SCRIPTURE: Romans 7

7:1-25 Romans 7 is used by Calvinists and Reformation thinkers as a stronghold for the false doctrine of a "sinning Christian."

Their promotion of this system has influenced the thinking of essentially the Protestant world.

It is imperative then that the Apostle’s message in Romans 7 be properly understood and duly proclaimed, since it is only the voice of truth that awakens faith to set sinners free from sin and hell.

Hear John F. Mac/Arthur, Jr. on the issue:

"Perhaps the classic example of a sinning believer is the apostle Paul.

"Paul? Yes. The more he matured in Christ, the more the apostle became aware of his own sinfulness... Near the end of his life, when he wrote to Timothy, Paul spoke of himself as ‘foremost of all [sinners]’ (I Tim. 1:15)."

This chapter may be divided into sections as follows: 1-6 show how death frees from law;

7-13 show that the Law reveals sin;

14-25 show how the Law, though good, reveals sin as sin, yet, it is powerless to go the distance and deliver from sin.

7:1-6: In this section knowledge of law among the "brethren," Jews and Gentiles, is assumed. By an illustration drawn from the marriage relationship, Paul shows the liberating aspect of death from law. Just as death frees the married woman from the law of her dead husband (v. 2), so in the death of the Church to the Law (vv. 4, 6), the Church–the body of Christ on earth–is delivered from the Law and its inability to free from the sin it revealed (v. 6). Accordingly, the Church, in this new freedom, is joined to Christ–a different, Different translates hetero, (masculine pronoun), different as to kind, or contrast. Husband is understood from the context.

Husband (v. 4)–to serve in newness of spirit (v.6), a freedom from the spirit of defeat and sin, not possible under the Law (cf. Hebrews 10:4,11).

7:1 the law has jurisdiction: The dominion of the Law is asserted.

7:2 released from the law: The dominion of law is broken by death. 7:3 free from the law: Law is of no effect because of death (vv.2b, 4a).

7:4 you also were made to die: You also were made to die translates [humeis ethanatothete], an emphatic construction, an aorist, passive, showing that they were acted upon by God in past time, and His action is no positional fiction, but real, death in fact.

to the Law: Better… you were put to death; accordingly, in Christ the Law has become a dead letter (cf. 6b), which links this verse with the analogy of vv.1-3.

Through the body of Christ: Our death, as His, is necessary to that union which forms the body of Christ ( Romans 6:2b, 3b, 5, 6).

The necessity of death is expressly related to God’s purpose for the Church–that you might be joined to another…might bear fruit for God.

Death to the Law and sin was imperative that there may be union with Christ as His body.

A so-called "sinning Christian" cannot be joined to Christ any more than one can take the members of the Christ [and] make [them] members of a harlot (1Corinthians 6:15).

7:5 while we were in the flesh: NO! While we used to be Used to be translates [emen], an imperfect tense, expressing action of a continuous nature in past time. Note that there are several imperfects in Ch. 7, dealing a deathblow to the fallacy that Romans 7 teaches the highest state of Christian experience in this life and that the Apostle here groans under sin, as held by Calvinists and Reformation teachers.

(The imperfects will be noted in their place.)

(4) in the flesh, but this is no longer the experience.

Note that here flesh has to do with sin–the passions of the sins sinful passions…aroused by the Law, were at work Were at work translates (energeito), an imperfect tense verb, used to be at work or used to operate, but no more. in the members: Thus, the operation that used to be went with death to sin:

(1) operation of the sinful passions were under the Law, to which there was death;

(2) and so, used to be!

to bear fruit for death: This is the end result of the passions of sin-death. Sin always ends in death. There is no such thing as a grace for the "sinning Christian" that forestalls death. As with Adam, and the fallen race in Adam, sin always separates from God by death.

7:6 now: Now is an emphatic construction in the original–now, Now translates (nuni), a lengthened form of nun to emphasize the present– now…this very moment! the present moment.

have been released from the Law: So, freed or dissevered from the Law and its inability to deliver from sin ( v. 4a).

having died to that by which we were bound: We were bound translates kateichometha, another imperfect, so we used to be bound. Better: used to be bound. The manner of this freedom was by death (v. 4a); the time was when we were married/joined to Christ, a different Husband (v. 4b).

So that…serve translates a construction in the original, which expresses natural result; here, hoste (so that) and the infinitive douleuein (to serve) connote service in newness of spirit as the natural result of marriage to the new Husband–Christ. Sin is neither natural in this relationship, nor acceptable.

in newness, Newness translates (kainoteti), the kind of newness that never previously existed, the human spirit newly restored from the Fall.

of the Spirit: Spirit here should not have "S," but "s;" it is the newly created human spirit that is in mind here, not the Holy Spirit ( Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3: 9-10).

This service is a natural result of the new relationship with Christ, experienced in the sphere of this newness in Christ.

Note that sin is an unnatural malady and cannot be joined to the believer, much less to Christ, though the harlot church thinks so.

THEOLOGICAL NOTE: New Creation In Christ, Not "As If"

Here newness translates (kainoteti), (from kainos) the kind of newness that never previously existed; this is the human spirit newly restored from the Fall. In Romans 6:4 (kainoteti) is the new walk of the Messianic age, restoration from the Fall by new life in Christ.

Note that the phrase in Christ is a locative of sphere, literally location–in Christ. No sin is admitted here!

This life is expressed in Ephesians 4:24 as follows:

". . . to put on the new (kainon) man, the one having been created (ktisthenta) similar to God in righteousness (dikaiosunê) and holiness (hosiotêti) of the truth." Cremer says that Kainos (new) ". . . denotes what is new, inasmuch as it has not previously existed, or as, in contrast with what has previously existed, it takes the place thereof .

Reformed systems reject the kainos man, insisting upon the "old man," hence a "sinning religion."

The kainos man is a restoration to the image of God. (Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:9-10.)

Just as we have the kainos (new) man, we have new covenant, new commandment, new song, new heaven, new earth, etc. Created translates ktisthenta.

Note that "create" always demands as its subject—God—for only He can create. Thus the creation is similar to God in righteousness and holiness. The "new" man is created in righteousness. . . holiness; but the "old" man is crucified (Romans 6:6); the old man is put off, but the new man is put on—the two men cannot exist together as the false teachers try to tell us.

7:7-13 In this section law and humankind coexist under conditions of the Fall, Genesis 2: 17; 3: 6, 23-24; 5: 3. Note the loss of the image of God.

In the blazing light of sin revealed by law. The Fall came through sin; the Law, Divinely revealed, came for good purposes: to reveal sin, thus showing the right, and as a tutor to bring man to Christ, but a failure to deliver from sin.

And so, under law, a serious tension develops for the serious seeker after God, as Paul was.

He will presently give us an account of his personal experience under the Law, not grace.

sin…deceived me: The deception of sin is two-fold:

(1) The devil tells people that the forbidden thing will bring no harm–"ye shall not surely die…(Genesis 3: 4).

(2) Then he attempts to show that transgression will bring happiness by increased knowledge–"Your eyes shall be opened…( 2Corinthians 11:3; 1Timothy 2:14).

7:14-25 Those who teach that believers cannot be delivered from sin in the here and now stake their claim for the "sinning Christian" on Romans 7, giving special emphasis to Paul’s use of the present tense with reference to himself.

Our efforts and space will here be devoted to this error for the rest of this section.

We take serious exception to the abominable teachings that have evolved from this false premise.

Negatively, error of this magnitude must be set forth for what it is: an abominable lie in Protestantism second only to that of the Serpent in Eden–"Ye shall not surely die…." Moreover, the precious blood of Christ is reduced to the level of the Levitical animal if neither removes sin

But sin brought death and separation from God in Eden, and still does despite the claims of the harlot churches in Protestantism.

Positively, we shall show the truth about Paul’s experience under the Law, noting:

(1) the annalistic present, used here;

(2) the imperfect tense as used in Romans 6 & 7;

(3) Paul’s own testimony as a Christian;

(4) argument from the present and imperfect tenses;

(5) Paul did not know who Christ was as a Pharisee under the Law.

We note as follows:

7:14 I am I am (ego eimi) an emphatic double nominative for emphasis–I AM! of flesh [carnal]: The rest of the statement reads, in the original–having been sold under the sin. And so, this is a far cry from having been bought by the power of the blood.

Note that carnal here is not simply mortal, but it is man in his fallen nature…sin nature, further explained as having been sold under the sin.

So, we do not have a carnal Christian here as in 1Corinthians 3:1-3.

I am sold…to sin: Paul’s statement is in the present tense.

But is this statement that of a defeated Christian under the blood of Christ, or that of a man under the Law, which can never take away sins? See Hebrews 10: 4, 11. Let the facts answer: The serious nature of the issue at stake here necessitates more detailed argument than usual.

(1). WE have a present tense here; but what kind of present is it? This is the heart of the issue, but silence prevails here. H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey list 8 kinds of presents; Herbert Weir Smyth of Harvard University lists 9; Ernest De Witt Burton lists at least 7. Since world scholarship recognizes numerous kinds of presents, it is irresponsible exegesis (or eisegesis) for scholars to handle the present tense of Romans 7 as has been done.

The present used here, showing Paul as under sin, is an annalistic Grammarians of the Greek New Testament. call this the historical present, citing usage as "when a past event is viewed with the vividness of a present occurrence." present, a construction used by historians or other writers "to register historical facts or to note incidents." We note as follows:

A line in Xenophon’s Anabasis, a Greek historian, runs: "of Darius and Parysatis are born (gignontai; present tense verb) two sons…Artaxerxes and…Cyrus." The present tense–are born–was used by the historian many years after the birth of these sons; they are adults.

This same construction is used in the Greek. New Testament: "Now in those days John the Baptist comes (paraginetai; present tense) preaching (kerusson; present tense) in the wilderness of Judaea." Matthew 3:1; Mark 14:17; John. 1: 29

Now, the point is this: Although Matthew wrote the first Gospel some decades after the Baptist arrives , it was reported at the time of writing in present tense construction, not past tense as we might expect.. Accordingly, Paul uses the annalistic present in Romans 7 Vv. 14, 15, 16, 19. To report the historicity of his experience under Jewish Law, at which time he never knew that the Galilean was the Messiah. So: I am …sold into bondage to sin: This is an annalistic present, depicting life-experience under the Law. Insistence that Paul’s life as a sinner constitutes the highest level of Christianity is patent unbelief in the atonement that offers restoration from the Fall in this life; but Paul is commonly so depicted in Romans 7…as the "sinning Christian" at his best.

This shameless unbelief paraded as Christian must be recognized and proclaimed as the apostasy that it is, for the gospel is thus replaced with another gospel on a level with the Law; and Christ, the matchless Son of God, is blasphemed to the level of an animal as an offering for sin.

(2). THE imperfect See footnotes 4 & 6, with textual comment. tenses of Romans 6 & 7 show that the Christian enjoys that freedom from sin that was not possible under law. We note the following in my translations of the imperfect:

6: 17 you used to be Ete, you used to be, imperfect tense. slaves of the sins: But not now.

6: 20 when you used to be servants of the sin: Ibid.

you used to be free…to the righteousness: Note: used to be slaves of the sin…used to be free with respect to righteousness. Now, these opposite states–sin/righteousness, slaves/free, used-to-be/I am i.e., past/present–cannot possibly exist in the same life at the same time.

Thus, the "sinning Christian" cannot possibly be the issue here.

7: 5 we used to be Emen imperfect. In the flesh [carnal/sin], the passions of the sins used to operate: Energeito imperfect. But this operation is no more because of the blood of the Lamb of God.

7: 6 having died [to that] in which we used to be bound: Kateichometha imperfect Accordingly, sin cannot be brought into harmony with a life that is in union with the living Christ; anyone with a changed heart knows that!

One who has gone through "the grief ( pain, sorrow) [that is] in conformity with God [and] works repentance to salvation" (II Corinthians 7:10) cannot possibly contend for a "sinning Christian."

Such a position is utterly repulsive and sickening to the believer who has met Christ in genuine Christian experience.

The doctrine of no deliverance from sin in the here and now is the talk of the heathen and sinners, not Christians.

(3). PAUL’S own testimony as a Christian liberated from the Law and sin covers a period from about A. D. 37 to A. D. 66

We note here his testimony sometime during the period in which he wrote Romans 7, between 58 and 60 A. D.:

"I have been crucified with Christ; and I live no more, but Christ lives in me; " Galatians 2: 20.

"You be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11: 1). "…I have lived in all good conscience with respect to God until this very day." Acts 23: 1.

(4). PAUL’S statements in the present tense, I am sold…to sin, cannot be brought into harmony with his imperfect tense, we used-to-be bound statements noted above, if Paul were a sinner at the time he wrote Romans 7.

The only harmonious explanation is that the present tense is annalistic, a reflection of Paul’s experience under the Law, not grace.

This we affirm, as would anyone under grace.

(5). FINALLY, Paul did not know who Christ was under the Law. He describes experience without Him as follows:

7: 24 Who will set me free from…death?

Spiritual death is in mind. Saul [Paul] was converted to Christianity on the Damascus Road. On this journey, Paul met the Christ. He was converted to Christianity, and some days later he was baptized by the Holy Spirit. See Acts 9: 4, 5, 6, 17-18. Now, he knows that freedom in Christ, not known under law. Thus, we can arrive at but one conclusion, Paul was a faithful follower of Christ at the writing of Romans 7; but the conclusion must include the action of bringing to light the abominable lie that claims Paul was a "sinning Christian" at the highest level of grace in Christ. The time has come!

THEOLOGICAL NOTE: Christ the End of the Law for Righteousness

When Christ cried: "It stands finished," the veil of the Temple was split in two from top to bottom.

This marked the end of the Law, the end of forensic righteousness, and the end of perpetual sacrifices because of inability to remove sin.

Christ brought "removal of sin through the Sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26).

His cry: "It stands finished" is affirmed by the mighty truth, "there is no longer an offering for sins" (Hebrews 10:18), no longer an offering because removed.

The blood of Christ transcends that of the Levitical animal and is efficacious to remove all sin in this life, affirmed by the once-for-all Sacrifice of Himself.

Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness!

Note that while the Law could justify, it could not make righteous. (See notes on Romans 2:13 and 3:20.)

But on the ground of the shed blood, the believer is made righteous and joined to the living Christ.

This sphere of righteousness in Christ absolutely precludes all sin and death in Adam.

The doctrine of righteousness for Calvinist and Reformation advocates is nothing more than a kind of rehabilitation in which they sin less–more or less.

This poor doctrine finds its place in churches that fight for sin and against freedom from sin; much as they do in their exposition of this very chapter, accusing Paul of being a sinner, the finest example of redemption that the blood of Christ can offer.

This doctrine of the "sinning" Paul is grounded in legalism, the Law, not the gospel, not grace.

That God declares the "sinning Christian" righteous while sinning is the opium of the church, the sleep of death.

This is righteousness from judgment, or Law, not grace. Righteousness is apart from Law because of its inability to remove sin; Law is thus done away. Reformation has come (Hebrews 9:10). Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness.