by David Flatt
Synopsis: Romans 7 helps us better understand the purpose of the Mosaic Law, which is often ignored and underestimated. We benefit from OT examples, but delving deeper, should also ask, “Why was the Law given at Sinai?”
Romans chapters 6 through 8 represents Paul’s grand Exodus narrative. The old Exodus was like a sign pointing to the new, real Exodus; whereby, the Messiah liberated the world from sin and death. After Israel was led through the Red Sea, they came to Mt. Sinai. On this holy mountain, God gave them a law.
To this point in Romans, Paul has brought his readers through the waters of baptism. Now, he explains the purpose of the law. Without this context in mind, this chapter may appear random; yet, none of what Paul wrote in this letter is extraneous or irrelevant.
Romans 7 represents the most extensive explanation regarding the purpose of the Law of Moses; yet, we sometimes use this chapter as a proof-text about marriage. This chapter is not about marriage. Paul uses marriage to illustrate a point about the purpose of the law.
A word of caution is in order: There seems to be negative attitudes or misperceptions about the Old Testament among some Christians. All of my life, I have heard brethren say things to the effect, “Well, the Old Testament has some good lessons and entertaining stories, but we are not under the Old Law. Therefore, all we need is Jesus and the New Testament.”
A casual, indifferent attitude toward the significance of the Old Testament is especially noticed regarding the Law of Moses. We rightly conclude that this law was discontinued at the cross, and therefore we are no longer obligated to obey it. Sometimes this is the full extent of our consideration of the law and its overall purpose in God’s plan of human redemption. However, this explanation alone falls short in understanding the reasons why God gave this law to Israel.
We should be cautious about declaring which parts of the Bible we need and which sections we do not. God expressed His will to us by the Spirit from Genesis through Revelation. God carefully unveiled His plan for human redemption over 4,000 years. The time between Abraham and Jesus was approximately 2,100 years. The Law of Moses was enforced for roughly 1,450 years. Casually dismissing this history as irrelevant or merely entertaining, is unwise at best and arrogant at worst. The lengths to which God went to redeem us from sin demands that we give consideration to the details of how He accomplished this.
Israel’s history is the spiritual family history of all Christians. Remember, Paul is quite clear that all Christians are children of Abraham (Rom. 4; Gal. 3). Regardless of ethnicity, Israel represents the ancestors of all Christians (1 Cor. 10:1). Therefore, Christians must understand who they are and the significance of being part of God’s family. Like biological family history, our spiritual heritage gives us context to the present and direction for the future.
In this text, Paul states that those who have died and risen with Christ are dead to the law. We typically affirm that the death of Christ put an end to the law, meaning that it is no longer enforced. While true, this common understanding does not explain the function of the law in God’s eternal purpose.
What was the purpose of God giving a law to Israel? As we have already noted, the law defined, magnified, and calculated sin. While Israel lived under the law, sin, decay, and death ruled (Rom. 5:12, 20). Paul seems to be saying that the law bound Israel to Adam, or sin. It is as if the law only reminded Israel that they were “in Adam.” These two being bound together by the law produced death.
By being “in the Messiah,” however, Israel can be delivered from the law, sin, and death. Israel can now be released from Adam/sin and be joined to another, the Messiah. In this new union, life is made possible. This explanation also fits more broadly into the concept of Jesus Christ as the bridegroom of His people (2 Cor. 11:2-3; Eph. 5:25-27).
This section closes by contrasting the letter and the spirit, as Paul did in Romans 2:28-29. In chapter 8, Paul explains the work of God’s Spirit. Through the Spirit, God accomplishes what could not be done through the law (8:3). Therefore, it is essential to explain what the law was trying to do and why the law was unable to solve Israel’s real problem.
Before further analyzing the law, consider Paul’s use of the word “I” in this section. Is the apostle referring to himself alone? Not likely. If Paul is just referring to himself in this passage, then Romans 7:9 makes no sense. Paul did not live before God gave the law at Mt. Sinai. Sometimes this passage is used to describe Paul’s personal struggle with sin or some general moral law. Yet, this does not capture the full meaning of the text.
Paul uses the term “I” in the same way we might use the editorial “we” or “one.” The term, “I,” is used in a general sense to apply to Israel, Abraham’s descendants. While Paul was included in this group, he was not the only one who had a problem with sin. Susceptibility to sin is universal. So, in this context, Paul is dealing with Abraham’s family, the point in time when the law was given by God, and the results of the law.
Yes, the law came from God; therefore, the law is holy, just, and good. The code itself was not sinful, but giving a law code creates the possibility of sinning. For example, if you tell a child not to do something that he has never considered doing, he likely will consider doing what you told him not to do. If the child violates the rule, does this mean the rule was bad? Of course not. Likewise, the law was not to blame for Israel’s predicament.
Paul described how being subject to a code of law impacted Israel as reflected in the experiences of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3). God gave Adam and Eve a law (Gen. 2:16-17). When enticed by Satan, evil desire conceived, and they sinned. Death entered the world through sin. Sound familiar? Paul’s connection of Israel to Adam is consistent with his argument in chapter 5. More than a Pauline analogy, though, the law itself connected Israel to Adam. Therefore, Israel was in sin.
Was the law bad? No, of course not. It was given for life and the good of Israel; however, the law called attention to evil desires. Israel did not know the power of covetousness until the prohibition against it was given. The law envoked the knowledge of Israel’s sin; in turn, sin brought death. Therefore, the law could not stop or defeat sin and death. These could only be defeated by the grace of God through the Messiah (Rom. 5:20-21).
What is Paul trying to explain about the Law of Moses in this unusual paragraph? Some have said this passage describes the human condition or Paul’s personal life. Others dismiss the text as mere rambling. The passage is not exclusively personal—instead, it is about Israel’s shared experience under the Law of Moses. Of course, this would have included Paul, but would not have been limited to him.
In the previous section, Paul described what happened when the law was given to Israel: they were proven to be sinful. Now, he describes what life was actually like under the law. What happens when God’s people do their best to live under the law?
In the passage, the subject, “I,” is in an unstoppable decline. While Israel embraced the law as holy, just, and good, they transgressed the law. Paul states that the law is spiritual; whereas, “I” or Israel is carnal or fleshly. In other words, Paul goes back to chapter 5 and shows how Israel is connected to Adam and enslaved to sin, decay, and death. Despite having embraced the law, and taking pride in the same, the law only brought condemnation, without offering a permanent solution for sin.
Now, before moving on, remember what Paul earlier introduced about the law in Romans 2:17-24. In chapter 2, Paul asked why Israel broke the law they claimed to love. This chapter offers a more in-depth answer to that question. He deals with an age-old dilemma of the human condition: if we know what is right, why do we choose to do what is wrong?
Israel knew what was right because they had the law. Yet, Israel broke the law. This made them just like everyone else in the world. Moreover, they were guilty of hypocrisy for having boasted in their possession of the law. With the rest of humanity, Israel was guilty of sin. What could they do about it? Or, what could the law do about it? The answer to both: nothing.
What is the problem that Paul is identifying in this chapter? The problem is not the law. The law is holy, just, and good. The problem is not Israel’s desire to keep the law. Instead, the problem is sin. Sin is the means by which the forces of evil operate in the world—acknowledging the sinister issue of sin clarifies our need for the Savior.
Connecting the law and sin raises essential but troubling questions: If the law magnified sin, why did God allow sin to increase by the law (Rom. 5:20)? Why would God give the law so that sin might grow? Essentially, God permitted sin to grow to its full strength so that He might permanently destroy it. He used the law to attract sin to one place, achieve victory over its promoter and perpetrator, and forever condemn sin. Ultimately, the power of Satan and sin were destroyed in the flesh of the Messiah (Rom. 8:3).
In summary, this passage is not an incoherent ramble. Nor is it about one man’s struggle with sin. It is about the Law of Moses, Israel’s relationship with it, and a preparation for what was ultimately achieved through the cross of Jesus.
Paul is not addressing a general moral principle when he speaks of “law.” He is considering Israel’s relationship to good and evil with respect to the Law of Moses. This struggle is not just a personal one, but collective as to what was experienced by Israel. So, what does Paul discover about the Law of Moses?
Basically, the law creates two opposing forces: good and evil. Israel continually found itself pulled between good and evil. Paul echoes what God said to Cain: “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it” (Gen. 4:6-7; Rom. 7:21). Earlier in the chapter, Paul stated that Israel had essentially acted out the sin of Adam (Rom. 7:7-12). Now, their moral inadequacy proves them to be like Cain (Wright, 131).
The more Israel relished the law, the more it proved them to be sinners. In breaking the law, Israel was detached from God and connected to the likes of sinful Adam. Israel loved the law, but it could not save them from sin, decay, and death. Was Israel doomed? Paul passionately expresses this despair: “O wretched man that I am! Who will save me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24).
Suddenly, Paul changes his tone. He gives a hopeful answer to his despairing question: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7:25). God rescued Israel and the Gentiles through the Messiah, who changed everything.
Jesus represents in Himself everything Israel was not. He was perfectly obedient to the law. He lived without sin. He was the light of the world, serving as God’s singularly faithful example. Offering Himself as a sacrificial substitute, Jesus Christ took Israel’s (and our) punishment for their sin and transgression. Therefore, Jesus could and can rescue everyone from sin and death. This is the great hope of Romans, which will be fully explored in chapter 8.
What was the purpose of the Mosaic Law? Through examining this chapter, we learn the law was much more than just a list of regulations. It was used by God to prove our need for the Messiah. Israel’s relationship with the law shows that we cannot save ourselves through good works. We desperately need Jesus.
God also used the law to collect sin and its full power. The law acted like a trap for sin. Once gathered through the law, God decisively destroyed sin and its power at Jesus’s cross. A greater understanding of the purpose of the law will increase our faith in the Messiah’s ability to save us from sin and eternal death.
Wright, Nicholas Thomas. Paul for Everyone: Romans Part 1. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.
Author Bio: David and his family began laboring with the Fry Road church of Christ in Houston, TX in 2019. The church website is fryroad.org. He can be reached at dflatt85@yahoo.com.
