Romans - September 7, 2008

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



IX. {Rom 7:13- 20} Desires of the Flesh Makes The Law Appear Sinful
A. Introduction
1. Review — Paul has shown a person set free from the legal obligation of serving Satan does not require the restraints of a Law of Merit to not serve Sin because the function of all Laws of Merit are not to provide salvation but to make a person aware of Sin’s influence. Paul shows the evilness of Sin in practice not in an esoteric or abstract fashion.
2. Preview — The reason God’s Law of Merit produces evil in one seeking to serve God, i.e., seeking to do God’s will. Reason why the Law is not required.
3. Two statements, each with two supports or proofs and a conclusion...
a. Rom 7: 13 (14 & 15) 16
b. Rom 7:17 (18 & 19) 20
B. Question For Discussion?
1. Mr. Sin used the Law to do evil, but the Law was not evil (Rom 7:12). What proof is offered in this passage (Rom 7:13-20) to support the claim the Law is holy, righteous, and good but appears to be bad.
C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. (7:13) How did something good show how utterly sinful is sin (a violation of divine law)?
a. When an action brings death one is able to grasp the evilness of the act that is contrary to the Law of the Pure God.
b. Unlike the laws of man, with their sliding scale of consequences, all violations of God’s inherent right to rule is a serious matter, thus, carries the same serious consequences — spiritual death. (ref. Rom 3:25b)
c. There is pure (good) and impure (evil), no such thing as a little impure.
OBSERVATION: The issue is not does God have the right to tell what He has created what they can and cannot do for such is an accepted fact among the readers (Rom 1:18-20). Paul’s arguments would be without meaning if a person rejects God as the Creator, thus, does not have the inherent right to rule. (Only two classes of authority — inherent and delegated.) I build a bird house, thus, I have the inherent authority to chose the color. I can, if I choose, delegate to someone the right to choose the color.
OBSERVATION (7:13) Statement - What was good did not bring death, but what was good clearly showed to everyone the deadliness of sin by sin’s use of a good law to bring conflict and death.
2. (7:14) Why is there a conflict between the Law and Paul?
OBSERVATION: Paul is using himself as a type for anyone one under the Law of Moses [any law of merit], i.e., before they become a Christian [under the Law of Christ], who is trying to please God. Some suggest Paul is discussing a Christian in an attempt to prove a Christian cannot sin so as to be lost, clearly Paul is not talking about a Christian for a Christian is not sold under sin (cf. Rom 7:14 w/ 6:14)
a. Paul is motivated by the outward man that is in bondage to sin and Law is spiritual — it appeals to the inward man who has the burden to then regulate the outward man [flesh].
3. (7:14) When was Paul sold into bondage
a. When Paul became aware of sin(age of accountability) while living under a law of merit [Law of Moses]. [Rom 7:9]
OBSERVATION (7:14) Proof - The reason for the conflict is the two parts of a human. Part of man is like God (eternal) and part is like earth (physical). God’s Law is from the Eternal One designed for the eternal part of man (spiritual). The here and now part (physical) has chosen to obey sin (to be corrupted by sin), thus, we are legally obligated to be sin’s slave and not (cannot) serve God.
4. (7:15) Is this person “totally depraved”? The concept one is born as a sinner and will remain a sinner without a concept of right and wrong until they are given, in some better felt than told way, enlightenment by God.
a. No for he has acknowledged the Law is good and he knows he is not obeying the good Law, thus, he knows he is not pure (sinless); a person “totally depraved” would not know the law was good nor would they know not obeying the Law makes them impure.
OBSERVATION (7:15) Proof - When one is in legally bound to sin, and know it (i.e., inward man knows it is sin) they must serve sin even if they do not want to for they are no longer spiritually pure (pure God cannot have a relationship with impurity and remain pure), thus, sin is their legal master.
5. (7:16) What does Paul’s desire tell us about the Law?
a. The cause of death is not with the Law for the Law is good.
b. The cause of death is the sinfulness of sin.
OBSERVATION (7:16) Conclusion - When one comes to understand God’s Law is good (they inwardly want to serve the Law) they are agreeing the Law is not evil.
6. (7:17) Why is Paul is not making or giving an excuse for sinning but explaining why the Law is not the reason for his sinning?
a. When Paul became aware of sin (what is sin and what is not sin) he chose to sin and one sin (an act contrary to God’s will) means Mr. Sin owned him — Paul is showing the power of Mr. Sin.
7. Do you feel it is fair to say sin once and sin owns you? Why do you feel that way?
a. Yes. When the Law says taking a bribe will cause you to lose you job, thus, if you take one bribe the one paying the bribe owns you.
OBSERVATION (7:17) Statement - Once sin has taken control (corrupted a person’s inward man) the container (body) is in control of the impure inward man — things appealing to the flesh more important than things appealing to a pure inward man.
8. (7:18) Why can Paul not do good?
a. All the good he would do cannot remove the bad he has done.
b. The Law does not have the ability to remove the stain of even one sin
OBSERVATION (7:18) Proof - The inward man, because inward man is now aware it has sinned (is corrupted), is not able to obey the Pure God’s pure (good) Law.
9. (7:19) Why does Paul practice evil?
a. Paul has been sold into bondage to Mr. Sin by his one act of sin. (v.8, 14; cf. Rom 5:18)
OBSERVATION (7:19) Proof - Just stating a fact: it is impossible for a corrupted (impure) inward man to undo what is evil (to be sanctified), even if there is a desire to be pure.
10. (7:20) What does the conflict described by Paul have to do with those wanting to retain the Law as a means to not sin (Rom 6:1-2) thinking Paul is saying the Law is bad (Rom 7:7)?
a. The Law does not treat the source of the illness (spiritually impure) but the symptoms of the illness (being impure). The Law was not designed to remove the source of the illness but as a means to show what is not pure (Rom 7:7) and a way to not be rejected (receive judicial wrath) by the Pure God via regular sacrifices to temporally appease God’s wrath.
OBSERVATION (7:20) Conclusion - The Law is good and I know it is good, but sin (corruption, impurity) dwells in my eternal inward man (i.e., part made in our Pure God’s image).
D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — Mr. Sin used the Law to do evil, but the Law was not evil (Rom 7:12). What proof is offered in this passage (Rom 7:13-20) to support the claim the Law is holy, righteous, and good but appears to be bad.
1. The fact someone is trying to obey the Law establishes the Law is good.
2. The Law appears to be evil for what is impure (a sinner) cannot be pure, i.e., undo what made them impure, in spite of their great efforts and desire.
OBSERVATION: Remember this letter is written to Christians who feel the Law has not been replaced by Christ (the gospel) but is an addition to the Law, i.e., the Law of Moses is still necessary. Paul’s effort is to show the Law has been replaced as a means to be pleasing to God
E. Conclusion — It has been proven the only way to be justified by those under the Law was the propitiation [appeasing] of God’s judicial wrath by the death of Christ [cf. Rom 3:25]. It has now being established the means for justification was not the Law nor is the Law the means for sanctification. Rom 7:21-25 establishes what is required.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A LOOK AHEAD


X. {Rom 7:21-25} Cannot serve God without Christ’s without help
A. Introduction
1. Review — Paul is showing and has shown any law of merit (good works providing a person with the false assurance they are approved by God), including the Law of Moses, is not required to live a sanctified life when one has been reconciled with God through the death of Jesus (Rom 3:21-26; 5:6-11). Those who have died to all laws of merit “bear fruit for God” (live sanctified lives) not because they have to but because they can and want to thanks to the death of God’s Son. (Rom 7:4)
2. Preview — Presents only solution to what prevents this God fearing man from serving his good God’s good Laws the way God expects His law to be served.
B. Question For Discussion?
1. What enables one to live a sanctified life — serve God the way God expects to be served?
C. Questions For Encouraging Discussion...
1. (7:21) What prevents this person from serving God?
a.
2. (7:22) Is this a situation of being totally depraved, if not is there any thing is this verse suggesting otherwise?
a.
3. (7:23) What is the different law preventing this man from serving the law of God?
a.
4. (7:23) Where does each law operate?
a.
5. (7:23) PONDER: Based on the area of operations what are your thoughts on Rom 5:20; 7:8,14 and the design of the Law of Moses?
a.
6. (7:24) What is it that has made this man “wretched” (miserable through the exhaustion of hard labor)?
a.
7. (7:24) From what is the man requesting he be delivered?
a.
8. (7:25) Why is Christ able to give this man what he wants — freedom from his body of death?
a.
9. (7:25) PONDER: What is required of this man to receive what he wants?
a.
10. (7:25) Does this teach when we sin it is only the outward man sinning and not the inward man sinning, thus, I cannot sin enough to not go to heaven?
a.
D. Evidence Applied [Discussion Question Answered] — What enables one to live a sanctified life — serve God the way God expects to be served?
1.
E. Conclusion —