My 8th grade algebra teacher, Mr. Lanza, had the illustrious reputation of being Blairsville Junior High’s strictest educator. His stringent rules and hot-temper evoked terror in students, faculty, and even the principal. Stories of his ballistic outbursts got passed down from year to year and were collated in an oral tradition called “Lanza Legends.”
On the first day of school ever year, Mr. Lanza began class with a question, “How many of you have heard stories about me?” With trepidation, everyone raised their hand. Then, in a stern tone he said, “They’re all true!” and we felt cold chills run down our spines.
After this, he took the whole class period to introduce us to a list of rules that he called “Lanza’s Laws.” He began with the preamble, “It is my job to teach you algebra! I expect your undivided attention for 45 minutes every day!” Then he went on to the list: “In my class, thou shalt not speak unless I call on you! Though shalt not leave class to use the bathroom. Do that on your own time! Thou shalt not get up to sharpen your pencil! Don’t even ask!” After walking us through his whole list of laws, he concluded, “If you respect the rules, you will have a good year. If you break the laws, 8th grade is going to be a living hell for you.” When he uttered these words, even non-religious students like myself, were forced to grapple with the doctrine of a literal hell. And I immediately became a believer!
Despite the inaugural pep-talk about behavior, there was always one class clown who tested Mr. Lanza’s seriousness during the first week of school—and in my class sat the notorious smart-aleck, Paul Lowman. Paul had a chip on both of his shoulders and he didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut. I don’t remember his exact remark, but he made some snide comment in class—and I witnessed the nuclear explosion that led to the latest chapter of “Lanza Legends.” He sprinted over to Paul, raised both of his fists, and crashed them down on Paul’s desk with the thunder of Thor’s hammer. He shouted, “Mr. Lowman, you got something to say to me? You got something to say?” His face was cherry-red and rage burned in his eyes. I could have sworn I saw a little puff of smoke shoot out his nose as he commanded Paul to stand up. And in a dramatic display of disapproval, he grabbed Paul’s desk, flipped it over his head, and power-bombed it onto the floor. After the brash “Boom!” echoed down the hallway, a hallowing silence ensued. No one said another word that day or the rest of the year!
Now I must admit that “Lanza’s Laws” maintained an orderly educational environment, but we all dreaded going to his class. His oppressive rules created such a culture of fear that it stripped away all the joy of learning algebra (as if there was much to begin with!)
When school or work or church is reduced to obeying a list of rules and regulations, it isn’t much fun, is it? Now I don’t think anyone would disagree with the need for laws to govern society, but when life becomes all about obeying the rules, it is difficult to find pleasure in it. When we are consumed by the fear of doing something wrong, it takes all the joy out of doing what is right!
Such was the case for the ancient Israelites who lived under the Mosaic Law. After God delivered the Israelites from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, he gave them the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses), a collection of 613 individual laws to govern their new society as they entered the Promised Land. This collection contained everything from the 10 Commandments to kosher food laws to worship practices in the temple. It dealt with everyday issues ranging from how to celebrate holidays to forbidden sexual relations to when it was time to change bedsheets—indeed, the Mosaic Law was all-encompassing. Although the Law was intended to produce a holy society, it often felt like a heavy burden on the Israelite’s backs. This was especially true for the Israelites in the first century A.D., when religious groups like the Pharisees and Sadducees interpreted the Mosaic Law even more strictly than it was originally intended.
Obedience to the Mosaic Law was a big issue in the early church. Since so many of the early Christians were Jews, they needed clarification on their relationship to the law. Were they still obligated to obey the Law or not? And what about gentile Christians—what was their relationship to the law?
The Apostle Paul already began to address these issues in the early chapters of Romans and he picks it up again here in Romans 7:1-6. He uses these verses to further explain the point that he made back in 6:15 when he asked, “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?” In this passage, Paul teaches us how Jesus Christ has liberated us from the Mosaic Law!
Dead to the Law: An Illustration from Marriage (1-3)
Paul begins this section by directly addressing his readers in the Roman church. The fact that he calls them “brothers and sisters” identifies them as Christians. The “speaking to those who know the law” suggests that the members of the church were familiar with the Mosaic Law. The church was composed of Jewish Christians and gentiles who were synagogue worshippers before coming to Christ.
He introduces his main point at the end of verse 1—“that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives.” It seems obvious that a person would no longer be bound to a law after they are dead.
For instance, we know that while we are alive in America, we are all subject to our nation’s tax laws, but after we die, we don’t have to pay taxes anymore. Well, wait, what about the death tax? Never mind, that’s a bad example! How about traffic laws instead? After we die, we don’t have to obey the speed limit anymore!
Paul uses an illustration or analogy about marriage to make his point. The law requires a wife to be bound to her husband for as long as they live, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage and is free to marry another man. But if she sleeps with another man while her husband is still alive, she has broken the law of marriage and is considered an adulteress. Therefore, marriage vows still use the language of “til death do us part.” The marriage law, as with all other laws, only applies to a person while they are still alive. Death always severs a person’s relationship with the law.
This passage is primarily about the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic Law, but Paul’s illustration serves as a good reminder that marriage is designed to last until death. Although there are a couple of biblical justifications for divorce, let us remember the vows that we made on our wedding day. Unfortunately, adultery and divorce have become common in American culture. Even worse, they are rampant in the Christian church! “My husband is dead” is a good justification for getting remarried! “My husband isn’t romantic anymore…My wife doesn’t look good anymore…I don’t love him anymore…I can’t trust her anymore…or we don’t get along anymore…are not good reasons.
Marriage is difficult! Sometimes it is really difficult! So, let me ask: Do you promise to love him, comfort her, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
Dead to the Law: Life in the Spirit (4-6)
Now that Paul has stated and illustrated that the law is only binding on a person while they are alive, he applies this truth to the Christian’s relationship with the Mosaic Law. In verse 4, he states that Christians have died to the law when they put their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whether from Jewish or gentile background, when people become Christians their marriage to the Mosaic Law is severed. Like the woman in verse 3 who is free to marry another, Christians can now be united with Christ. This theologically dense verse ends on a practical note that is basic to Paul’s concern in this section: “in order that we might bear fruit for God.” Our new relationship with Christ enables us—and requires us—to produce those character traits, thoughts, and actions that will be for God’s glory. (Moo 418)
In verse 5, Paul makes a contrast between the pre-Christian and Christian situations. He describes a person outside of Christ as “living in the flesh.” By this, Paul means that the non-Christian is enveloped and controlled by worldly principles and values. This old way of life was dominated by sinful passions, which are aroused by the law by stimulating rebellion against God. These sinful actions produced spiritual death. Thus, we can see why a person must be released from the law if he or she is to serve God. (Moo 220)
But now that Christians have been released from the old written code of the law through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they can serve the new way of the Spirit. Written on stone tablets, the law of God cannot change the human heart; only God’s Spirit can do that!
Now some of you might be thinking, “Whoa! Wait a second! Are you saying that Christians don’t have to obey God’s law? Are you really saying that Christians don’t have to obey the 10 Commandments? Yes, that is exactly what I am saying because that is exactly what Paul is saying here in Romans 7! We have been liberated from the law; we are not obligated to obey it; none of it!
But don’t misunderstand what I am saying! I am not saying that we don’t have to obey God! Even though we are not bound by the 613 statutes of the Mosaic Law, we must certainly honor God in every aspect of our lives. Many of the laws we find in the Old Testament are re-instituted for Christians in the New Testament. Therefore, we should still abstain from sins such as lying, stealing, and adultery because they are given directly to Christians in the New Testament. But we don’t have to bear the heavy burden of the law.
Perhaps the best way for me to explain this is to use the illustration of training wheels. My youngest son had been hounding me for months to take the training wheels off his bicycle. Well, a couple of weeks ago, the weather finally improved, so I got a wrench and removed his training wheels. Within 15 minutes, he was whipping around the driveway on two wheels—all by himself. He could go much faster, make sharper turns, and most importantly, it was more fun! Even though he was liberated from the restrictions of training wheels, he was still required to follow the laws of balance.
And so it is with our relationship with the law—we have been liberated from the Mosaic Law so that we are free to follow Christ and serve the new way of the Spirit. Instead of obeying the law to earn God’s favor, we now obey God as a gesture of gratitude for his grace. He has already given us his favor by sending his Son Jesus to die for our sins on the cross!
Later that afternoon, I asked him, “Hey Matthias, do you want me to put those training wheels back on your bike? He just looked at me like I was crazy! He used his 5-year-old logic to set me straight when he said, “Dad, why would I want to put training wheels back on my bike? I want to ride free!”
Likewise, let us leave the training wheels of the law behind! And may we live free for Christ!