Romans 7 - Introduction

Let's just summarise where we have got to. Paul has established that all have sinned. By faith in Christ we are justified by His death and resurrection. So we are set free from the power of sin and death, and now have both an obligation and the freedom to live for Christ. This raises two questions: (i) what is the role of the Law; and (ii) what about the battle we have with ourselves? Paul deals with both of these in this chapter.

Without Christ how do we seek to do the right thing? This is not an unusual thing to want to do. Plenty of people want to do good, at least in some part of their lives. We are always trying diets, or keep fit regimes. Society tries to put things right, tries to deal with problems in society. There are basically two features to the way man without Christ goes about trying to put things right. The first is to make laws, and second is to use our own strength to try and do things better. With diets and keep-fit we see the second of these principles in operation. Whenever there is a tragedy, such as a social work failure, or a train disaster, what happens? There is an inquiry. It finds all sorts of things that went wrong, and then makes a whole series of recommendations. This usually involves new rules and regulations. Likewise governments are always introducing laws. 

These are the ways we know about, and they don't work. Diets are notorious for failing. Keep-fit clubs are over-crowded in January, empty by February. There will be another social work tragedy. Worse, the laws and regulations as well as failing to stop disasters often hinder good actions as well. These methods do not work. If they did then we would not have a problem. But they are the only ways that natural man knows. We need a better way. In this chapter and the next Paul will help us to unlearn our failed ways and point us to a better way.