We continue to study Romans 7, this most disputed and controversial chapter.
Last time I suggested that this chapter is written to people how know the Law (Romans 7:1). This seems clear when one observes the occurrences of the term "law" in the chapter. And with this consideration it seems to me that the audience is people who have left Judaism to become Christians (see 7:4) but having difficulty with what is one’s relationship with The Law.
This difficulty of The Law was a prominent issue in the life of the early church as the majority of believers were Jewish in their history. There is strong evidence that righteousness by faith in Jesus and adherence to the Law was thought, by some, to be a correct understanding of The Gospel (See Acts 15 and Galatians 2 and 3).
Paul’s opening assertion reveals that The Law has a limited jurisdiction to assert only while one is alive. This limited jurisdiction is understood by an analogy of marriage. This is instructive because marriage is a common Hebrew Bible image of God’s relationship with His people (see Major and Minor Prophets, most famously in Hosea) as well as The New Testament image of bride and marriage (Revelation)
Paul then makes a shocking declaration about the limited jurisdiction of The Law: “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the Law (7:4).” Paul is declaring in stark terms that these readers have come into a new situation and relationship, marriage if you will, with Christ. This new relationship is to belong to another like the wife whose husband has died and is now free to be joined to another.
Paul will follow this profound statement of this change in relationship with more profound statements about The Law. We will see his thoughts under 2 major topics.
REFLECT: Have you given much thought about your relationship with God in terms of an end to a relationship and the beginning of a new relationship? Why would Paul suggest a limited jurisdiction of The Law?