Paul's Epistles Part 15 – Released from Law, Bound to Christ

Paul's Epistles

Part 15 – Released from Law, Bound to Christ

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons. In Chapter 6 we looked at Paul telling us to be Dead to Sin, and Alive in Christ and that we are Slaves to Righteousness.

Today we will take a look at Romans chapter 7, and how we are Released from the Law and Bound to Christ.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Romans 7:1-6

 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? ² For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. ³ So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

⁴ So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. ⁶ But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

                   I.            THE LAW HAS AUTHORITY OVER SOMEONE IF THEY ARE ALIVE

a.      Paul speaks to those who knew the Law, so they would understand

                                                                         i.      Jews who were listening would understand

b.     We are ALL born into the LAW

                                                                         i.      The LAW of Moses, 10 commands, what we call the Old Testament, is the Old Covenant.

                                                                      ii.      You are born into this Old Covenant with God.

c.      This is what we call the LAW

                                                                         i.      If you are alive, you are bound by this covenant.

d.     Paul's example of this is marriage

                                                                         i.      SLIDE 1 - Born into the LAW

                                                                      ii.      SLIDE 2 - Man and woman marry under this LAW

                                                                   iii.      SLIDE 3 - If a spouse sleeps with someone outside the marriage contract, it is adultery.

                                                                     iv.      SLIDE 4 - However...if a spouse dies, the LAW contract no longer applies.

                                                                        v.      The person can re-marry, and get a NEW contract, because the LAW does not apply to those who are dead.

               II.            IF YOU ARE ALIVE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE DEAD TO THE LAW

a.      Paul states, that in this same way, through Christ, you DIE to the LAW, and it no longer applies to you.

                                                                         i.      SLIDE 5 - Although we are STILL born under the LAW

                                                                      ii.      SLIDE 6 - We have a contract with SIN and Spiritual death

1.      We bear fruit unto death while living under the LAW

2.      EPHESIANS 5 FRUIT of the FLESH

                                                                   iii.      SLIDE 7 - HOWEVER, Through Christ, we are RELEASED from the contract because we have DIED and are BORN AGAIN.

                                                                     iv.      We have a NEW contract or covenant.

b.     What is the proof of the CONTRACT?

                                                                         i.      We bear fruit for God in our lives.

                                                                      ii.      EPHESIANS 5 FRUIT of the SPIRIT

c.      What if we go back to sin?

                                                                         i.      SLIDE 8 - You are committing adultery on God

1.      Just as Israel did when they turned from God to false gods.

2.      ...and God divorced them!

            III.            HOW DO WE DIE TO THE LAW AND LIVE IN CHRIST?

a.      We have all sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.

                                                                         i.      Our sins separate us from God

                                                                      ii.      and the wages, or debt we owe because of our sin is death

1.      not physical death, because we all must one day die

2.      But spiritual death, the second death

3.      eternal damnation in Gahanna

b.     But God showed His love for us by sending His Son Jesus

                                                                         i.      WHILE we were sinners, Christ died for us

                                                                      ii.      He paid our debt, freeing us from the LAW

                                                                   iii.      IF... “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”—John 1:12

                                                                     iv.      “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”—Romans 10:9

c.      Here is HOW you receive Christ

                                                                         i.      Admit your need (I am a sinner).

                                                                      ii.      Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).

                                                                   iii.      Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.

                                                                     iv.      Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior.)

d.     Here is HOW you KNOW it

                                                                         i.      What fruits are you producing in your life?

                                                                      ii.      EPHESIANS 5

1.      Fruits of the Spirit

CONCLUSION

How do we show outwardly what has taken place inwardly?

Through the ordinances of the church. Outward expressions of inward spiritual truths.

We get baptized to simulate our Saviors going to the grave in death and rising again a NEW creature, a NEW creation!

We also take communion, commemorating the sacrifice that Christ made to PAW OUR DEBT.

We do this today, in remembrance of Christ and His sacrifice for us, while we were still sinners.

           

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