Romans 7
sin Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23"). married joined. Ephesians 5:31, same Greek word. Bride (of Christ). 2 Corinthians 11:1-3; John 3:29; Revelation 19:6-8. newness Cf. Romans 2:29; 2 Corinthians 3:6. "The letter" is a Paulinism for the law, as "spirit" in these passages is his word for the relationships and powers of new life in Christ Jesus. In 2 Cor. 3. a series is presented of contrast of law with "spirit," of the old covenant and the new. The contrast is not between two methods of interpretation, literal, and spiritual, but between two methods of divine dealing: one through the law, the other through the Holy Spirit. sin Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23"). sin Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 5:21"). when the commandment The passage (vs 7-25) is autobiographical. Paul's religious experience was in three strongly marked phases:- (1) He was a godly Jew under the law. That the passage does not refer to that period is clear from his own explicit statements elsewhere. At that time he held himself to be "blameless" as concerned the law Philippians 3:6. He had "lived in all good conscience" Acts 23:1.
- (2) With his conversion came new light upon the law itself. He now perceived it to be "spiritual" (Romans 7:14). He now saw that, so far from having kept it, he was condemned by it. He had supposed himself to be "alive," but now the commandment really "came" (Romans 7:9) and he "died." Just when the apostle passed through the experience of Romans 7:7-25 we are not told. Perhaps during the days of physical blindness at Damascus Acts 9:9, perhaps in Arabia Galatians 1:17.
- (3) With the great revelations afterward embodied in Galatians and Romans, the apostle's experience entered it third phase. He now knew himself to be "dead to the law by the body of Christ," and, in the power of the indwelling Spirit, "free from the law of sin and death" Romans 8:2 while "the righteousness of the law" was wrought in him (not by him) while he walked after the Spirit Romans 8:4, Romans 7. is the record of past conflicts and defeats experience as a renewed man under law.
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