Romans – A Treatise
Chapter Seven
THE CHRISTIAN’S TWO HUSBANDS
Scripture Reading: verses 4-7
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. 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. 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. 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.
While pursuing this passage, keep in mind that we are listening to Paul’s brilliant argument in defense of God’s pardoning grace on behalf of the sinner. Using the analogy of a wife who has been married to one husband, and then after his death is married to another, the apostle points out the Christian’s two identities. His first identity is with the old man, the man of flesh, the sinful man, the one to whom the law dictated, and who, under law, proved an utter failure. He has the second identity with the Lord Jesus, the One who has risen from the dead, and to whom the Christian is forever united by life and nature. The Christian’s first identity has been brought to an end in the death of the Lord Jesus, so Paul says in verse 4: “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ.” Law has had its complete effect on the first man by bringing condemnation upon him. It is not because the law is sinful, but because man is sinful. That order of man, that identity for the believer has been brought to an end in the body of Christ. Not the mystical body of Christ, which is composed of all believers, but rather to the physical body of our Lord as He hung upon the Cross. He died there as a Substitute, and when He died the Christian died. Under the reckoning of God the first man was brought to an end in the death of Christ.
The next part of verse 4 says: “That ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Here the analogy is still that of wife and husband – the two recognized as one before the eye of God. The identity of the wife is merged with that of her husband, the union between the two makes them one, and what God has joined together, the Scripture says, let no man put asunder. Now that is the analogy. Christians have been so united to Christ that, in a sense, they are reckoned as one; one with Him, one in Him. We have the same truth asserted in John 14:20: “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in Me, and I in you.” It is perfect unity. The purpose of that union between the Christian and the Lord Jesus (the risen Man) is in the end of verse 4: “That we should bring forth fruit unto God.” The Christian strives to no longer continue after the flesh; seeks to no longer minister to the lusts of the old man, but instead puts the motions of sin to death, going on with the interests of the Lord Jesus. We should be fruit bearers in His interests here in this world. The analogy is that of a woman bearing children to her second husband. She is not living for her first husband, who is dead; she is living to her second husband, and all her desires and life are for his good pleasure.
An appropate illustration is that of a woman who has been married to a certain man for many years. She has become accustomed to his ways; she has been a devoted wife; all her household duties, the order of the home, and even the meals she plans are all with a view to pleasing her husband. It is not that she becomes a mere satellite to him, but rather in their interests there is such love and devotion between the two they are united into one. The years roll on and her husband dies. Later she marries another husband. For awhile things seem rather strange between them, because she seems to have her former husband in mind, so the home order, placement of furniture, and arrangement of the activities as far as the wife is concerned are regulated according to the desires of the former husband who is now dead. Even the meals are planned according to the likes and dislikes of the first husband. The first husband was fond of ham and eggs for breakfast. He never ate anything else. So, the remarried wife constantly cooks ham and eggs for breakfast. For supper the first husband was fond of highly seasoned food, so the second husband has to eat it too. Her new husband, being an affectionate and considerate man, tolerates it for a long time, but sooner or later the skeleton must come out of the closet. He reaches the point of rebellion and he challenges his wife’s heart by telling her she has two identities and she must make a choice. There is still living in her heart an identity with her former husband now dead, and she is clinging to it by ministering to his desires. She has a new identity with her present husband and she is trying to bring him into conformity to the first.
This is the situation in the Romans 7 analogy. The first husband is the man after the flesh who was under law, regulated by law; whose life had to be ordered after a certain fashion in order to comply. In the death of Christ, that man after the flesh is brought to an end and a new husband has come upon the scene – Jesus the Lord risen from the dead. We were married to the first husband, the man after the flesh. We are now married to the risen Christ. We have to make up our mind which husband we are going to please. Either we will minister to desires of the man after the flesh by giving way to our lusts, passions, and sins, or we will put that old man in the place of death and live for the good pleasure of the Lord Jesus, our new Husband. Thus, this wonderful truth in Romans 7 reduces itself to practical terms. Referring to the time when we were spiritually married to the first husband, verse 5 says:
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. 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.
In association with the Lord Jesus risen from the dead, Christians are privileged to live in newness of spirit. They are not led by “thou shalt” and “thou shalt not,” but rather by the Spirit of God, according to the character and nature of their new Husband, the risen Lord, and they bear fruit unto Him by living for His good pleasure.
