Family Study Guide for Romans 7

October 20 – October 26, 2005
(Read Romans 7 Online)
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Reflections on Romans 7 by Jim Brake, Head Coach

It is a commonly known fact that Jesus had more to say about money than heaven or hell. It is a lesser known fact that the Bible also has many things to say about marriage. Marriage is an institution ordained by God and first mentioned all the way back in Genesis 2. Marriage is a very important biblical concept and the clearest human picture of the relationship between God and man. Quite often in the Old Testament, Israel (God’s chosen people), is referred to as God’s wife. The book of Hosea is based upon the imagery of Israel as the unfaithful wife of Jehovah. Marriage imagery is also prominent in the Book of Revelation, as we find the church referred to as the bride of Christ.

Paul uses this word picture to compare a Christian’s relationship with the Law to the relationship between a husband and wife. Paul makes the case in verse 4 that through the accomplishments of Christ on the cross, we as believers died to the law. Just as a woman is free to take another husband only if her current husband dies, so we as Christians are free to be joined to Christ because we died to the law. The law produced the fruit of death in us since it only showed us how far we fall short of God’s glory. The law could not and was never intended to save but only made our sin more apparent. The law did not help us get to God or make us acceptable to him (v5). In fact, the more law we got, the more unable to conform to God’s standard we appeared. In Christ, the wrath of God against us was satisfied and therefore God is now able to look at us through the perfection of Christ.
We died to the law so that we can be joined to Christ to produce “fruit to God” (v4&6).

The rest of this chapter is about Paul’s personal struggle with sin. This is an extremely personal section of Scripture. Many times we wrongly think of the writers of the New Testament books as giants of the faith. We tend not to consider them to be our equal or to have the same struggles as we do. In this chapter it is plain that there can be nothing farther from the truth. Paul asks this haunting question in verse 24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Fortunately, he doesn’t leave us hanging, but answers his own question in verse 25. “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This chapter, as well as being packed with good practical theology, also gives us a glimpse into the man Paul and his struggles. Paul, although a great figure in the Christian faith, is also just a man with the same sin struggles as all of us. Chapter 7 ends and chapter 8 begins by showing that since we died to sin and now live for Christ, we no longer are to be slaves or obligated to obey sin.

Questions to Consider:

• How is the relationship between God and the Church like a marriage?
• Why do you think Jesus had more to say on money and marriage, than on heaven or hell?
• When have you felt lost in your sin, and wondered how God could love you?

Chapter Outline: (From Jim’s Introduction to Romans)

Conflict of sanctification (7:1-25)

Finish the Verses for this Chapter:

“I know // that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Romans 7:18

Sample Questions for Studying

Capitalized words are once-used-words

1. What lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature?
2. 3 Part : The commandment is what?
3. Nothing good what?
4. We have been released from the law how?
5. The sinful PASSIONS AROUSED by the law were what?
6. What if the law had not said, "Do not covet"?
7. What might become UTTERLY sinful?
8. She is released from that law if what?
9. Another law at work in the members of my body (is) WAGING WAR against what?
10. We bore fruit for death why?
11. What is dead apart from law?
12. So that through the commandment sin might become UTTERLY sinful, it what?
13. (Another law at work in the members of my body is) MAKING me what?
14. What if she MARRIES another man while her husband is still alive?
15. 2 Part : We have been released from the law why?
16. What is WAGING WAR against the law of my mind?
17. In my INNER being I DELIGHT in God's law, but what?
18. 2 Part : We serve how?
19. Sin is dead how?
20. 2 Part : I would not have known WHAT?

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