Romans Chapter 7

Marriage and the Law

Chapter 7, Verses 1-6

Rom. 7:1 "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." 

There are multitudes of religious people among all nations that believe that they can keep a set of rules or commandments and through obedience to those rules or commandments they can attain salvation from sin and eternal life.  In addition, there are many that go back under the Old Testament law and try to bring elements of the Old Testament law into their worship service and require people to observe those elements in order to attain salvation from sin and eternal life.   

Paul states a fact that "the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth."  Paul will show how this principle is applied so as to negate the principle set forth by the legalists that you must keep elements of the law in order to attain salvation from sin and to get eternal life.  The key word above is "liveth."  The law hath dominion over those who live under it.  A dead person is not under either the Old Testament law to observe it or under the laws of men.   

"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband."  Marriage is "unto death do ye part."  The marriage law ends with the death of one of the spouses.  Once the spouse is dead, the law of marriage no longer applies to the spouse who remains.  The living spouse is no longer under the law to the dead spouse to be faithful unto the dead spouse.  The law of marriage between a husband and a wife, therefore, ceases with the death of one of the spouses. 

"So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress."  Under the law of marriage the woman is to remain married to her husband so long as the husband liveth.  If she marries another man while her husband liveth then she is called an adulteress.  She has broken the law of marriage and committed adultery with another man.  She is a violator of the law of marriage. 

"But if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man."  If, however, her husband is dead, she is no longer under the law of marriage to that man.  She is free from the law of marriage to that first husband.  Now she is free to be married to another man.  Marrying another man no longer makes her an adulteress, since she is dead to the law of marriage to her first husband through his death. 

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."  Culminating with the death of Jesus Christ under the law, the law has been fulfilled to a jot and a tittle.  With Christ's death, the need for the law as a means of worship became dead.  With the covenant death of Jesus Christ, the elect became dead to the law by the body of Christ.  We are freed from the law so as to serve the law any longer.  Being dead to the law, we should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, Jesus Christ.  Thus, we should reckon ourselves to be married unto Jesus Christ and not unto the law.  As the bride of Christ, we should bring forth fruit unto our husband and God, Jesus Christ.  We are no longer under the law to serve the law, but we are under Jesus Christ to serve him and to bring forth fruit unto God. 

"For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death."  Under the law of sin and death, the motions of sins, by the law brought forth fruit in our members unto death.  Under the law of sin and death we were dead in trespasses and sins.  According to Eph. 2:1, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."  The fruit of our lives was the dead works of the flesh through the working of sin in our flesh.  These works are listed for us in Gal. 5:19: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."