Coffee & Devotions

Romans 7:1-12

Romans 7:1-12

With Bryan Schneider · Sharon RP Church

Published May 25, 2022

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0:0016:39

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Opening Prayer

Thank God for his Word and for the grace shown in Jesus Christ, and ask the Spirit to make the Word alive in us so that we may live to God.

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Scripture Passage

Freed from the Law

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Sin’s Advantage in the Law

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.


The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ro 7:1-12

A — About

What Is This Passage About?

Through Christ believers have died to the law's condemnation, are united to the risen Christ, and bear fruit to God in the Spirit. The law itself remains holy, just, and good; it exposes sin, while the sinful heart twists God's command and produces death.

B — Best Verse

Which Verse Best Summarizes the Passage?

Romans 7:4

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead, the law through the body of Christ that you may be married to another.

Bryan explicitly identifies verse 4 as the heart of the first section and says he has it underlined. It captures death to the law through Christ, union with the risen Christ, and the purpose of bearing fruit to God.

C — Called or Christ

C — Christ Connection

Let the law expose your inability and drive you to Christ rather than to self-reliance. Depend on the Spirit to put sinful desires to death and produce good fruit in union with Christ.

Devotional Study

Transcript of the devotion. Minor transcription errors may remain.

Romans 7:1-12

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Freed from the Law

1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Sin’s Advantage in the Law

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.


The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ro 7:1-12


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