Romans 7:4 New Living Translation
4 "So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God."
The point of Paul’s comparing marriage to the Law was to point out that once a spouse dies, he or she is no longer bound by a commitment to their husband or wife. Likewise, once you die to your sin by receiving God’s forgiveness based on Christ’s substitutionary death, the tenants of the Law no longer bind you. Looking at it from God’s perspective, “we were all made to die”.(1)Additionally, we must die to live. Once saved we serve our God “not by obeying a set of rules, but out of renewed hearts & minds that overflow with love for him.”(2)
Christ’s death ushered in the period of God’s grace. We were spliced onto the root of the olive branch and there we shall forever stay. Once united with Christ, the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence in us enables us to do good deeds in the name of Christ. Unbelievers must resort to their own self-determination. Their resources are limited; believers’ resources are endless in Christ.
Because Christ took our place on the cross, he suffered the penalty of death that the Law demanded. It was meant for us, because as scripture teaches, no one is righteous on his or her own.(3)Once redeemed we find we have a transformed life with new attitudes and actions. Our whole way of looking at the world has changed since we came to Christ. No longer bound by the letter of the Law, we are free in the Spirit to follow Christ and live a life that is pleasing to God and an example to all men. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
(1)Taken from the MacArthur Study Bible.
(2) Taken from the footnotes for verse 4 in the Life Application Study Bible.
(3) Romans 3:10 …“As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous--not even one.”
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