Romans 7:1-6
God’s People Released from the Law

Today, March 21th, 2023, let us, together in the grace of God, rejoice and reflect on the Word of God in Romans 7:1-6.

1 Or are you ignorant, brothers, (for I speak to those knowing Law), that the Law lords it over the man for as long a time as he lives?

2 For the married woman was bound by Law to the living husband; but if the husband dies, she is set free from the Law of the husband.

3 So then, if the husband is living, she will be called an adulteress if she becomes another man’s. But if the husband dies, she is free from the Law, so as for her not to be an adulteress by becoming another man’s.

4 So that, my brothers, you also were made dead to the Law through the body of Christ, for you to become Another’s, to the One raised from the dead, so that we may bear fruit to God.

5 For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sin were working in our members through the Law for the bearing of fruit unto death.

6 But now we have been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so as for us to serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Suggested Questions:

1. Is the law regarding marriage in this section the law of humans or of God? Or both?

2. If a woman’s husband dies, she can marry another man and belong to him. But why is it that if believers die, they belong to someone else, namely Christ? How can believers belong to Christ if they die? Is it not like saying that after a woman dies, not her husband, she belongs to another husband? How can she belong to another husband after she has died?

3. So, does a married woman represent something or someone? What does the first husband represent? What does the second husband represent?

4. What does “dead to the law through the body of Christ” mean?

5. Can humans die to the law without going through the body of Christ?

6. What does “bear fruit to God” mean?

7. How do the passions of sin, while we are in our flesh, work through the law that brings us unto death?

8. Are the people of God still in the flesh, still driven by sin to commit sins?

9. How are serving in the spirit and serving by the letter of the law different? Can you give an example?

Suggested Applications:

1. When immoral desires of the flesh arise, such as wanting to be admired by others, greed for money, sexual lust… what should you do?

2. Have you ever repeated the same sin? If so, do you know why? Have you presented this problem to the Lord and asked Him to deliver you from that sin?

3. What fruits have your current life yielded for God?