How can Romans 7:5 help us understand Ephesians 2:3 better? Setting the Stage: What Ephesians 2:3 Tells Us “ All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.” • Paul includes himself—“all of us.” • The “cravings of our flesh” = inward drives opposed to God. • “By nature children of wrath” shows mankind’s default position: under God’s righteous judgment. Romans 7:5 in Focus “ For when we lived according to the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, bearing fruit for death.” • “Lived according to the flesh” parallels “fulfilling the cravings of our flesh.” • “Sinful passions aroused by the law” adds a crucial layer: the Mosaic Law, though holy, exposes and even provokes rebellion in fallen hearts. • “Bearing fruit for death” matches “children of wrath,” both pointing to the same outcome—divine judgment. How Romans 7:5 Illuminates Ephesians 2:3 1. Same starting point, different camera angles • Ephesians 2:3 looks at our past from a cosmic perspective (children under wrath). • Romans 7:5 zooms in on the internal mechanics—how sin leverages God’s good law to produce rebellion. 2. Law’s unintended effect • Romans 7:5 explains why “cravings of our flesh” feel so powerful: the law, when met by a sin–ruled heart, actually stirs up more defiance (Romans 5:20). • This helps us understand that being “by nature children of wrath” is not merely about outward deeds; it’s rooted in an inward hostility exposed by the very commandments meant to restrain it. 3. Fruit and Identity • “Bearing fruit for death” (Romans 7:5) = the visible outcomes. • “Children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3) = the identity behind those outcomes. • The verse in Romans clarifies that the fruit proves the identity declared in Ephesians. Supporting Passages to Round Out the Picture • Romans 8:7–8 — “The mind of the flesh is hostile to God … those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.” • Galatians 5:19–21 — Works of the flesh listed, reinforcing “cravings” language. • James 1:14–15 — Desire conceives, gives birth to sin, and sin to death: same “fruit for death” trajectory. Why Paul’s Language Matters • He uses “flesh” (sarx) not merely for the physical body but for our whole person dominated by sin. • By pairing Ephesians 2:3 with Romans 7:5 we see that: – Our problem is deeper than bad habits; it is a nature issue. – God’s law, though perfect, cannot cure that nature; it can only expose it. From Diagnosis to Cure • Ephesians 2 moves on quickly—“But God, being rich in mercy … made us alive with Christ” (v. 4–5). • Romans 7 leads into Romans 8—“There is now no condemnation … because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free” (8:1–2). • Both letters converge on the same remedy: new life in Christ empowered by the Spirit, not improved performance under the old nature. Key Takeaways for Today • Recognize that the pull of sin isn’t just external temptation; it’s an inner principle awakened even by God’s own law. • Understand that apart from Christ every person—religious or not—stands as a child of wrath. • Rest in the gospel’s answer: union with the crucified and risen Lord transfers us from death-bearing flesh to Spirit-produced life (Galatians 2:20; Titus 3:5). |
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