What does "died to the law" mean for our daily Christian walk? Setting the scene: Romans 7:4 “So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to Another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.” What “died to the law” means • A decisive break: in God’s sight the believer’s old life under Mosaic law ended when Christ’s body was nailed to the cross (Galatians 2:19–20). • A change of jurisdiction: the law no longer stands over us as condemning judge; we have been transferred to Christ’s rule of grace (Romans 6:14). • A new covenant bond: we “belong to Another,” united to the risen Lord like a widow who lawfully remarries (the illustration of Romans 7:2–3). Why we needed to die • The law is holy, yet it exposes and provokes sin in fallen hearts (Romans 7:5,13). • Its righteous demands required perfect obedience, which none could meet (James 2:10). • Death with Christ satisfied the law’s penalty, removing its curse (Galatians 3:13). • Only by ending the old marriage could we enter the new union that produces true fruit for God. Living by the new union: daily implications Freed from condemnation • No lingering fear of judgment; the death sentence has already been carried out (Romans 8:1). Led by the Spirit, not by rule-keeping • “Serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:6). • The Spirit internalizes God’s will, empowering obedience from the heart (Ezekiel 36:26–27; Galatians 5:16-18). Bearing fruit to God • Love, joy, peace, and the rest of the Spirit’s fruit replace mere external compliance (Galatians 5:22-23). • Good works flow from life, not from legal pressure (Ephesians 2:10). Guarding liberty • Resist efforts—whether personal scruples or religious systems—to reinstate law as a means of righteousness (Galatians 5:1-4). • Exercise freedom responsibly, guided by love so as not to stumble others (1 Corinthians 8:9; 9:21). Fueling obedience • Grace never licenses sin; being alive to God motivates holiness far beyond what law could demand (Romans 6:1-4, 15-18). How other Scriptures reinforce the message • Colossians 2:13-14 – the law’s record of debt nailed to the cross. • Ephesians 2:15 – Christ abolished the law’s commandments and regulations to create one new humanity. • Hebrews 10:10-14 – one sacrifice perfected us forever, ending repetitive offerings prescribed by the law. • 2 Corinthians 3:6 – the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Practical steps to walk as one who has died to the law 1. Start each day reminding yourself: “I am in Christ; the law’s sentence against me is finished.” 2. Read Scripture looking for Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s present help, not merely rules to perform. 3. When temptation strikes, reckon yourself dead to sin’s claim and alive to God (Romans 6:11). 4. Cultivate dependence on the Spirit through ongoing surrender and gratitude; He fulfills the righteous requirement within you (Romans 8:4). 5. Serve others in love—tangible acts of kindness prove you are bearing fruit to God. 6. Guard your conscience: reject guilt over man-made regulations, but welcome conviction when the Spirit pinpoints real sin. 7. Celebrate the Lord’s Supper often; it visibly reaffirms that His body bore the law’s curse so you can live in risen freedom. In Christ, free to bear fruit Because we have died to the law through the body of Christ, every day can be lived in liberated, Spirit-empowered devotion that overflows in genuine fruit for the glory of God. |
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