Romans 7:1

Ro 7:1-25. Same Subject Continued.

Relation of Believers to the Law and to Christ (Ro 7:1-6). Recurring to the statement of Ro 6:14, that believers are "not under the law but under grace," the apostle here shows how this change is brought about, and what holy consequences follow from it. 1. I speak to them that know the law--of Moses to whom, though not themselves Jews (see on Ro 1:13), the Old Testament was familiar.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

ROMANS Chapter 7

Introduction ------------

Few chapters in the Bible have been the subject of more decidedly different interpretations than this. And after all that has been written on it by the learned, it is still made a matter of discussion, whether the apostle has reference, in the main scope of the chapter, to his own experience before he became a Christian, or to the conflicts in the mind of a man who is renewed. Which of these opinions is the correct one I shall endeavour to state in the Notes on the particular verses in the chapter. The main design of the chapter is not very difficult to understand. It is evidently to show the insufficiency of the law to produce peace of mind to a troubled sinner. In the previous chapters he had shown that it was incapable of producing justification, chapters 1-3, he had shown the way in which men were justified by faith, Rom 3:21-31, 4:1-25. He had shown how that plan produced peace, and met the evils introduced by the fall of Adam, Rom 5. He had showed that Christians were freed from the law as a matter of obligation, and yet that this freedom did not lead to a licentious life, Rom 6. And he now proceeds still further to illustrate the tendency of the law on a man both in a state of nature and of grace; to show that its uniform effect in the present condition of man, whether impenitent and under conviction, or in a state of grace under the gospel, so far from promoting peace, as the Jew maintained, was to excite the mind to conflict, and anxiety, and distress. Nearly all the peculiar opinions of the Jews the apostle had overthrown in the previous argument. He here gives the finishing stroke, and shows that the tendency of the law, as a practical matter, was everywhere the same. It was not, in fact, to produce peace, but agitation, conflict, distress. Yet this was not the fault of the law, which was in itself good, but of sin, Rom 7:6-24. I regard this chapter as not referring exclusively to Paul in a state of nature, or of grace. The discussion is conducted without particular reference to that point. It is rather designed to group together the actions of a man's life, whether in a state of conviction for sin or in a state of grace, and to show that the effect of the law is everywhere substantially the same. It equally fails everywhere in producing peace and sanctification. The argument of the Jew respecting the efficacy of the law; and its sufficiency for the condition of man, is thus overthrown by a succession of proofs relating to justification, to pardon, to peace, to the evils of sin, and to the agitated and conflicting moral elements in man's bosom. The effect is everywhere the same. The deficiency is apparent in regard to ALL, the great interests of man. And having shown this, the apostle and the reader are prepared for the language of triumph and gratitude, that deliverance from all these evils is to be traced to the gospel of Jesus Christ the Lord, Rom 7:25

Verse 1. Know ye not. This is an appeal to their own observation respecting the relation between husband and wife. The illustration (Rom 8:2,3) is designed simply to show, that as when a man dies, and the connexion between him and his wife is dissolved, his law ceases to be binding on her; so also a separation has taken place between Christians and the law, in which they have become dead to it; and they are not now to attempt to draw their life and peace from it, but from that new source with which they are connected by the gospel, Rom 8:4.

For I speak to them, etc. Probably the apostle refers here more particularly to the Jewish members of the Roman church, who were qualified particularly to understand the nature of the law, and to appreciate the argument. That there were many Jews fix the church at Rome has been shown, (see Introduction) but the illustration has no exclusive reference to them. The law to which he appeals is sufficiently general to make the illustration intelligible to all men.

That the law. The immediate reference here is probably to the Mosaic law. But what is here affirmed is equally true of all laws.

Hath dominion. Greek, Rules; exercises lordship. The law is here personified, and represented as setting up a lordship over a man, and exacting obedience.

Over a man. Over the man who is under it.

As long as he liveth. The Greek here may mean either as HE liveth," or "as it liveth," that is, the law. But our translation has evidently expressed the sense. The sense is, that death releases a man from the laws by which he was bound in life. It is a general principle, relating to the laws of the land, the law of a parent, the law of a contract, etc. This general principle the apostle proceeds to apply in regard to the law of God.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Introduction

The law has power over a man as long as he lives, Rom 7:1. And a wife is bound to her husband only as long as he lives, Rom 7:2, Rom 7:3. Christian believers are delivered from the Mosaic law by Christ Jesus, and united to God, Rom 7:5-7. By the law is the knowledge of sin, Rom 7:8. But it gives no power over it, Rom 7:9-11. Yet it is holy, just, and good, Rom 7:12. How it convinces of sin, and brings into bondage, Rom 7:13-24. No deliverance from its curse but by Jesus Christ, Rom 7:25. The apostle having, in the preceding chapter, shown the converted Gentiles the obligations they were under to live a holy life, addresses himself here to the Jews who might hesitate to embrace the Gospel; lest, by this means, they should renounce the law, which might appear to them as a renunciation of their allegiance to God. As they rested in the law, as sufficient for justification and sanctification, it was necessary to convince them of their mistake. That the law was insufficient for their justification the apostle had proved, in chapters iii., iv., and v.; that it is insufficient for their sanctification he shows in this chapter; and introduces his discourse by showing that a believing Jew is discharged from his obligations to the law, and is at liberty to come under another and much happier constitution, viz. that of the Gospel of Christ, Rom 7:1-4. In Rom 7:5 he gives a general description of the state of a Jew, in servitude to sin, considered as under mere law. In Rom 7:6 he gives a summary account of the state of a Christian, or believing Jew, and the advantages he enjoys under the Gospel. Upon Rom 7:5 he comments, from Romans 7:7-25, and upon Rom 7:6 he comments, Rom 8:1-11. In explaining his position in Rom 7:5 he shows: 1. That the law reaches to all the branches and latent principles of sin, Rom 7:7. 2. That it subjected the sinner to death, Rom 7:8-12, without the expectation of pardon. 3. He shows the reason why the Jew was put under it, Rom 7:13. 4. He proves that the law, considered as a rule of action, though it was spiritual, just, holy, and good in itself, yet was insufficient for sanctification, or for freeing a man from the power of inbred sin. For, as the prevalency of sensual appetites cannot wholly extinguish the voice of reason and conscience, a man may acknowledge the law to be holy, just, and good, and yet his passions reign within him, keeping him in the most painful and degrading servitude, while the law supplied no power to deliver him from them, Rom 7:14-24, as that power can only be supplied by the grace of Jesus Christ, Rom 7:25. See Taylor. Verse 1 For I speak to them that know the law - This is a proof that the apostle directs this part of his discourse to the Jews. As long as he liveth? - Or, as long as It liveth; law does not extend its influence to the dead, nor do abrogated laws bind. It is all the same whether we understand these words as speaking of a law abrogated, so that it cannot command; or of its objects being dead, so that it has none to bind. In either case the law has no force.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

So long as a man continues under the law as a covenant, and seeks justification by his own obedience, he continues the slave of sin in some form. Nothing but the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, can make any sinner free from the law of sin and death. Believers are delivered from that power of the law, which condemns for the sins committed by them. And they are delivered from that power of the law which stirs up and provokes the sin that dwells in them. Understand this not of the law as a rule, but as a covenant of works. In profession and privilege, we are under a covenant of grace, and not under a covenant of works; under the gospel of Christ, not under the law of Moses. The difference is spoken of under the similitude or figure of being married to a new husband. The second marriage is to Christ. By death we are freed from obligation to the law as a covenant, as the wife is from her vows to her husband. In our believing powerfully and effectually, we are dead to the law, and have no more to do with it than the dead servant, who is freed from his master, has to do with his master's yoke. The day of our believing, is the day of being united to the Lord Jesus. We enter upon a life of dependence on him, and duty to him. Good works are from union with Christ; as the fruitfulness of the vine is the product of its being united to its roots; there is no fruit to God, till we are united to Christ. The law, and the greatest efforts of one under the law, still in the flesh, under the power of corrupt principles, cannot set the heart right with regard to the love of God, overcome worldly lusts, or give truth and sincerity in the inward parts, or any thing that comes by the special sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. Nothing more than a formal obedience to the outward letter of any precept, can be performed by us, without the renewing, new-creating grace of the new covenant.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain