Theological Commentary: Click Here
Romans 7 is
often cited as the most confusing chapters of all of Paul’s writing. It certainly is cited by Biblical scholars as
one of the more difficult to translate. Romans
7:15-20 is typically quoted in passing when a person wants to lift up an
example of how difficult Paul is to understand.
In light of this, we’ll try and make sense of this chapter and see if we
can learn something along the way.
First, we
need to be careful to not overstretch Paul’s words. Many people read Paul’s writing here and
think that Paul is giving us permission to abandon the Law. This is especially true if we focus too much
on Romans 7:4-6. I believe that what
Paul is saying in this portion of scripture is that when we are in Christ, we
live beyond the Law. In other words,
when we are living obediently to God’s will and His ways then we have no need
of the Law. That should make sense. If I am living in true righteousness, then I
have no need for the judgment of the Law!
I’m not discarding the Law, I am living beyond its grasp.
When we look
at the rest of the chapter, we see the balance of this chapter. After Paul sets
up the reality that when we are living in God’s will we are living beyond the
Law, he talks about the rest of reality.
The truth, unfortunately, is that we don’t always live up to God’s will
or His ways. In those moments, we need
the Law to remind us about what we are doing and the difference between that
and His will. In those moments when we
are walking away from God, we need the Law to point that reality out to us!
Ultimately,
it is God who saves us. It is God who
paves the way into relationship with Him.
When I follow Him, I have no need of the Law to show me the way back to
Him. But when I stray from His ways, the
Law is there to guide me back. This is
the inherent balance between Law and Gospel, judgment and grace. Until such a time that sin has been removed
from us, we need both grace and the Law.
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