the motions of... Greek: pathema. Translated "suffering" (Rom. 8:18; 2Cor. 1:5-7; Phlp. 3:10; Col. 1:24; Heb. 2:9-10; 1Pet. 1:11; 4:13; 5:1); "affliction" (2Tim. 3:11; Heb. 10:32; 1Pet. 5:9); "affections" (Gal. 5:24); and "motions" (Rom. 7:5). This is referring to the overwhelming impulses to think and do evil, which characterize those who are “in the flesh”.

by the law,... The motions of sins acted contrary to the law and were made exceedingly sinful by the law and that condemned them (Rom. 7:13). The law was the means of disclosing how sinful we were.

Scripture uses the word “flesh” in a non-moral sense to describe man’s physical being, and in a moral evil sense to describe man’s unredeemed humanness, that remnant of the old man which will remain with each believer until each receives his or her glorified body.

Flesh here describes a person who is able to operate only in the sphere of fallen mankind.

The sinful passions at work in an unbeliever produce a harvest of eternal death.

The apostle continued, For when we were controlled by the sinful nature (lit., “For when we were in the flesh”; sarx often means sin nature; cf. Rom. 7:18, 7:25) the sinful passions aroused by the Law were at work in our bodies. This describes a believer before he was saved (cf. Rom. 6:19). The Law by its prohibitions aroused sinful passions, as explained in Rom. 7:7-13. In that sense unsaved Gentiles were “under” the Law. Consequently their progeny was not “fruit to God” (Rom. 7:4) but fruit for death. Sin, Paul repeatedly affirmed, leads to death (Rom. 5:15, 5:17, 5:21; 6:16, 6:21, 6:23; 7:10-11, 7:13; 8:2, 8:6, 8:10, 8:13).

Daniel Chapter 9 Vs. 15

Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:15 "And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly."




brought thy people... Israelites, even in apostasy and dispersion, are considered the chosen people of God. He is going to bring them to repentance and eternal obedience and fulfill the covenants made with them (Isa. 11:10-12; 59:20-21; 66:7-8; Eze. 37:1-28; Zech. 12:10-13:1; Luke 1:32-33; Rom. 11:25-29).

We must remember Daniel began his petition (Dan.9:15) by mentioning two of the same things with which he began his confession (Dan. 9:4-5): God’s greatness and the people’s sin. Daniel spoke of God’s delivering Israel out of Egypt by His great power (with a mighty hand). God was glorified through the deliverance of His people. But because the nation had sinned (Daniel’s fourth time to state that his people had sinned; cf. Dan. 9:5, 9:8, 9:11) she had become an object of scorn to those nations around her.

Petition 

Daniel began his petition (Dan. 9:15) by mentioning two of the same things with which he began his confession (Dan. 9:4-5): God’s greatness and the people’s sin. Daniel spoke of God’s delivering Israel out of Egypt by His great power (with a mighty hand). God was glorified through the deliverance of His people. But because the nation had sinned (Daniel’s fourth time to state that his people had sinned; cf. Dan. 9:5, 9:8, 9:11) she had become an object of scorn to those nations around her.

Romans Chapter 7 Vs. 4

 

Released from the Law

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 7:4

Wherefore, my brethren,... Here Paul states that Jews are dead to the law because Christ has fulfilled its types and prophecies and abolished it, so they can be married to Him and produce fruit.

body of Christ... The body of Christ in sacrifice, not the church (Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18, 1:24).

that we should... Referring to the fruit of John 15:16.

True Ministers Must Be

1. United to the vine (John 15:5)

2. Chosen by God to the work (John 15:15)

3. Ordained by God for the work (John 15:15)

4. Laborers to bring forth fruit, not idlers (John 6:27; 15:16)

5. Goers to the work, not waiters for the work (Mat. 28:19-20; Mark 4:35-38; 16:15-20; Acts 1:4-8)

6. Preservers of their fruit, not destroyers of it (John 15:16; 6:27)

7. Prayers that get results (John 15:16)

8. Lovers of all men (John 15:12-17; 1Jhn. 3:4-18; 1Cor. 13:1-13)

In response to faith in His Son, God makes the believing sinner forever dead to the condemnation and penalty of the law.

Just as the widow in Paul’s analogy was freed to remarry, the believer has been freed from his hostile relationship to the law that condemned him, and can therefore, be remarried, this time to Christ.

bring forth fruit... Is a transformed life that manifests new attitudes and actions.

In these verses Paul applied his illustration of marriage to a believer and the Law. He said, You also died (lit., “you were put to death,” as was true of Jesus) to the Law. Just as a believer “died to sin” (Rom. 6:2) and so is “set free from sin” (Rom. 6:18, 6:22), so he also died to the Law and is separated and set free from it (Rom. 6:14; cf. Gal. 2:19). As a wife is no longer married to her husband when he dies, so a Christian is no longer under the Law. This separation was through the body of Christ, that is, because of Christ’s death on the cross.

As a result Christians belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead (cf. Rom. 6:4, 6:9). This One of course is the Lord Jesus Christ. In a sense believers are united to Him as His bride (Eph. 5:25). God’s purpose in all this is in order that we might bear fruit to God (cf. Rom. 6:22; Gal. 5:22-23; Phlp. 1:11). Only a person who is spiritually alive can bear spiritual fruit, that is, holy living (cf. John 15:4-5). A person who is married to Christ can bear spiritual progeny. Paul moved from the second person plural (you) to the first person plural (we), including himself along with his readers.