Look, there are aspects of the Old Testament law that were ceremonial in nature. that we're totally fulfilled through the crosswork of Christ. But the moral law of God is unchanging. There are many things in the moral law that have full application for today. The moral law of God speaks in the Old Testament against bestiality.
Show me in the New Testament where that's even mentioned. It's not. Welcome to Search the Scriptures. The Bible Teaching Ministry of Dr. Carl Broge.
Senior Pastor of Community Bible Church in Beaufort, South Carolina. Today's sermon is entitled, God's mirror for sin. From the book of Romans, chapter 7. Verses seven through thirteen. Today, we will see that Christians are not under the law, but under grace.
The law of God was given to reveal our sin. like a mirror to show us what our soul truly looks like. Let's join Pastor Carl Now. as he begins. Would you take God's word this morning?
Please turn to Romans the seventh chapter. If you are new here, typically we go through entire books of the Bible. The last book we did was Malachi, but before we begin a New Testament book, we usually do Old Testament, New Testament. I'm doing a series on our new identity in Christ, which is underscored in Romans chapters 5 through 8. The book of Romans is like no other book, I suppose.
It's more exacting, more demanding, more intensive, more challenging to your mind and heart and soul than maybe any other letter in all the New Testament. And remember, it's written to the saints, to those who are beloved of God, called as saints. And if you learn Romans, it will grow you in the grace of God. It will help you to understand the gospel more profoundly, that you can share it more simply. I know when I was a Christian just about two years, I spent a summer.
At a Bible Institute where six hours a day for five weeks we studied the book of Romans. And my life was profoundly deepened in my walk with Christ. And I came back, and for the next two years, I poured through Romans. Indeed, it is rightly called the Mount Everest Of the New Testament, and if you can grasp the doctrines found in the book of Romans, really all of Scripture will open to you.
Now, if you remember, there is a doctrine of condemnation, the doctrine of justification, and the doctrine of sanctification in the first section. The first section is the doctrinal section. The second section is the national section. It deals with Israel. with the Jewish people that God has not forsaken or abandoned.
I spoke yesterday to Oz Guinness. We had some time together and. Many of you know him from the books that he has written. I was refreshed to hear that as an Anglican, he did not embrace replacement theology, because typical to Anglicanism and Episcopalians. Across the world, as they deny God's role for Israel.
But God's not done with Israel. In Romans 9, he deals with Israel's election. In chapter 10, their current rejection. But in the 11th chapter, the future restoration. That's why we know we're in the final time frame of human history.
because God had to regather the Jews and put them in the land. To fulfill the final prophetic plan of God. Those who embrace amillennialism, like Calvin, were very, very confused people. They embrace that not out of the scripture, but out of their Roman Catholic background. With that said, that's enough.
Let's dig into the text of Scripture. I want to begin where we left off: Romans chapter 7, verse 7. Follow along. What shall we say then? Is the law sin?
May it never be. On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the law, for I would not have known about coveting if the law had said. You shall not covet. But sin taking opportunity through the commandment produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law, sin is dead.
I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died. And this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me. For sin taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.
So then the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and righteous isn't good. Therefore, did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be. Rather, it was sin. In order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death.
Through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become. utterly sinful.
Now, let me zoom in on where we are contextually. Again, we're in the doctrinal section. He deals with three major doctrines: the doctrine of condemnation, showing us that all men are lost, all men are in need of a Savior. The doctrine of justification in 3-5, and that's where we began this series. We began with an introductory message in chapter 3.
Then we went through verse by verse through the fifth chapter: that our justification is not earned or merited, it is by the grace of God. And then he moves in chapters 6 through 8 from the doctrine of justification. To the doctrine of sanctification. Justification declares who you are, that God has declared you righteous, assuming you've come to Him. Maybe many have not who are listening to me.
But when you do, you're declared righteous. But sanctification is that process where, in your experience, you become more and more like Christ.
Now, let me zoom in on the immediate context of chapter 7. If you remember, in chapter 6, we learned that as Christians, we've been freed from our slavery to the sin nature. He reminded us that the sin nature has been defeated and deprived and disabled of its power. The only power it has. is what you and I allow it to have.
And so in chapter 6, if you remember, we looked at the analogy of slavery to teach us that we're freed from the old master of sin and we have a new master, the Lord Jesus. But in chapter 7, which we began last time, he moves from the master-slave relationship to the husband-and-wife relationship. where he uses marriage to help us to understand our relationship to the law. In chapter six, we were buried with Christ. In chapter seven he reminds us that we're married with Christ, that we are the bride of Christ.
And it's important for us to understand that as we looked at last time. to understand the relationship that the law has on you today as a believer.
So he's moving from the graveyard To a wedding scene, and there's a wedding album. And if you look carefully, you will find your picture there.
So, why would Paul spend an entire chapter On dealing with our relationship to the law?
Well, several reasons. First, Remember the response that the critics had. concerning the Apostle Paul, his teaching of the law. They said, well, Paul, you teach that we're not saved by our obedience to the law, that we're saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And he documents that from Scripture alone, that he goes and dips into the Old Testament in the fourth chapter with King David and Abraham.
To show that this is not some new Pauline doctrine. This was God's intention from the beginning. And so if you remember in chapter 6, both in verse 14 and again in verse 15, I have it underlined here, that we're not under law, but under grace. And so, is God's law meaningless since we're not under law but under grace? And this is an important issue, not just in the first century, But in the 21st century, For instance, in the nineteen sixties, when mainline denominations began to teach the numerality.
They basically said, well, the new morality, which is nothing more than the old immorality. Is God's way of allowing us to live because we're no longer under law. And it's come to a point We're in our day Bible-believing Christians. Who believe in the moral law of God are looked at with a sense of distrust and suspicion. And they view our morality as Bigotry of one sort or another.
And so You have that aspect of the law, and in addition, you have those who would say, well, Paul teaches, because we're not saved by the law, that once you are saved, you can live however you want to live. That you're saved by grace, and since you're saved and secured on the merits of the cross, live however you want. And we saw last time that that is an attitude that some people have, and we're going to delve into that more deeply today. And then there are, again, Christian people. Who says, well, since we're not under law, if you deal with any aspect of the Old Testament law, you're a legalist.
Oh, you think you should observe the Lord's Day or tithing? You're a legalist. Look, there are aspects of the Old Testament law that were ceremonial in nature. that were totally fulfilled through the crosswork of Christ. But the moral law of God is unchanging.
There are many things in the moral law that have full application for today. The moral law of God speaks in the Old Testament against bestiality. Show me in the New Testament where that's even mentioned. It's not. I hope you don't think that that has no application for today.
And so these are important issues that we're delving.
Now, last time I gave you a bird's eye view of the seventh chapter. Do you remember it? If you read through the chapter over and over and over again, you'll find that there are three principal divisions dealing with three attitudes that people have towards the law of God. First, there's the attitude of the legalists. That's verses 1 through 6.
The legalist who's in bondage to the law. And he thinks that his acceptance of the law is based on his obedience to it. And we saw that there are two categories of legalists that the Apostle Paul deals with in the book of Romans. There's a non-Christian legalist who tries to earn a right standing with God by the things that he does. And then there's the Christian legalist who recognizes that he's saved by grace alone, through faith alone, but he thinks that somehow the process of sanctification.
Is based on our achievement, on our ability to follow the law. And of course, that's the primary focus here. He's dealing here with brothers in the context, a term that he's using in reference to those who are born again. In addition to the attitude of the legalists in verses 1 through 6, In verses 7 to 13, where we're at today, he deals with the attitude of the libertine. The libertine again basically says, well, because salvation is by grace, because you're going to heaven on the merits of Christ alone, you can live however you want to live.
It's called antinomianism. Anti-means against, nomos means law. And so these are people who are against the law. And these are pseudo-Christians. And the churches in America are filled with people who say they are born again.
But there's no hunger for holiness. Look, you cannot have a new nature because if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old has passed away, all things have become new. You cannot claim to be born again if your life has not fundamentally changed. Again, Paul would be the first underscore, as we'll see next time.
That he's not speaking here of perfection, but he is speaking of a new direction. And then, of course, when we come to that third section in verses 14 to 25, he'll deal with the attitude of the law-abiding believer. And the law-abiding believer preserves the biblical balance. He sees the law as holy and righteous and good. But at the same time, as you turn into the eighth chapter, and so the eighth chapter is critical.
to living out chapter 7. Is that you can't obey the law in your own power? When we come to 8:4, he'll tell us that God gave the law. Why? That the requirement of the law.
Might be fulfilled in us. How? Who do not walk according to the flesh, that is your own power. but according to the Spirit.
So three types of people here in chapter 7. The legalists. The Libertine. And the law-abiding Christian. And so these are the three principal divisions.
He deals with the release from the law, that was last time. Today, a defense of the law. And next time, the weakness of the law.
Now, for contextual reasons, let me just review where we were last time. And walk this through. And by the way, you just need to go through Romans over and over and over again. If you're new to the Bible, Again, if you could learn just one book of the Bible super well, I would encourage you to learn Romans. Notice how the chapter opens again in verse 1.
He says, or do you not know brethren or brothers? And the newer edition say brothers, and then in italics, and sisters. It's a delphoy, it's referring generically to men and women alike who know Christ. That the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives. That's the principle.
The law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives. We understand that. You're convicted for. Murdering someone? Then you die in prison, and what does the law say?
Case dismissed. It's over. The law has jurisdiction only while a person is alive. That's the principle. Then, if you remember in verses 2 and 3, he illustrated that principle.
Notice in your Bible, for the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living.
So having stated that we're bound by law while we're alive, he illustrates it with marriage. But, notice verse 2, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. God wants you to be married until death do you part. or until Christ returns, not until divorce do you part. And so if your spouse dies, You speak of your husband or your wife in the past tense.
Mary was my wife. Joe was my husband. Why? Because death seized. Severs.
the marriage relationship, and there is no marriage in heaven. Except, spiritually speaking, we as the bride to Christ the groom. With that being true, notice verse 3, he draws a conclusion. I know some of you don't have a Bible. This is your first time here.
You've never needed one in church. Come Thursday night to meet the pastor. I'll have you out in time before Trump ever speaks, I promise you. Verse 3: so then. If while her husband is living, she is joined, or you could say married.
As the King James or the ESV renders it, that's the thought behind the Greek word joined here.
So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man she shall be called an adulteress. That is, she incurs the stigma of adultery. But, now watch the contrast. If her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
So you're married, you divorce your husband, you marry again. What are you in? Adultery. You say, but I've got my certificate from a court of law that says I'm no longer married. And God says, I've got my marriage certificate in heaven.
That says only death severs a relationship.
Now, that's not popular today. Not any Church that reaches people for Christ, as we do, about 50 or 60% of the people are in a second marriage. But if you were here last time, it's not an unforgivable sin. But you have to deal with sin in reality. You can't make excuses.
And I know there are people divorced against their will and all that stuff. But scripture is clear. Jesus said: if you divorce your wife and you marry another, you commit adultery. There's an exception clause, and it's only found in Matthew because it dealt with Jewish betrothal, and it has nothing to do with today. And for 1,500 years, that was the only position of the church.
It wasn't until Erasmus, a Roman Catholic theologian who denied justification by grace, introduced that the exception referred to adultery after marriage. And sadly, since about 1920, that has become a popular view in evangelicalism. She's released from the law. Why? Because her husband has died.
So there's the principle, there's the illustration, and then there's the application. And his application is very simple. Just as death terminates a marriage, so our death in Jesus Christ has terminated our bondage to the law. We're bound to the law as long as we are alive. Look at verse 4.
Therefore, in other words, the light of this truth, here's the application: therefore. My brethren, You also were made to die to the law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined or married to another. To him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Now you've heard that before, right? We studied it in Romans chapter 6 and in verse 3. Or do you not know that all of us who've been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? A contrary to water salvationists. That teach that water in baptism has some kind of power.
The scripture is clear that the term baptizo isn't always in reference to water. We were baptized, they were baptized with Moses, 1 Corinthians 10. What? They went into the Jordan and got baptized? Of course not.
We've been baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Some people will be baptized in the future. John the Baptist said with fire. under the eternal wrath of God. And so it carries this idea of being identified. And so we were baptized, united with Christ in his death.
That when Jesus died, if you've received him, then you're counted as dying with him. And it's the baptism of the Spirit that unites you to Christ. That's why Paul will say in Ephesians 5 that we're seated with Christ in the heavenly places. That that's how tight this security is that we have in Jesus. And so when we come to the eighth chapter, he'll say, positionally, it's as good as you've been glorified.
though we're still awaiting that experientially.
So, in verse 5, he writes of chapter 6: we've become united with him in the likeness of his death. And so, when you place your faith in Jesus, when he died, when he was buried, when he was raised, you're totally identified with his death, burial, and resurrection. Look at verse 4 again here in the seventh chapter. Therefore, my brethren. You also were made to die through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined or married to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. You understand what he's saying? Because of our inability to keep the law of God, no one can be accepted on that basis. And so, in essence, all we can do is produce fruit for death. Show me one person who's ever kept the whole law.
There's only one and his name is Yeshua, Jesus in English. Only one. And so in verse five, he reminds us that our sinful passions. were aroused by the law. How is it that the law arouses sin within us?
Well, it's like the sign that says stay off the grass. What do you want to do? Walk on it. It's like the sign that it says, wet paint don't touch and you just Want to touch it. Why is it that in the library people have the greatest urge to talk?
Because we have this fallen, sinful nature, and the law reminds us of that. It arouses the sinful nature.
Furthermore, in chapters 3 through 5, Paul taught again that the law can save no one. In chapter 6, he explained that the law could not sanctify anyone. And so some people might conclude: well, therefore, the law is meaningless. If it can't save you, if it can't sanctify you, it must be useless. And worse than that, they might have decided that the law collaborated with sin, that the law itself was sinful, because it helped you to sin.
So that's what he's dealing with here in this section.
Now anti-nominists, they go to the opposite of the legalists. by blaming all of his problems on the law. We just studied last week that it's impossible to give allegiance to the law and to Christ simultaneously. Just as you Die through the covenant of marriage through death. Even so, you have to die to the law in terms of your commitment to Christ.
There must be a point in your life. I sat next to a gentleman on the airplane and I started witnessing to him and He asked me what I did as we were about halfway through the conversation. I said, I'm a preacher. He said, You're a preacher. I'm a preacher.
Let me ask you a question. Zero to 100. How certain are you to go to heaven? He said, 80. What do you think you'd have to do to be 100?
He said, be a better preacher. No, you have to die. to your recognition that the law cannot in any way shape or form save you And so he wants us to understand that even though the law cannot save us, it doesn't mean that the law is sinful. And so, notice verse 7, where we left off last time. Verse 7 begins with a question followed by an explanation: What shall we say then?
Is the law sin? Now don't misunderstand the significance of this question. If I've been released from the law in order to bear fruit from God. And if the law arouses these sinful passions within, is the law sinful? And his simple answer is.
Meganoita. But may it never be. This is the sixth time in the epistle he uses this phrase. challenging to translate. The emotion Of these two words in Greek, different translations say absolutely not, of course not.
Another says not at all, by no means. Perish the thought, don't be ridiculous, the King James, God forbid.
So here in verse 7, Paul now proceeds to show the relationship between God's holy and perfect law in sin.
So that's where we are today.
Now there's a note-taking outline. If you're new, you might want to jot down a few thoughts for reflection. Notice first that the law reveals sin. The law reveals sin.
So, is the law sinful? May it never be. Absolutely not. On the contrary. I would not have come to know sin except through the law, for I would not have known about covenanting if the law had said.
You shall not covet. Now God's law, whether it's on written form, on tablets or In the scripture and the Torah. or whether it's written on the tablets of your heart. Because that's one of his arguments in 2:15: that no one can claim innocence because no one can claim ignorance. That even the raw pagan, the Aborigine, has the law of God written in his heart that makes him totally responsible.
Now, if he responds to that light, God will give him more light. That's the argument. And so, this ridiculous thought that Tony Evans introduced, a term that no one embraces, called transdispensationalism, that these Aborigines are innocent because they haven't heard about Jesus. And if they're just living up to the light they have, that's Seventh-day Adventism. That's not New Testament theology.
No, if the Aborigine responds to the light he has, God gives him more light and ultimately the gospel. But if he'll suppress the light that he has, sometimes God withholds further light. He practices what he preaches.
Sometimes God does not cast his pearl before swine.
So, God's law, whether in written form or embedded in your conscience, it reveals sin. When God's law says you shall not steal or you shall not lie, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not covet, what does it do? It convicts you, it condemns you. When I read the thou shalt and the thou shalt nots in Scripture, I understand how wicked and depraved I am by nature.
So, the law of God was given to reveal my sin. The reformers used to say the function of the law is not to justify, but to terrify. and to lead you to Christ.
So the law is like a mirror. To show you what your soul is like. You look in the mirror, you see your dirty face. You look into the law of God, and you see your dirty soul. One reveals the outside, the other reveals the inside.
Now you don't take the mirror and rub it on your face, that would make it worse. No, the mirror is given so that you can see the dirt and you'll go to the water and wash it off. If you enjoyed today's message, you can order a CD or DVD copy by calling search the scriptures. At 877-1787. seven eight seven seven four seven eight and requesting program Our Identity in Christ.
Don't forget tomorrow that you can ask Dr. Broge a question between 11 and noon Eastern. during his live call-in program, The Bible Line. You can also listen to the Baba Line online at wagp.net. We hope that you will join us tomorrow.
as we continue to search the scriptures.
