The David Spoon Experience 9-24-24 part 2

1) You have to love it that we're in Romans chapter 7, starting with verse 1. Paul has established that everybody is guilty before God Almighty, but there is redemption through Jesus Christ. In that redemption, we are not bound by the law. He starts off in verse 1 by saying, "Don't you know the law only applies to a person that is living?" Wait a minute... Am I not alive? That's right—you are dead in Christ; you died.

2) He goes to the basics of the law to explain what he's talking about in the process of two people being married. When a person dies, the law no longer applies to the marital bond. So, when a husband breaks his covenant with his wife and is unfaithful, he has committed adultery, which, of course, is a valid reason to separate that marriage.

3) Paul's explanation is purposely simplistic. If a person has died, the laws that affect that relationship are no longer applicable. He's using that illustration to show how the connection to the Christian for the Old Testament law of Moses does not operate the same.

4) But the key point Paul is trying to make is that the law itself does not have power over you because you died with Christ on the cross. I know everybody wants to say it's just at baptism, but that's not what the scripture says—you died with Jesus on the cross. That's verse 4, Romans 7, for those keeping score.

5) The point of the whole theology is simply this: because you died with Christ, you are now free. That freedom enables you to walk in good deeds before the Lord. You don't have to be controlled by the sinful nature, which is challenged by the law, because you have died in Christ and have been born again. That's why being born again is essential; it judicially changes your position. Think about how deep that really is—if you're not born again, you're a victim of sin because of the law. Wow. Thank you, Holy Spirit!