And
Illustration From Marriage
Do
you not know, brothers--
For
I am speaking to men who know the Law--
That
the Law has authority over a man
Only
as long as he lives?
2
For example,
by
Law a married woman is Bound to her husband
As
long as he is alive,
But
if her husband dies, she is Released
From
the Law of Marriage.
3
So then, if she marries another man
While
her husband is still alive,
She
is called an Adulteress.
But
if her husband dies,
She
is Released from that Law
And
is not an Adulteress,
Even
though she marries another man.
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.
5
FOR WHEN WE WERE CONTROLED BY THE SINFUL NATURE,
THE
PASSIONS AROUSED BY THE LAW
WERE
AT WORK IN OUR BODIES,
SO
WE BORE FRUIT FOR DEATH.
6
But now, by Dying to what once bond us,
We
have been Released from the Law
SO
THAT WE SERVE IN THE NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT,
AND
NOT IN THE OLD WAY OF THE WRITTEN CODE.
Struggling
With Sin
7
What shall we say, then?
IS
THE LAW SIN?
CERTAINLY
NOT!
Indeed
I would not have known what Sin was
Except
through the Law.
For
I would not have know what it was to Covet
If
the Law had not said,
'DO
NOT COVET.'
8
But Sin, seizing the Opportunity afforded by the Commandment,
PRODUCED
IN ME EVERY KIND OF COVETOUS DESIRE.
FOR
APART FROM THE LAW SIN IS DEAD.
9
Once I was alive apart from the Law;
But
when the Commandment came,
SIN
SPRANG TO LIFE AND I DIED.
10
I found that the very Command
That
was intended to bring life
ACTUALLY
BROUGHT DEATH.
11
For Sin, seizing the Opportunity afforded by the Commandment,
DECEIVED
ME,
And
through the Commandment
PUT
ME TO DEATH.
12
SO THE, THE LAW IS HOLY,
AND
THE COMMANDMENT IS HOLY, RIGHTEOUS AND GOOD.
13
DID THAT WHICH IS GOOD,
THEN,
BECOME DEATH TO ME?
BY
NO MEANS!
BUT
IN ORDER THAT SIN
MIGHT
BE RECOGNIZED AS SIN,
IT
PRODUCED DEATH IN ME
THROUGH
WHAT WAS GOOD,
SO
THAT THROUGH THE COMMANDMENT
SIN
MIGHT BECOME UTTERLY SINFUL.
14
WE KNOW THAT THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL;
BUT
I AM UNSPIRITUAL,
SOLD
AS A SLAVE TO SIN.
15
ID DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT I DO.
FOR
WHAT I DO WANT TO DO, I DO NOT DO,
BUT
WHAT I HATE I DO.
16
AND IF I DO WHAT ID DO NOT WANT TO DO,
I
AGREE THAT THE LAW IS GOOD.
17
AS IT IS, IT IS NO LONGER I MYSELF WHO DO IT,
BUT
IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME.
18
I KNOW THAT NOTHING GOOD LIVE IN ME,
THAT
IS IN MY SINFUL NATURE.
FOR
I DESIRE TO DO WHAT IS GOOD,
BUT
I CANNOT CARRY IT OUT.
19
FOR WHAT I DO IS NOT TE GOOD I WANT TO DO;
NO,
THE EVIL I DO NOT WANT TO DO--
THIS
I KEEP ON DOING.
20
Now if I do what I do not want to do,
It
is no longer I who do it,
BUT
IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT.
21
So I find this Law at work:
WHEN
I WANT DO DO GOOD,
EVIL
IS RIGHT THERE WITH ME.
22
FOR IN MY INNER BEING I DELIGHT IN GOD'S LAW;
23
BUT I SEE ANOTHER LAW
AT
WORK IN THE MEMBERS OF MY BODY,
WAGING
WAR AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND
AND
MAKING ME A PRISONER OF THE LAW OF SIN
AT
WORK WITHIN MY MEMBERS.
24
WHAT A WRETCHED MAN I AM!
WHO
WILL RESCUE ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH?
25
THANKS BE TO GOD—
THROUGH
JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
SO
THEN, I MY SELF IN MY MIND AM A SLAVE TO GOD'S LAW,
BUT
IN THE SINFUL NATURE A SLAVE TO THE LAW OF SIN.
(Romans
7)
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