Romans - August 3, 2008

SECTION --- Four: Sanctification (6:1-8:39) .
(continued from previous Class Follow Up)

VII. {Rom 7 :4-6} Applying “husband law”.
A. Introduction
1. Review — Paul has shown when one is legally obligated to one person it is to commit adultery to be joined with another person.
2. Preview — Christians no longer are to serve sinful passion. Law does not control sinful passions but arouses sinful passions.
a. The power of therefore (for while, but now) shows Paul is going to make an application of the former example, not that the former example is to be treated as allegory, where every part has a corresponding part.
B. Question For Discussion?
1. According to Rom 7:4-6 why does one saved by grace (not law of merit) not continue to live in sin? (Rom 6:1-2)?
C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. (7:4) What is the similarity between the Christians in Rome and the wife?
a. Death has enable both to be set free from a Law they were under (obligated to).
2. (7:4) What is the channel or means releasing the wife and releasing the readers?
a. For the wife it was the husband’s death, for the readers it was Christ’s death.
OBSERVATION: Jesus did not die in our place, i.e., a vicarious death, but He was the channel or means enabling God to forgive us of our sins and still remain the God who hates sin and cannot look at (ignore) sin. (Isa 59:1-2; Rom 3:25)
3. (7:4) What was the consequences of Christ death?
a. The readers could legally be joined to one who had been the propitiation for sin (died) and was resurrected
4. (7:4) What was the purpose of being joined with Christ?
a. As the wife join another to bear fruit, the readers joined Christ to bear fruit.
OBSERVATION (7:4) As the wife was set free by the death of her husband the readers are set free because of their death to the “law that bound” [7:6] through (channel) the death of Christ so they could be subject to another, the one raised from the dead, for the purpose of bearing fruit. Romans 7:4 is the Salvation Plan (Steps) of Romans
5. (7:5) What was the weakness of and resulting consequences of the Law of Moses (all laws of merit)?
a. The desires of the outward man caused the followers of all Laws of merit to produce fruit leading to death.
b. The problem is not physical desires but the lack of controlling the God given physical desires; i.e., bearing fruit contrary to what pleased God and also contrary what is best for humans.
OBSERVATION (7:5) The problem was not with the Law of Moses but with the physical desires of mankind; Laws of merit are designed to control the physical desires (outward man). Laws Of Merit say, “Do righteous, be righteous,” The law of grace (law of Christ) says, “Be righteous, do righteous.”
6. (7:6) What is the difference between how the readers served God in the past and should now serve God?
a. In the past the readers, who are Christians [6:3-4], served with the idea “we do righteousness, thus, are forgiven”; now serve with the idea “we are forgiven, thus, do righteousness”.
OBSERVATION (7:6) Have been released, based on our death (via Jesus’ propitiation [3:25]), from what controlled the outward man, i.e., only the physical desires, thus, the readers now serve with a different attitude; i.e., a spiritual attitude, one motivated by the inward man (understanding and appreciation of what Christ has done) not the outward man (letter of the law).
OBSERVATION: Where does Christ (the Bible) say “I have to...”? Answer, Christ tells you why you want to and/or need to. A mature Christian is one having grown or is growing beyond the “letter” (that appealing to the flesh) to that appealing to the spirit (inward man). Will not help the “asker of the question” to be treated as a child by applying peer pressure to make them “come around” — easier but not the best (cf. Heb 5:11-6:2). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A LOOK AHEAD

D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — According to Rom 7:4-6 why does one saved by grace (not law of merit) not continue to live in sin? (Rom 6:1-2)?
1.
E. Conclusion —

VIII. {Rom 7: 7-12}
A. Introduction
1. Review — In response to the question, “Can one saved by grace, not works of merit, continue to sin, thus, establishing the power of the reign of grace in granting eternal life. [5:21-6:1]. Paul response by showing why it is illogical for one freed from sin as their legal master would want to return to sin, i.e., would chose to sin. Christian are those who have legally died to sin, thus, can now legally serve a new master with their inward man (spirit).
2. Preview — Having established Christians are those having been set free from the eternal consequences of sin (justified) now willingly want to serve the one who sanctified them, those who felt it was necessary to be obligated to a “law of merit” (serve because they have to) would proclaim Paul was saying the Law of Moses was sin. They would make an emotional plea for they could not destroy Paul’s logical arguments with facts.
B. Question For Discussion?
1. Why does something designed to bring life bring death?
C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. (7:7) In this verse what is the definition, i.e., purpose, of the Law (merit)?
a.
2. (7:7) Without the Law what is the stated consequences?
a.
3. (7:8) Why is sin dead without the law? In what way was sin dead? What is meant when Paul says sin is dead?
a.
4. (7:8) How did Sin produce covetousness in the person of v.8?
a.
5. (7:9) In what way did the one Paul is discussing die?
a.
6. (7:10-11) “deceived” (exapatao, G1818) = to seduce wholly; completely made me lose my way.
7. (7:10-11) From all the places where the word “deceived” is used {Rom 7:11; 16:18, 1Co 3:18, 2Co 11:3; 2Th 2:3} how were they deceived? Was it their depraved nature — i.e., they did not know they were doing wrong?
a.
8. (7:10-11) Why did that given by God for good seem to be evil?
a.
9. (7:12) What is Paul answer to the rhetorical question of Rom 7:7? How does it relate to the rhetorical question of Rom 6:1-2?
a.
D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — Why does something designed to bring life bring death?
1.
E. Conclusion —

IX. {Rom 7:13- 20}