Last time I wrote in this blog I indicated that we would seek to understand the truth of a rather controversial chapter in The Scriptures: Romans 7. This will require several entries, but here goes.
Paul has carefully proclaimed that The Gospel's offer of righteousness is received by faith (1:17; 3:21-22, 24, 25, 28 and other passages) and NOT through the "works of The Law (3:280." These "works of The Law" are actions of obedience to the Law in order to earn God's declaration of righteousness. It is this understanding of Law that is threaded throughout the letter of Romans and in chapter 7 in particular.
This understanding of how Paul understands "works of The Law" is an important theme throughout the book of Romans. And no more important than for understanding Romans 7 where the term" law" occurs over 16 times in this one chapter.
The chapter "opens" (vs 1) with a statement that he is writing to those who know The Law. This is an important signal as to the theme and concern Paul is addressing in this chapter. He is attempting to proclaim something about The Law that these readers have for so long looked to as the means of being right with God. He does not seem to be speaking to some feature of Christian existence but to life under The Law.
We will continue in the next blog entry as to this important chapter in The Bible
REFLECTION: How would understanding that this chapter is about The Law and using it as a way of being right with God change your thinking of this chapter?