Romans – A Treatise
Chapter Seven
THE CHAPTER OF THE UNHAPPY MAN
Scripture Reading: 6:23 through 7:4
Romans 7 is a very important Bible chapter. It presents truths which initially cause unhappiness in their contemplation, but a door is open toward the end of the chapter that leads to the sunshine of a land of unclouded joy.
It has been called the chapter of the miserable man, but it is only so as we are taken up with the subjective truths concerning the incorrigible nature of the flesh. In order to maintain the context of this chapter let us begin with the closing verse of chapter 6.
FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH; BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. KNOW YE NOT, BRETHREN, (FOR I SPEAK TO THEM THAT KNOW THE LAW; HOW THAT THE LAW HATH DOMINION OVER A MAN AS LONG AS HE LIVETH? FOR THE WOMAN WHICH HATH AN HUSBAND IS BOUND BY THE LAW TO HER HUSBAND SO LONG AS HE LIVETH; BUT IF THE HUSBAND BE DEAD, SHE IS LOOSED FROM THE LAW OF HER HUSBAND. SO THEN IF, WHILE HER HUSBAND LIVETH, SHE BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN, SHE SHALL BE CALLED AN ADULTERESS: BUT IF HER HUSBAND BE DEAD, SHE IS FREE FROM THAT LAW; SO THAT SHE IS NO ADULTERESS, THOUGH SHE BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN. WHEREFORE, MY BRETHERN, 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.
We are still listening to the courtroom argument which Paul is propounding in defense of the sinner. With majestic skill he is devising a way in which legally the pardoned sinner may first of all be freed from the guilt of his offences, and secondly, be freed from his old man identity – the corrupt nature of the flesh. The second problem is now before the court. In the closing verses of chapter 6, Paul outlines two servitudes, two forms of bondage. One is the bondage of sin, wherein man was captivated while still reckoned under law. The second is his servitude toward God, the pleasurable pursuit of obedience – unto righteousness, which he now enjoys as a bondman united to the risen Christ. Regarding the former servitude or bondage, Paul points out the wages of sin is death. Regarding the second bondage (living for the will of God), Paul indicates we are not earning wages but are enjoying the free gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In viewing these two conditions under which man (represented in the pardoned sinner), has been living, the two words we have to constantly keep in mind are “then” and “now.” They are repeated over and over again in this passage. The word “then” refers to the time when we were operating under the eye of God according to the lusts of the flesh and were responsible under the government of law. Under that regime we were total failures.
No fault is found with the holy, just, and good law. The failure is entirely on man who is incapable of keeping the law. The law is not set aside; it is man under law that is set aside in total depravity – not one single impulse of our being enabling us to be a good “law keeper.” All of that history belongs under the word “then.” Then ye yielded your members servants to uncleanness; then ye were the servants of sin; what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed. Let us hold this clear and distinct. It is the history of the first man Adam and all his race, which includes every living man and woman down through the ages to the present time. Under the word then, the history of that spiritual entity called “our old man” has, for every true believer in His Name, been brought to a close in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There the books are totaled up and the entire transaction is recognized as a prodigious liability of guilt on the part of the creature; and it is all put under the blood of Christ, for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. The Christian can say, “I am crucified with Christ.” The body of sin has been annulled, the entire history of the first man set aside in the death of the Lord Jesus on Calvary’s Cross. So closed the history under the caption "then."
Paul continues and the title page of his new consideration is headed by the bold letters “now.” Both the liabilities and the man who committed the sin have been put out of sight. The one who committed the sins has been born again. God starts anew; a new ledger sheet begun; and here are some of the entries under the word “now.” Ye are alive from the dead; your members are instruments of righteousness unto God; ye are not under law but under grace; obedience unto righteousness; ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you; ye have now become the servants of righteousness; now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness; now being made free from sin and become servants of God ye have fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life; now the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Keeping the two words “then” and “now” before us as we study chapter 7, the principles set forth take intelligent form. First we find that law and grace, or more accurately, law and Christ, are contrasted. It is the sovereign claim of the law, and the sovereign claim of the Lord Jesus. Paul, this brilliant lawyer for the defense, gives us a master stroke of illustration by presenting the analogy of two husbands before the court. The Christian is illustrated by “the wife.” Under the word “then” is her former husband who has been superseded by a new husband. Death has come in. Under the word “now” is the Lord Jesus Christ to whom, in the analogy, we who are Christians are looked upon as a bride. Under “then” is the old husband whose sovereign claim upon us existed until the time that he was annulled, or set aside. So Paul says: “Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?” Let us remember he is speaking of the old man, the man of responsibility, recognized as actively operative until crucified with Christ on the Cross. The law had absolute dominion over that man. Before the court he is answerable for his conduct under the claim of the law of Moses. But death came in – in a substitutionary way. In other words, the believer on the Lord Jesus Christ is looked at as a complex being who was united to the man after the flesh, just as a wife is united to a husband, and, under the regime of law, the man after the flesh dominated his whole being toward sin. Now the man after the flesh has died. So the claims of the law upon this complex being passed out of existence. It is not that the law has died, but the man after the flesh is reckoned dead.
Now we are reckoned alive, married to another; to Christ, that we might live for His good pleasure.
