LessonNine--Romans7:7--8:17
Even though believers have a sinful nature, they are not condemned
7:7-13 The law is good; the problem is the sinful nature
Verse7
Thelawis...
Butwhenthelawcomesintocontact withoursinfulnature...
Thinkoftimeswhensinwas“dead”in you,until youcameintocontactwiththe law.
7:14-25 The unspiritual sinful nature hinders the new man
InthissectionPaulspeaksofthe strugglebetweenhisnewmanandhis oldsinfulflesh.Paul,fromthe standpointthatheisanewcreation,is frustratedinhisdesiretokeepGod's law.Fillintheparagraphbelow.Putan O wherePaulisspeakingfromthe standpointofhissinfulnatureandan N whenheisspeakingaccordingtohis newcreation.
Verse10
Thelawwasmeantto...
Verses11-13
Butsin,usingthecommandment...
Thelawisgoodandholy.Ithasthe potentialofbestowinglife.Sin, however,usesthelawasan opportunitytosinandintheprocess demonstrateshowwickeditis.
Verses14-20 14Certainlyweknowthat thelawisspiritual,butI(___)am unspiritual,soldasaslavetosin. 15ForI (___)donotunderstand whatI(___)am doing,becauseI(___)donotkeepdoing whatI(___)want.Instead,I(___)do whatI(___)hate. 16AndifI(___)do whatI(___)donotwanttodo,I(___) agreethatthelawisgood. 17Butnowit isnolongerI(___)whoamdoingit,but itissinlivinginme. 18Indeed, Iknow thatgooddoesnotlivein me,thatis,in mysinfulflesh.Thedesiretodogoodis presentwithme(___),butI(___)am notabletocarryitout. 19SoI(___)fail todothegoodI(___)wanttodo. Instead,theevil I(___)donotwantto do,thatiswhatI(___)keepdoing. 20NowifI(___)dowhatI(___)donot wanttodo,itisnolongerI(___)who amdoingit,butitissinlivinginme.
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Explainthefollowingstatements:
Thenewmancannotbe reconstructedfromtheold,hemust becreatedanew.
8:1-4 There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ
In7:25Paulsumsupthethemesof chapters6and7.
Theoldmancannotbereformed,he mustbekilled.
Verse25asumsup6:1--7:6.We havediedandrisenwithChrist,pure andfreefromsin.Weconformour livestotherighteousnesswehavein Christ.Wearefreedfromthelaw andserveinthenewwayofthe Spirit.
Verses21-25 WhendoesJesusrescueus?
Atthepresenttime?
Verse25bsumsup7:7-25Weare unspiritualinoursinfulflesh,soldas slavestosin.Wecannotdowhatwe want.
Inthefuture?
Althoughwewanttokeepthelaw,as longasweareinthislife,oursinful fleshfrustratesus.
Verse1NowPaulsoundsthetrumpetto heraldthetriumphofgrace.Ofwhatcan weChristiansbeconfident?
Verse2Whatisthelawofsinand death?
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Whatisthelawofthespiritoflife?
Verse3HowdidGodcondemnsinand itspower?
8:5-17 Our life in Christ means that we are engaged in a struggle to kill the flesh Verses5-17Belowisaparaphraseof theseverses.Studyverses5-17inthe Bible.Thenreadtheparaphraseand workonthediscussionquestions.
Verse4Comparethesetwoparaphrases ofthisverseandcommentonthem:
IfweserveGodaccordingtothe Spirit,wecanbesurethatChrist's righteousnessisours.
Wewhohavecometofaithin Christ'sworkandserveGod accordingtotheSpiritarepeople whohaveChrist'srighteousness belongingtothem.
5Thosewhohaveonlythesinfulnature, thatis,unbelievers,thinkofnothingbut rebellingagainstGodandlivinginsin. Butthosewhohavecometofaithin ChristandhavetheSpiritlivinginthem thinkaboutservingGodandliving righteously. 6Thepersonwhoisonly sinfulfleshwilldieinhissins.Butthe personwhobelievesinwhatChristhas doneforhimandnaturallylivestoserve theLordlivesinthehopeofeternallife andinpeace. 7,8Makenomistakeabout it.Thesinfulfleshcandonothingto pleasetheLord. ItishostiletoGod.The lastthinganyoneshould wantistobe foundbyGod"intheflesh"ontheLast Day.Don'tdependonthesinfulfleshto helpyouthen.
Thereisnocondemnationfortheone whoisjoinedwithChrist.
9,10ButifChristlivesin youthrough faith--andthisappliesonlytothosewho areinChristbyfaith--youarenotinthe fleshbutintheSpirit.Yes, youmust confessthatyouarestillsinful,soldasa
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slaveofsin,andthatyoursinfulbody willsomedaydie.But yourspiritisalive becauseChristhasgivenyouhis righteousness. 11Andifthepowerful Spirit--powerfulenoughtoraiseJesus fromthedead--islivinginyou, youcan besurehewillraiseyourdeadbody fromthegraveaswell.
relationshipmakesyouanheirofthe treasuresofheaven.
16JesusconfessedGodashisFatherand servedhimandsufferedforit. 17Realize thatyourconfessionofGodasyour Fatherputs youonthesamepathof sufferingthatJesuswalked.
12,13Aswesaid,oursinfulnaturesare stillactive,dailytryingtoleadusinto sin.Somemayservethissinfulnature, enjoyingthepleasuresofsinwhilethey areonthisearth,andfeelingnostruggle withinthemtofightagainsttheirsinful cravings.Ifthat'showitiswith you, you willexperienceeternaldeathinhell.But ifthestrugglegoesonwithyou--the strugglethatbeginswhenyouhearand believethegospel--andif youputthat naturetodeathbecauseofwhatyou havebecomeinChrist, youwilllive eternallywithGodinheaven.
Agreeordisagree:
Weareheirsofeternallifebecause westruggleagainstsin.
Allthatmattersisthatweare engagedinthestruggle againstsin.
Makealistoftheblessingsbeinginthe Spiritbringsto you.
14Why? Notbecause yourstruggleand thevictories youexperienceearneternal life.ButbecausetheSpiritwhois producingthestruggleandgivingyou thevictoryistheSpiritofChrist,God's Son. 15ThatmakesyouGod'ssonsand daughters.Yoursinsareforgivenand youcancallGodyourFather.This
Ifwe do not owe it to the sinful flesh to live in harmony with it, whatobligation dowehave?
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Relatetheseversesto2:6,7,13,29.How dothepresentverseshelpusunderstand thoseversesinchapter2 whichseemto sometobeteachingwork-righteousness?
Romans2:6–7(EHV)
6God“willrepayeachpersonaccording towhathehasdone”—7eternallifeto thosewhoseek glory,honor,and immortalitybypersistingindoingwhat isgood.
Romans2:13(EHV)
13Foritisnotthosewhohearthelaw whowillberighteousinGod’ssight,but thosewhodothelawwhowillbe declaredrighteous.
Romans2:29(EHV)
29Rather,arealJewisoneontheinside, andhiscircumcisionisoftheheart—a spiritualcircumcision,notonebasedon carryingouttheletterofthelaw.That person’spraisedoesnotcomefrom peoplebutfromGod.
ThoseinwhomtheSpiritofChristis livingputtodeaththemisdeedsof thebodyandaresureofeternallife withGod.
Summary
Sinusesthelawforitsownsinful purposes. Insteadofcurbingsin,the lawreactswithourunspiritualsinful natureandstirsupsin.Eventhough wearenewcreations,inthislifewe aresoldundersin.
Butwearenotcondemnedforthis.In Christwehavehisrighteousness creditedtous,and asthosewhoserve him,wearesureofeternallife.
For next time
1. Thinkaboutsuffering.Whatare people'sreactionstosuffering?
Howdoessufferingimpactpeople's ideasofGod?
2. ReadJob1and2.WheredidJob placetheoriginofthesufferinghe wasexperiencing?
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Romans7:7–8:17(EHV)
The LawStirs Up My Sinful Nature
7Whatwillwesaythen?Isthelawsin? Absolutelynot!Onthecontrary,Iwouldnot haverecognizedsinexceptthroughthelaw.Forexample,Iwouldnothaveknownabout covetingifthelawhadnotsaid,“Youshallnotcovet.” 8Butsin,seizingtheopportunity providedbythiscommandment,producedeverykindofsinfuldesireinme.
Forapartfromthelaw,sinisdead. 9OnceIwasalivewithoutthelaw.Butwhenthis commandmentcame,sin cametolife, 10andIdied. Thiscommandmentthatwasintended toresultinlifeactuallyresultedindeathforme. 11Yousee,sin,seizingtheopportunity providedbythiscommandment,deceivedmeandputmetodeaththroughit.
12Sothelawisholy,andthecommandmentisholy,righteous,andgood. 13Thendid whatisgoodbecomedeathtome? Absolutelynot!Butsin,sothatitmightberecognized assin,bringsaboutmydeathbythisgoodthing,sothatthroughthiscommandmentsin mightproveitselftobetotallysinful.
My Constant Struggle With My Sinful Nature
14Certainlyweknowthatthelawisspiritual,butIamunspiritual,soldasaslaveto sin. 15ForIdonotunderstandwhatIamdoing,becauseIdonotkeepdoingwhatIwant. Instead,IdowhatIhate. 16AndifIdowhatIdonotwanttodo,Iagreethatthelawis good. 17ButnowitisnolongerIwhoamdoingit,butitissinlivinginme. 18Indeed,I knowthatgooddoesnotliveinme,thatis,inmysinfulflesh.Thedesireto dogoodis presentwithme,butIamnotabletocarryitout. 19SoIfailtodothegoodIwanttodo. Instead,theevil Idonotwanttodo,thatiswhatIkeepdoing. 20NowifIdowhatIdonot wanttodo,itisnolongerIwhoamdoingit,butitissinlivinginme.
21SoIfindthislawatwork:WhenIwanttodogood,evilispresentwithme. 22I certainlydelightinGod’slawaccordingtomyinnerself, 23butIseeadifferentlawat workinmymembers,wagingwaragainstthelawofmymindandtakingmecaptiveto thelawofsin,whichispresentinmymembers. 24WhatamiserablewretchIam!Who willrescuemefromthisbodyofdeath? 25IthankGodthroughJesusChristourLord! Sothen,ImyselfservethelawofGodwithmymind,butwithmysinfulfleshIserve thelawofsin.
God Placed Our Judgment on Christ
8 Sothen,thereisnownocondemnationforthosewhoareinChristJesus. 2Forin ChristJesusthelawoftheSpiritoflifesetmefreefromthelawofsinanddeath.
3Indeed,whatthelawwasunabletodo,becauseitwasweakenedbytheflesh,Goddid, whenhesenthisownSoninthelikenessofsinfulfleshtodealwithsin.Godcondemned sininhisflesh, 4sothattherighteousdecreeofthelawwouldbefullysatisfiedinuswho arenotwalkingaccordingtotheflesh,butaccordingtothespirit.
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Living in HarmonyWith the Spiritual Nature
5Tobesure,thosewhoareinharmonywiththesinfulfleshthinkaboutthingsthe waythesinfulfleshdoes,andthoseinharmonywiththespiritthinkaboutthingstheway thespiritdoes. 6Now,thewaythesinfulfleshthinksresultsindeath,butthewaythe spiritthinksresultsinlifeandpeace. 7Forthemind-setofthesinfulfleshishostileto God,sinceitdoesnotsubmittoGod’slaw,andinfact,itcannot. 8Thosewhoareinthe sinfulfleshcannotplease God.
9Butyouarenotinthesinfulfleshbutinthespirit,ifindeedGod’sSpiritlivesinyou. AndifsomeonedoesnothavetheSpiritofChrist,thatpersondoesnotbelongtoChrist.
10ButifChristisin you,yourbodyisdeadbecauseofsin,butyourspiritisalivebecause ofrighteousness. 11AndiftheSpiritoftheonewhoraisedJesusfromthedeaddwellsin you,theonewhoraisedChristfromthedeadwillalsomakeyourmortalbodiesalive throughhisSpirit,whoisdwellingin you.
12Sothen,brothers,wedonotoweittothesinfulfleshtoliveinharmonywithit.
13Forifyouliveinharmonywiththesinfulflesh,youaregoingtodie.ButifbytheSpirit youputtodeaththeactionsofthebody, youwilllive.
The Spirit Assures Us WeAre Children of God
14Indeed,thosewhoareledbytheSpiritofGodaresonsofGod. 15Foryoudidnot receiveaspiritofslaverysothatyouareafraidagain,butyoureceivedtheSpiritof adoptionbywhomwecallout,“Abba,Father!” 16TheSpirithimselfjoinsourspiritin testifyingthatweareGod’schildren.
17Nowifwearechildren,wearealsoheirs—heirsofGodandfellowheirswith Christ,sincewesufferwithhim,sothatwemayalsobeglorifiedwithhim.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.