Welcome back. In our last lesson, we talked about how our marriages could be underpowered and how at the cross we find all the power we need as we are united together with Christ. Today we want to share the two-fold blessing in today’s passage being “released from the law” and “bound to Christ” through His death and resurrection.
Sylvia wrote; "In our marriage we were living under the law, living in our own works and trying to do and be good. We thought this would help our marriage, that we would grow beyond our immaturity, grow up in our salvation and grow in love for one another within time. But it was hard work and we were both frustrated and exhausted trying. There was no way we could continue to live under the law because no one is able to keep it. Because we were living this way, we would cast stones constantly at each other, our love wasn’t unconditional, our sorrys were skin deep, we couldn’t sincerely forgive and we carried our past in our back pockets."
The law had authority over our marriage and lives. Why? Because we were living as though according to the law instead of the Spirit who gives life. You see, “the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives.” In our marriage, we needed to die to the law so that the authority of the law could be broken.
Question 1. Has the law had authority over your marriage?
“Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives?” Romans 7:1 NIV
Friend, do you see it? Romans 7:1 talks about the law having authority only over the living. Those who are alive are bound to the law as long as they are alive. We are bound to the law but when one dies they are free from the law and released from it through death. Look at the example given in the following verse with us for further clarity.
“For example, by law, a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him.” Romans 7:2 NIV
The example here is regarding marriage and how the wife would be released from the ‘law of marriage’ that binds the husband and wife together, by his death. If the husband dies the wife is released from the 'law of marriage' and free to marry another. Romans 7:2 is the ’example’ and the point being driven is: when one dies they are released from the law (ie: It would be very difficult for a police officer to give a ticket to a dead man for breaking the law because the dead cannot break laws). This is how believers in Jesus are released from the law because the law only has authority over those who are alive.
“So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.” Romans 7:3 NIV
The main point of the passages we have studied so far is that those who have died are set free from the law. (Romans 7:1). Then the example of marriage is given to illustrate the truth presented (Romans 7:3). Friend, we need to die with Christ to be released from the law that binds us to sin so we can be bound to Christ who binds us together in His perfect love and unity (Colossians 3:14).
Question 2. Have you died with Christ and are therefore no longer living under the law? Please share.
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