“1 Since I am speaking to those who know the law, brothers and sisters, don’t you know that the law rules over someone as long as he lives?”
Today, we begin Chapter 7, and with it, we will see Paul shift his focus. Previously, in Chapter 6, Paul taught us that as Christians, we are no longer enslaved to sin, and are called to serve our new Master, Jesus Christ. Paul concluded Chapter 6 with this verse:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:23
Paul will begin to explain how it is possible that we have been forgiven such a grave debt (the wages of sin) and how we can serve our new Master. How can Christians be so graciously freed from the condemnation of the Law of God for sin? Paul tells us, don’t you know that the law only applies to the living? Why is this important? What Paul is telling us here in Chapter 7 is that the only way for us to be released from the condemnation of the law is to die. How can the law apply to someone who is no longer living? For us to be freed from the law, so that we can instead serve Christ, we have to die to the law. Someone must inherit the wages we have worked for. Someone must die for the sin we have committed. How can this be done? Paul told us in chapter 6.
“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin.” — Romans 6:6-7
We are set free from sin and the law because we have died to the law in Christ. Better yet, we have been raised with Christ also, so that we may now serve God rather than sin. Baptism is a picture of this process.
“For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 6:5, 11
We will continue to unpack this topic further in the verses and devotionals to come.