A New Way

Romans 7:1-6

My heart jumped as I read this passage, especially seeing good friends whose marriage is falling apart. Paul, however, is not dealing with divorce as a subject though what he says is true.

Here Paul is trying to present a radical way of looking at the relationship one has through Jesus with God. The law bound us to punishment and death. Faith through grace releases us to life and eternity.

For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. Romans 7:5 (NIV)

The law shows us how guilty we are. If we continue in sin, then we are choosing to live under the law, which is a practice in futility not hope. Being bound by the law only exist in this life, and it leads to death.

Paul was speaking to the Jews in Rome. They wanted to follow Jesus and the law, but Paul was trying to demonstrate how by following Jesus the Jewish Christians were following the law under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The only fruit that the law offers leads to death. What is fruit? Fruit is the outcome of how we live our lives. The fruit of the law is guilt, condemnation, and conviction. One under the law exists in this "fruit".

However, God through Christ sends His Spirit to those under grace. The Spirit produces one fruit in us:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

One fruit with nine attributes or characteristics. We know we are not under the law when the fruit of the Spirit is present in our lives. To live by the Spirit is to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). This is the new way provided by the Spirit.

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. Romans 7:6 (NIV)

The marriage illustration shows us how death is the only deliverance from the legal bonds of the law. We have to die to our old ways if we are to experience life in Christ, and we can only do this by belonging to Christ by faith. The intent purpose of faith is to help us exist in the fruit of the Spirit.

For the most part, this passage is written as an argument for the Jews concerning how the Holy Spirit guides our life and how the law no longer effects it. This passage is a declaration of freedom in Christ from tradition and the law. For non-Jews it is a declaration of a joint relationship with God and all who serve Him. Through this declaration we are encouraged to love Christ and bear the fruit of God. What a life!

• How does living by the law keep us from seizing life?
• What does serving "in the new way" mean to you?