September 4, 2016

Deliverance from the Law

Preacher:
Series:
Passage: Romans 7:1-3
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Freedom from the Law
  • The Bible uses different terms when talking about this theme
    • Dead to the law
    • Not under the law
    • Delivered from the law
  • Some Christians are frightened by these biblical terms
    • Antinomianism
    • They think they are in a position where the Ten Commandments no longer matter
    • Why did Christ come to fulfill and not destroy the law?
  • We are going to explain these terms
    • When someone becomes a Christian their relation to the law changes
      • We need to understand biblical language
    • We need to understand Rom 6 - "free from sin"
      • We must never take away from the emphasis of Scripture
      • Sin does not master us anymore - free from the power and penalty of sin
  • Overview:
    • Purpose of the Law
    • Deliverance from the Law
    • The Law being fulfilled in us

Purpose of the Law

You need to understand the word "law"

  • In what sense is the term law being used?
  • Psalm 19 - speaking about the law of the Lord in its fullest sense
  • Psalm 119 - thinking on all the word of God
  • The Law and the Prophets - the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible)
  • The law of sin - at war and at work in our members
  • The law of Christ
  • The law of God
  • The law of Moses:
    1. The ceremonial laws given to the people of Israel
    2. The civil law of God
    3. The moral law - The Ten Commandments - given to all of humanity
  • Rom 7:
    • Predominantly thinking about the Ten Commandments
    • Deliverance from the Ten Commandments (in a certain sense)
  • Rom 3:19-20
    • Speaking about the Ten Commandments
    • It is impossible to keep the law of God - we will always fail

Why did God give the Ten Commandments?

  • Rom 5:20
    • That "offense might abound"
    • We do the opposite of what the law requires
    • The more we are exposed to the law of God the more we see our offenses abound
  • Rom 7:5
    • Something happened when we were exposed to God's law
    • Our corrupt human nature was stirred up to disobey
    • 'Laws are there to be broken'
    • Children and adults
  • Rom 7:7-12
    • There is nothing wrong with God's law - the problem is with our heart within
    • When not exposed to this truth and this conscience - sin didn't seem to have a hold over Paul
    • The law shows what sin is and the high standards of God
    • It condemns and convicts us
    • It has a purpose to bring us to Christ
      • Gal - A school master/tutor to bring you to Christ (The ceremonial law)
      • Example of Pilgrims Progress
  • Rom 7:13
    • The law cannot save of sanctify - it has no power to do this
    • The law reveals our sin
    • Coming to church should make you feel bad about yourself
      • You come to church not to feel happy but to honour and serve God
      • You come to church to find Jesus Christ
      • You will feel conviction
      • Example of Puritan teaching
    • If you know conviction - don't feel despair - run to Jesus Christ for forgiveness

Deliverance from the Law

  • Paul uses an illustration of marriage
    • It not the only passage that speaks about divorce and remarriage
    • Speaking about one point - when one married person dies
      • Husband and wife are bound by the law of God until death
      • When the wife dies the husband is free from the law and free to marry another
    • v4:
      • Once you were bound to the law
      • When you believed in Jesus Christ you were free from this requirement (because Christ kept the requirements for you)
    • v6:
      • Before you sought to obey God by obeying an external code
        • This was a bondage to the law
      • As a Christian you realise you could never keep the law of God
      • Now you have a different relationship to the law
        • You keep the Spirit of the Law
        • You love the law giver
      • Illustration from Stuart Olliet about the bachelor and the house maid
        • Not a matter of cold obedience to the Ten Commandments
        • We have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ
        • We want to keep His law and the Spirit of it
      • It means we are no longer in a servile position
        • We are not under harsh laws or slave to them
        • Instead we have been married to Christ
        • We see it is a law of love
    • Rom 10:3-4
      • Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
      • Now we want to honour Him
    • Gal 2:19-20
  • In what way are you living?
    • Are you hoping that God will accept you by your morals?
    • Have you died to this regime and are married to Him?

The Law being fulfilled in us

  • It is a gross misunderstanding to say that if Christ is end of the law - then I have nothing more to do with the law of God
    • Rom 3:31
      • Our relationship to the law has changed
      • But the law still stands
      • The law of God has now been written on our heart
      • Christ has fulfilled the righteous demands of the law
    • Rom 8:1-4
      • The conclusion of Paul's argument
      • The righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us
      • We want to keep the law of God
      • We have power through God to understand the heart of the law and to understand the words of Christ
      • We ask for help in areas where we struggle
      • God enables us to overcome
      • The fulfillment of the law is love
    • Rom 13:8-10
      • I fulfill the Ten Commandments because I love God and I love my neighbour
      • The Commandments still apply
    • The righteous requirements of the la are being fulfilled in me

Closing Remarks

  • Have you understood these things?
  • Have you understood the law of God?
    • That if you break it at one point - you break it at all points
  • Christ came to take away our sin and the requirements of the law on Himself
  • If we believe in Christ the righteous requirements of the law will be fulfilled in us
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