Misconceptions About Romans
The Seventh Chapter

Many people get confused when they come to the seventh chapter of the book of Romans.

The Apostle Peter said that Paul wrote some things that were hard to understand. II Peter 3:16. Which the unlearned and unstable wrest, or twist to their own destruction. In verse 17 of II Peter 3 he said, Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

In the seventh chapter of Romans Paul is explaining the difference between Law and Grace. He is pretending that he had lived in all dispensations of time. 

Know ye not, brethren, for I speak to them that know the law, how that the Law hath dominion over the man as long as he liveth? For the woman which has a husband is bound by the law of her husband so long as he liveth. But if the husband be dead she is loosed from the law of her husband.

This has nothing to do with marriage and divorce in this context. Paul is explaining the difference between  law and grace. So then if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress, but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; So that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Wherefore my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. In other words married to the grace of God, or the New Testament plan of salvation. The law is dead so that we can be married to grace. For when we were in the flesh, "before we came to Christ" the motion of sins, which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. The wages of sin is death.

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Meaning, we are dead to the works of the law and alive in Christ.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay I had not known sin, but by the law; for I had not known lust except the law had said, thou shalt not covet, but sin taking occasion of the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. In other words, the law revealed sin, many sins, all kinds of sins, lets us see our sins. The law showed Paul his sins.

For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Paul is pretending that he had lived before the law. Sin revived and I died, or repented, when the law showed him his sins.

And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me, or condemned me. Paul is pretending.

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just and good. This is a comparison of the law over conscience. The law is so much greater than the experience of conscience.

Today, we wouldn't say the law is holy, or spiritual. If we did we would be looking backward instead of forward. We are in a greater light, a greater dispensation than the law.

Example

A person from the Jehovah's witnesses coming in to a full gospel church, the light he had in the Jehovah's witnesses was spiritual to him before he came to the full light, or full salvation. When Paul said, the law is holy, he was saying the law was holy, or spiritual until I came up to more light. Galations 3:24-25. The law was a school master, bringing us to Christ. We must keep the principles of the law today.

In verse 13 Paul asked the question, "was then that which was good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin "or the sin that the law revealed , but sin that it might appear sin; working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Example

When a sinner comes to church, and the convicting power of God convicts him of his sins, he feels terrible. A person with sin in their life is not supposed to feel comfortable in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Verse 14 - for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 

Here Paul realizes that the ordinances of the Law cannot cleanse him of his sins. The law didn't have the power to take away sins. Hebrews 10:3,4, Hebrews 10:14-16. The law just rolled their sins ahead for another year, but the blood of Jesus Christ takes away sins, cleanses us of our sins, or remits our sins, and casts them into His sea of forgiveness.

Here in these verses 15-24, Paul is pretending that he is still under the law before he came to Christ, before the Church age, or before the time of full salvation.

Some would say, this was Paul's daily life here in Romans chapter 7, but this was not Paul's daily life, it is a comparison of law and grace. Paul knew exactly what he was talking about, because he did once live under the law. He lived in two dispensations, both law and grace, so actually he was speaking from personal experience, but it was before he came to the Lord. One certainly couldn't read Paul's writings and believe that Romans chapter 7 was his daily life. Paul certainly did not live a defeated life style. 

For that which I do I allow not, for what I would, that do I not. But that which I hate, that I do. If then I do that which I would not, I can scent unto the Law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in my members. For the Good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. Paul is saying, I wanted to keep the law, but I had no power over sin, no power to keep me from sin. While under the law. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth within me. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. Paul is likening this to being attached to a twin. 

Example

Under the Roman Empire, when some one killed somebody. If it was not in self defense, the killer was attached to the dead corpse until the stench of the dead man killed him. This was his punishment. Paul is likening sin to this dead corpse.

Verse 22, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law in my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Keep in mind Paul was pretending he was still under the law.

Verse 24, Oh wretched man that I am; who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Then in verse 25 Paul says, I thank God through Jesus Christ. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Paul is saying Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from sin, or this corpse. He likened sin to being attached to a dead corpse. Galations 5:16-25.

"The eighth chapter of Romans answers the seventh chapter of Romans." Notice Romans 8:1-17, we have power to live a sinless life when we receive full salvation. Repentance, baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, and receiving the Holy Ghost. Matt. 3:11,12, Luke 3:16-17, Acts 18th chapter, Acts 2:38.