Set Free From Sin And The Law

How do we ensure we are set free from sin and the law? What does Romans 7 mean when it says once a person dies, they are set free? Let’s investigate this chapter to read about it.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. Romans 7:4

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve allowed the serpent to deceive them. Because they disobeyed God, their sinful nature became a part of everyone born into the human race.

As men and women populated the planet, they had nothing to guide them except their consciences. That didn’t work, so God destroyed everyone except Noah and his family.

As the earth began to repopulate, the Lord called Abraham and his seed as His chosen people. His descendants grew into a large nation while in captivity to the Egyptians.

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God chose Moses to set them free from Egypt and lead them to the Land He promised to Abraham. During that time, Moses received God’s law, beginning with the Ten Commandments.

When God issued the law, He knew the Israelites needed that type of guidance. All of the laws and statutes kept the nation focused on the direction of the Lord their God.

The law doesn’t do anything for our righteousness or draw us close to the Lord. The Apostle Paul, though, explained the law’s benefits.

In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” Romans 7:7

The Law will not Set us Free

Many use the law, however, to justify themselves to self-righteousness. When people see the law, they try to skirt it without breaking it. But they usually fail. Paul gave the following example.

But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. Romans 7:8

In Acts 23, the apostle claimed to be a Pharisee, which also made him a student of the law. But in this chapter, he admitted that, at one time, he lived without understanding it.

But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Romans 7:9-10

He concluded that the law did nothing to set him free. Then, in this chapter, the apostle delved deeper as he unfolded some theological principles. He continued by saying the following.

Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. Romans 7:11

Still, at his old tricks, the enemy uses God’s law to deceive people. He has nominal Christians believing that if they obey the law, it will get them into heaven.

Paul said that the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. Then, in the next verse, he threw out some questions, and fortunately, he answered them as well.

But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death?
Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death.
So we can see how terrible sin really is.
It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes. Romans 7:13

The Law Used for Evil

Are you like the apostle? Do you want to do what is good but end up not doing it? And then you don’t want to do what is wrong but do it anyway. He said his sinful nature trips him up.

Paul discovered a principle of life that when he wants to do what is right, he does what is wrong. Even though he loved God’s law with all his heart, he knew it couldn’t set him free from sin.

He also discovered another power that was at war within his mind. It makes him a slave to the sin that resides within him. Maybe you have felt this way, and it makes you miserable.

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Romans 7:24

The Bible teaches us that our conscience won’t set us free. The apostle wanted us to know that even though the law is good, it won’t set us free, either. It does help us move in the right direction.

But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. Romans 7:16

Paul finally gave us the answer. He said, “Thank God.” Why? Because we don’t have to be miserable. We don’t have to worry about who will set us free from a life of sin.

The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:25

How Do You Try to Set Yourself Free?

In Romans 5, the apostle had already laid out what he spoke about in our chapter for today. Why do you suppose he brought it up again? Why did he need to repeat himself?

Because, people want to be set free from sin by trying to do what is right. In other words, by their good deeds and obedience to the law. He told us again why God’s law was given.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. Romans 5:20

Thank the Lord for His abundant grace. Sin no longer needs to rule because Jesus conquered sin and death. And He will set free all who call upon His name, you know, the name of Jesus!

So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules. Instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:21

Lord, thank you for Jesus’ victory over death, which set us free from sin and liberated us from the law.

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