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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Dealing With Sin Under the New Covenant, #3
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 7:25-8:2 NIV)
Now there are two ways of interpreting the above three verses.
The first way is as follows: while we are on earth we must resign ourselves to the fact that we are going to continue to sin. We may be a devout person and very upset about not being able to fulfill all of God's laws, which we love and are in slavery to, so to speak. However the sin principle in our body dictates that we indeed shall keep on sinning.
God, recognizing our slavery to sin, acknowledging that if we could we would do His will, keeps on forgiving our sinning so we remain without condemnation.
The law of the Spirit of life, operating through Christ, sets us free from the law of sin and death by giving us a clear conscience. We know we are sinning but since we are under grace and not under the Law of Moses we are free from all condemnation.
Would you agree that I have just set forth an approximation of what is currently believed and often verbalized by the ministry?
The second interpretation is as follows: Paul is not speaking of the Christian life but of the dilemma faced by the righteous Jew under the Law of Moses. In the Jew's mind he is in slavery to God but in his sinful nature he is a slave to sin.
In the Book of Romans Paul is reasoning with Jews, perhaps many Christian Jews. Remember, the first Christian church was composed of five thousand Jews who had received Jesus Christ as Christ but were keeping the Law of Moses with all diligence.
When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law." (Acts 21:20 NIV)
Paul's explanation of the transition from the Law of Moses to the grace of Jesus Christ begins in Chapters Two through Six and then resumes in Chapter Eight. Chapter Seven is inserted to reason with the Jews concerning the inability of the Law of Moses to satisfy their desire for righteousness.
Thus, Romans 7:25, stating the believer is in slavery to the Law of Moses and also to his sin nature, such that he never has a clear conscience, is not speaking to Christians but reveals the dilemma of the seeker after God who is trying to keep the Law of Moses. This is not the victorious Christian life.
Paul's next proclamation, that there is no condemnation resting on those who are in Christ Jesus, is assuring the Jewish believer that if he is abiding in Christ he does not have to worry about the fact that his behavior is not according to the Law of Moses. He is free from the authority of the Law so he can rejoice in Christ. He is not caught in the dilemma where what he is directed to do and what he is able to do are hopelessly and forever opposed.
To be continued.