Thursday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Romans 7:4-6
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible:
7:4 The principle and illustration from vv. 1–3 are applied to the readers in vv. 4–6. Whereas the husband dies in the illustration of vv. 2–3, here believers die to the law through the death of Christ; the analogy does not match perfectly, but the application is clear.
7:5 Flesh here stands for the old “Adam”—the unregenerate former life of those who now believe. The law, contrary to the view of contemporary Judaism (cf. note on 5:20), did not bring life. Instead it stimulated sin and led to death. Although sin leads to death (cf. 6:23), in Christ there is life (John 14:6; 1 John 5:12; cf. Prov. 1:19).
7:6 But now represents the new era of redemptive history. Christians are free from the Mosaic law and now enjoy new life in the Spirit.
7:5 Flesh here stands for the old “Adam”—the unregenerate former life of those who now believe. The law, contrary to the view of contemporary Judaism (cf. note on 5:20), did not bring life. Instead it stimulated sin and led to death. Although sin leads to death (cf. 6:23), in Christ there is life (John 14:6; 1 John 5:12; cf. Prov. 1:19).
7:6 But now represents the new era of redemptive history. Christians are free from the Mosaic law and now enjoy new life in the Spirit.
Study Questions:
- The Law, or Old Covenant, brought death because it showed us how truly sinful we are. It did nothing to fix the problem, just simply revealed our problem. Now, since we have been made new in Christ, we no longer have to be controlled by our sinful nature. We can, instead, choose to be controlled by the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. Paul is saying that the way to serve God isn't by obeying the letter of the law. Rather, we serve by living in the Spirit which will produce a harvest of good deeds. When you think about what it means to "live in the Spirit", what comes to mind? Can you truly say that you are "controlled by the Holy Spirit"? If not, what do you think is holding you back? Ask God to reveal this to you, then be obedient.
- The challenge from Sunday was to "Take off the OLD and put on the NEW!" Your OLD garments are religion, shame, striving... But your NEW garments are garments of praise, righteousness, peace, grace, faith and perseverance. Out with the old, in with the new. What is the "old" you need to take off today? What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you?
Pray:
- That your life would be controlled by the Holy Spirit rather than by your sinful nature.
- That God would reveal to you the "old" that you need to take off in your life.
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