Free From the Law

The fundamental question which Paul is answering in this wonderful epistle of Romans is how can a person be right with God, life to ourselves. We are not right with God. We in fact out in a wrong relationship with God because of our sin, and so in the first major section of this book of Romans, Paul repeatedly establishes that everyone do Gentile pagan religious person model person, whoever it is everyone has come short of the glory of God. We are all in a sense revolting against God, and then as he comes towards the end of chapter 3. Through the end of chapter 4 is describing this great truth of justification by faith. We saw that justification is a declaration by God, an act of God whereby he declares righteous on the basis of his grace that those who receive his son as their Savior are in fact righteous in his presence. There are no established in a true living and permanent relationship with God. Why is that we been saying about it like a man of sorrows that on the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate, came into time and space and paid the price for our sins on the cross so God's way of salvation is not self effort is not religion is not good works is not based on what we do, but rather is by looking to what God in Christ has done and receiving this gift. This gift, which is all of God's grace and I choose one bathroom that section of Scripture, I think, which to me is one of the greatest verses and all of the Bible Romans four verse five. Listen to it. Paul says and to the one who does not work.

The person who doesn't do anything doesn't work but trusts him believes him who justifies the ungodly. Some translations say the wicked, his faith is counted as righteousness. And so you may regard yourself as a very wicked person is someone who is really messed up in life you wish, you can live life all over again. Christ came for people like you and the God is in the business of justifying, not the self-righteous because they never think that they have wrong God that they think by themselves they have and have established a true relationship with God but to the humble person to the individual who looks to God and since God be merciful to me, the sinner, that person is declared righteous is justified and this, as we have seen over the weeks and months. This is the heart of the gospel and then in Romans chapters 5, six, seven, eight, Paul presents the great hope of the gospel. The results of justification the fruits of justification. So in chapter 5 he emphasizes that we have peace with God is amazing. Once we were in revolt, but now been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul so eloquently deals with this great concept of reconciliation.

Once we were enemies of God, but no through Christ we are justified. We are friends of God. In chapter 6 that we've looked at recently, Paul emphasizes that those who have been truly justified that they have been freed from the power of sin word that Paul uses we saw in chapter 6 is sanctification.

Holy living becoming more and more like Jesus. So he deals as we recently saw that we have been freed. We been set free from the power of sin, such as the power of the gospel which is offered to you and to me, you know, in chapter 7 Paul emphasizes freedom from the law free from the part of sin.

No free from the law. That is the movement sort Mosaic law with all of this emphasis on grace someone is asking but where does the law for 10 can the observance of the law, which after all is God given, God gave us the law.

The Mosaic law to remember. I can that lead that person to salvation than the assurance of salvation.

Paul is saying absolutely not.

Romans three verse 28 foot example of what we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law which we understood wish this whole nation of America understood that religion is never going to get you to God, religion is our attempt to manage God's favor by what we do.

By observing kind of an external called the law. The rules of a church.

Some some ritual, some self effort, but we are seeing over and over again in 20 that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

We are not saved by doing good things.

What someone says when what about the process of becoming more and more like Jesus would either sanctification is in our holding it holding is gained by observing the law and we still under the Mosaic law. Absolutely not sizable. Romans six verse 14 for sin will have no dominion over you since you're not under law but under grace while someone says they were not under the law. Does that mean that would redeliver Israelite is not just going to mean that people are going to send more and more balls and no absolutely not. You remember I told you while you been set free from sin, set free from the slavery of sin.

You are no slaves of God. Last week you been living this past week is the slave of God was the central feature of being a slave of God incident and complete obedience, not what you say not what you profess, not even your knowledge of the Bible, but whether or not your religion to God. That is the test of how close you are to God slaves of God because now we just sang about it that we been crucified with Christ is the longer we live. I think something changed. The baptisms illustrate that things are different now. Not only are we experiencing the forgiveness of our sins we have a new power power of the Holy Spirit which Paul is going to expire so eloquently in chapter 8, new desires, new agenda was new power to live for the glory of God and no. In the first six verses of Romans chapter 7, which were looking at this morning and asked you to open your Bibles there. Paul is explaining why we are not under the law. The first six verses Huberman seven we have the principle in verse one we have the illustration in verses two and three, and then we have the application or the conclusion. In verses four, five and six but first of all, the illustration. Paul is saying in the first three verses Romans seven that death ends the authority of the law.

Death ends the laws authority verse one or do you not know brothers from speaking to those who know the law that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives. That's true of all laws. There are many people who have committed crimes, but they will never be brought to a court of justice for the simple reason that they have died a dead person cannot be prosecuted. Here is the basic principle that Paul is going to expand in verse one.

The law is binding on a person only as long as he lives. Then freeze a person from the power of the authority, the jurisdiction of the law to pass sentence under that person is meaningless. The point person is only under the authority of the law as long as he or she lives.

You must understand that, as Paul is going to apply it to the Christian life is doing. The basic principle and Paul now is going to give an illustration in verses two and three, which comes not from the criminal law but from family law. Let's read it in verses two and three of the basic principle, easy-to-understand laws binding on the person only as long as he lives here is the illustration. Thus, a married woman is mined by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive but if her husband dies, she is free from the law and if she marries another man.

She is not an adulteress is illustration of the basic principle on the dance of a husband.

The wife is free to re-married husbands and wives are not free to remarry while their spouse is alive good and I were a wedding yesterday and the commitment is, until death us do part that is no longer bound by the love marriage as long as your spouse is alive you cannot, you're not free from the law to marry someone else. If you do that Paul is saying in verse three. If, as a married person. You leave a person and marry someone else while you're spouse is still alive that is adulterous and it is sinful know that I would go into it that's on the point of Paul's illustration. There are biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage, but the vast majority of divorces and remarriage in this country are not based on biblical grounds. Paul is giving the basic principle on the death of the husband, the wife is free to the marriage when the husband dies.

This is the point of Paul is going to make an important theological conclusion from.

In verses four, five and six, when the husband dies the wife is no longer bound by the law to her husband so and then sends the marriage bond is not indissoluble � breaks the bond of marriage. Contrary to the teaching can is a incident with the Mormon church that teaches that you are married for all of eternity. I do know that strikes you, man. Remember that it is some of your thankfully not Mormons.

Paul is saying no when the dance calms you free your free from that law that binds you to your husband. You're free to remarry. We don't say Maddie for all of eternity over those of us who happily married is kinda difficult isn't it to think of her wife's or husband's mind someone else in her day. I've said to my wife, she's free and you are my witnesses, I said to my wife, she's free to remarry on my death, provided provided husband number two appreciates my theological library.

I think I've accumulated that for many many years and at great expense and one handed over just anyone. I have heard of.

I have heard of some wives as selecting the second way further husband you think about husbands when you do your own choosing men. I do hereby. The couple had been married for many years and their marriage was not perfect, no perfect marriage is summed up impression but no perfect marriages of the and the overall enjoying one another's company. But sometimes it very very fierce arguments and when they did the husband got very angry.

He lost his temper a few times and the neighbors could hear him shouting abuse at his wife and one of the things he would say it was when I die, I'm going to dig my way up out of the grave and come back and haunt you for the rest of your life. The old body died, everyone dies and the neighbors were a bit concerned and went to the wife and see you not afraid that old Fred is going to dig his wheel bike of the grave and come back and she says no, not tall. She said I arranged to have him buried upside down, and furthermore he never asked for directions so but back to the point is, it was the point of telling to the point when a husband is died. The wife's second marriage is perfectly legal and perfectly legitimate is a principal then sends the authority of the law that important here is illustration. The law prohibiting a wife, reminding someone else ends on the day of the husband easily understood you with me so far. The principal illustration Natalie theological application. Don't miss this. Verses four through six. Likewise, Paul's given analogy. Likewise. Here's the point.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died. Notices died to the law is strong statement you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another. To him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God, for why we were living in the flash or sinful passions aroused by the law will work in our members to bear fruit for that. But now we are released from the law tied to the law released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written codes but in the nude life of the spirit is a brilliant pulsating followers of Jesus died to the law and now those set guards with freedom and fruitfulness.

Those of us who have been justified by faith, we have been released from the law.

We been released from the part of said now we have been really similar. In fact, we died to the law and no I have this great freedom. The freedom of the spirit to live a life serving God with freedom and fruitfulness. First of all, in verse four we have died to the law. You see, when did we die to the law.

Paul tells us verse four through the body of Christ. Christ death on the cross accomplishes our death to the law and brings out eternal life through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ came he died for our sins. He was buried, and he what was raised from the dead and because of his dad, and my union with him. I am dead to the law of death to the law was accomplished through our union with Christ. I've been stressing this over and over again that central to our sanctification. Central to the Christian life is an understanding that we are united with Christ that we are in Christ, we died to the law, the old marriage and of entered into a new relationship and you union with Christ. In a sense of married to Christ illustrated this way. Here is a woman who is married she loves her husband. She seeks to please her husband, which is the perfect and the husband is one of these demanding legalistic husbands and she feels she can never quite pleased them should never quite gets it right.

There is a shame and guilt, wants to please her husband. In a sense, he's a good man but is very high standards almost impossible standards and instead of enjoying the love and the vibrancy and the freedom that Martin should be. She she's restricted and she's she's left with shame and guilt. He dives and sometime later, she remarries and this time she also matters a good man, this man is loving this man is gracious and this man brings.

I return her things that the old, the first husband never brought out.

She is entered into and you relationship something different you know that our Savior Lord Jesus Christ loves us with an everlasting love. We tried to get it right. Here is the law.

Paul's going to say later in the chapter is good. This holy strike is nothing wrong with the law.

The law is very demanding in the law will never give you the power to carry out what the man but now we have a Savior who loves us, protects us, guides us and strengthens us what no longer under the law. But what under grace.

As Paul says in Romans 614 under this binding grace previously in chapter 6, Paul uses the slave master analogy now in chapter 7 he uses the husband-wife analogy to help us understand the first instance is emphasizing our freedom from the powerless slavery of sin. You're no longer slaves to sin your slaves of God now is emphasizing your fleet from the popular thought into a of the law is going to say so wonderfully in chapter 8 verse one not over those who are in Christ Jesus. That is what no condemnation. The law condemns the law tells you, you got it wrong. I can put all the law is inflexible. Nothing wrong with the law. Another but the problem is with us.

But no, for those who are in Christ Jesus is no condemnation if you grasp this truth that you have diet to the law that you're not under the law that following Jesus is not about you trying in your own strength to follow some external gold.

Whether this a law whether someone else's rules and regulations and you get so defeated and you see this is so, so hard. Yes, it is though, you begin to understand that you died your released from the law. What freedom binds not to the law, but the Christ, the Mosaic law has no authority over me.

For me there is no no condemnation on the law can no longer condemn. In fact, Paul says here in verse five that the law promotes sin while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions run loose by the law. What outworking our members to bear fruit for dad. That is, the Lord reveals and stimulates sin.

But the Lord doesn't have any power to prevent us from sinning. The law is unable to deal with the problem of sin in our lives. So the unbeliever barred from the spirit lives in the flesh has these sinful passions and not only does the law not provide you the strength to obey the law. In fact, says Paul, it actually incites and what is it about us. We were told not to do something that we want to do it now recently done the beach out to buy a few pens in the notepaper is over studying what went into the store and it was time anyone in its and I went to the cashier's desk.

It was a man at the cashier and I stood behind them.

No one else in sight and the young lady said you can't stand there runs and I said why not. And she said then you see the sign when there's a rope you obviously hoping that 50 people come in and there's a rope and I to walk around the rope and I to come back and stand and I said to but there's no one else here. It doesn't matter if you've got to obey the sign my family doing a fairly sin keep your pens. I'm going home, but I didn't choose to not she was doing her job, but there's just something within us is that which rebels against that. You're told to do something and you think, no I'm not going to do it.

That's what the law does. Apart from Christ with an equally rebellious and we the result verse five is that we bear fruit for we must understand that legalism kills and is the fruit of the flesh. Paul says in second region three verse six for the letter kills, yes, it is based on their self effort, which leads to the sin of the Pharisee was a great sin of the policy provided and legalism can I say has no place in authentic Christianity legalist is proud of his achievements. Legalist is always quick to find fault with others slow to admit his own failures, but great to point out the problems with others and what does it do it emphasizes outward conformity.

The externals, but you know the result event.

Paul is saying that results in in the madness hollowness frustration judge mentalism hypocrisy can I say incidentally that religious legalism is particularly deadly crashes.

People and it deceives people know the Christian life is not you know what I'm trying to live a good life in our own efforts to make me a better person to have a better marriage by following these principles in these rules and regulations. That's not the Christian faith. Other commandments.

Of course the document as Paul says in Galatians 6 that there's the law of Christ will be ready establish in chapter 6 the fact that were not under law but under grace doesn't mean that we live a life doing what we want the whole motivation is different because now as Paul is going to say in verse six we serve not under the old written: praise God within the new life of the spirit. You see, if you think the Christian life or your spirituality is following some external cords you will not see the need for the prelude of the Holy Spirit who will enable you to become what you are convinced you already are. No holiness is not. I would confirm a day does affect the behavior of course it does either just absolutely, but holiness first transforms the heart's a love relationship in laws and rules. Never, ever deal with the problem of the heart of this what Paul says here in verse six, the follower of Christ, and I was free to send God and to produce spiritual fruits but no think of the contrast once your under the law with a hard taskmaster but now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code, but in the new life of the spirit of the fact is I say that you are released from the law doesn't mean that we have a license to sin. Quite the contrary, why would we we love Christ we love God but we starve not under the demands of this written called the old code of the law but in this way beautifully. Paul puts it in the new life of the spirit a few minutes ago.

We were privileged to watch seven young people, be baptized vascular preaching or something is better sermon, the brother, but here, here, here are seven people think the thing itself. Here are seven people standing in front of all of you and saying that they're going to follow Jesus never asked you, particularly those of your parents, particularly our children and their students with its middle school, high school or college or university is easy to live for Christ today in that environment.

No we lived only in a sleazy evil world. Is there any young man or young woman who, by their own efforts can say well I'm going to keep myself clear all of that including my mind from my mental process what they need and what you and I need is a new power and you live a new life in the spirit as we were singing we have died with Christ is no longer. We who live, but Christ lives in us. The Christian life is not John Monroe by himself trying to live a certain way trying to have a set marriage trying to be a kind of frantic people. It's rather the life of Christ lives in me and the power of the holy spirit for the letter kills, as Paul by the Spirit gives life. Second Corinthians 3 verse six second Corinthians 3 verse 17 when the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Freedom for the law is that is restriction that is restraints but now through my union with Christ and because the very life of Christ has come to me. I'm able to live a life of freedom to be the slave of God living not under the old written code within the new life of the spirit. I ask you living in freedom. Are you perfect your burning by the law. What does the law what does this captivity produce Alitalia fear joint looseness.

Legalism judge mentalism. What is the Holy Spirit bring freedom, love, joy, peace, and so on. The beautiful fruit of the spirit that Paul describes in in Galatians chapter 5. This is living under grace. A binding grace.

I've died to the law, I'm release from the law. This is the great hope of the gospel that the gospel is not just about your sins being forgiven. Praise God. It is, but it's more than that.

It is the transformation by the very spirit of God, who indwells us and gives us new desires, new power to live for the glory of God and is the wonderful to see the fruit of the spirit in the lives of others the more we abide in Christ, realizing that apart from Christ I can do nothing. And the more I draw from the power of Christ and the wisdom of Christ on the holiness of Christ the Lord. I will become like Christ. I wonder what people would say about you.

Those who know you the best. What fruit what spiritual fruit is there in your life that is produced not by your own effort, not by your own personality, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Some people unnaturally kind and thoughtful people. Some people are more gracious and others in their own personality.

I'm not talking about that supernatural fruits is a husband who once was very unloving was very harsh on his wife whose mouth was very defiled and only comes to Christ, and over the months in the years transformation in his home. The way he speaks to his wife where he speaks to his children in the air.

Here is a businesswoman who lived for her career live to make money with God was Monday, a notion comes to Christ. OSHA still top of her field. Very impressive businesswoman, but no longer is money. Number one in their life.

Number one in the life is to love, not money, but love towards what is happening. This transformation of Kreis bears fruit for God. Notice the contrast verse five. Our members bear fruit for day contrasted with the fruits for God. Verse four. And so I have to ask you this question.

The wrap this up this morning. Are you truly saved by the grace of God. What difference has Jesus Christ made in your life. We were surrounded by cultural Christians by people whom I was and say yes I know Jesus is my Savior.

But this doesn't seem to make very very much difference and some of you are really toiling because you want to do the right thing but you find you don't have the power was a problem. You may never have been truly regenerated by the spirit of God, you're really operating in your own efforts and your finding it a life of frustration on the life of defeats use an illustration. My father used many, many years ago with a couple of birds on the screen. There last week we did the cuckoo and I do like birds, the one on the left is a dove and the one on the right is a cruel and here's illustration and if you don't like it when my dad never use the before, so hopefully it works but my dad used to say there was a farmer and that he was throwing out some corn on the grounds and that the dubs would come and eat the corn was a free lunch for the this old crow was flying over the farmer's field and he thoughtful the dubs are getting all the carton I have to work for my living everyday look for a dead rabbit order a dead mole or something and so the crew thought, but if I go time the farmer will know I'm not a dove, and will probably shoot me. So what he did.

He went and got some flour and he put it on him so he looked White's but you realize that the dove walks a little different from the Crow so he he he learned to try and walk a little bit like a dog and so he went down among the dubs and picked up the carton and dig love these free lunches. This is easier going to work for my living, and that the farmer who just dances that the bird thinks that I'm a dove, and I really want to be a dove because dubs are cared for and no one likes old crows.

They should us and say ugly things about the way our singing voice.

He done that for about three or four days. One day his is picking up the carton crow flies above and because it says dead rabbits at farmer McTavish's farm 1 mile west and this'll crew immediately got up and left Sue Woodworth illustration you should be getting a lick of you.

None of you have got the fact was, he was still a crow and his real desires were not for carton but was for flesh and given the choice he is going to go for the flash, and furthermore he didn't walk like a dove's conduct, the way he lived was still like the nature of the control and some of you are trying to live the Christian life but you've never received Christ and therefore the way that you live and your appetites are still like the unbeliever with the answer. The answer is to come to Christ. The answer is to be part again.

Did you notice of the baptisms as they stood there picturing their death with Christ, then they went under the water bill when I pictures burial with Christ. There is an old life and now is a new life here is the individual before Christ.

But now were going to bury that were going to say goodbye to the old life and now you're being racist with Christ, to walk in newness of life and you life totally new life so positive anyone is in Christ is a new creation the old has passed away will hold all of the follower of Christ asking to turn from your sin and to embrace Christ in the authentic Christianity is not adhering to rules and regulations by which we judge on spirituality, not in the and that of others. Not tall, but under grace. We love and serve God, not to gain God's acceptance. I am accepted in Christ eternally accepted I be declared righteous.

But we serve God out of a relationship of love's to use Paul's expression in the life of the spirit we now have the freedom of the wonderful freedom to serve God and to reduce the supernatural fruit in our lives. Followers of Christ.

Paul is saying are not under the Mosaic law that brings sin and that we died to the law we freed from its power during return to legalism followers of Christ died to the law and knows Jesus with freedom and fruitfulness. Father, we thank you for this passage of Scripture and I pray that each one of us will know what it is to live in the spirit.

Some here don't father because of never truly been saved.

Perhaps the like. The scroll pretending to be a Christian but in their hearts they know that their desires and their way of life of never been changed, convict them father show them the beauty of Christ help them to cry out to the Lord Jesus I pray, we thank you for those who are following Christ. I thank you for the seven who were baptized today.

Bless them. Father, help them to stand strong in your grace as they return to their schools and their colleges in their homes. There will be lights shining in the darkness and we pray that for ourselves. Thank you for the wonder of salvation. Thank you for the freedom of grace. We praise you for that love that matchless on ending love love of God revealed to us in Jesus our Lord and his name we pray