Category Archives: Law

Bible, Knowledge, Law, Scripture, Sin

POINTING THINGS OUT

ROMANS 7:7

“What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COVET.’”

A good teacher is quick to point out a student’s mistakes without making them feel bad about them. We all learn from our mistakes. We learn when we cut that board too short that we should have measured twice and cut once. When we put too much salt in a recipe, we learn to be more careful the next time. These mistakes are not fatal, however. Today in our text we see another teacher, the Law, that pointed out our mistakes to us which eventually pointed us to a Savior.

Over the past verses, Paul has been showing the futility of the Law, but he does not want to give the impression that the Law was useless. On the contrary, it served a special purpose which he points out in this verse. He says he “would not have come to know sin except through the Law.” The Law showed him how to live holy unto God and what to do when he failed. The sacrificial system was meant to appease a just God when men failed Him, which they would undoubtedly did time and time again. So, although the Law could not save them, it served a purpose.

APPLICATION

The Greek word Paul uses for “know” is ginosko. This word is a commonly used verb throughout the New Testament and normally used to speak of a personal knowledge gained through experiencing something. It is the word used in Luke 1:34 when Mary said she had not known a man, meaning she had no personal experience with a man physically. This is a knowledge you gain through life experiences.

For instance, I have knowledge of physical suffering because I have gone through some pretty major health issues (two stem cell transplants in ten years). I could have never been able to explain to another patient how it feels unless I had experienced this firsthand. But now I can. I wish I had never gained that knowledge, but God allowed me to gain it in a way that I will never forget it.

Your knowledge of your need for a Savior is based on your knowledge of your sins. You cannot save yourself. No amount of law-keeping will get you there. That’s what Paul has been saying. But the law and now the Holy Scriptures show us where we fall short. Holy living is hard if we try to do it ourselves. In fact, it’s impossible. But through the knowledge of His Word, we can walk holy before Him. So, get smart – read His Word.

Father God, I am totally dependent on You and Your Word to guide me toward holy living.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Flesh, Fruit, Law, Scripture, Sin, Unfruitful

BAD FRUITBEARING

ROMANS 7:5

“For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were brought to light by the Law, were at work in the parts of our body to bear fruit for death.”

Farmers know the importance of maintaining their crop. Citrus farmers are constantly battling beetles, flies and blight in order to produce a good crop. They have to be steadily alert to the signs of these intruders on their trees and fruit. Sometimes drastic measures have to be done to product the integrity of the whole grove. They cut down and burn infected trees, so the problem won’t spread. Otherwise, they will get bad fruit instead of good.

Paul tells us that the invasion of sin into our lives that occurred back when Adam and Eve disobeyed God infects us. Unless that “disease” is purged through Jesus, we will never produce good fruit, only bad. Paul even goes on to say “the sinful passions…were at work…to bear fruit for death.” Let’s take a look at some of those “sinful passions” and make sure we are purged from them.

APPLICATION

The phrase “the sinful passions” is literally in the Greek “the passions of sins.” The Greek word for “sins” is the one we have seen before. It is hamartia which means we miss the target which God intends for us to hit – obedience to Him and godly living. The Greek word for “passions” is pathéma which can mean strong emotions or sufferings. In the sixteen times it used in the New Testament, all but two refer to the sufferings of Christ or our sufferings for Christ. Only two times, here in Romans 7:5 and in Galatians 5:24, is pathéma used negatively to refer to sinful passions and desires.

According to HELPS Word-studies, the end of pathéma tells us something about this word. “Note the -ma suffix, emphasizing the end-result (experiencing strong feeling).” Let’s apply that to today’s verse. What is the result of sinful passions? Paul tells us. It’s death. Our lustful passions and desires only lead us downward, not upward.

The other time pathéma is used in Galatians 5:24, Paul writes, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” It is obvious from this verse and today’s verse that these kind of sinful passions and desires were never meant to be part of our walk with Jesus. Examine yourself today. Look at your lifestyle. Is it one of willful obedience to Christ and crucifying your flesh or are you living life to please yourself? Don’t bear bad fruit.

Help me, Father, to be a good fruit bearer for Your kingdom.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Death, Fruit, Law, Purpose, Scripture

A REASON FOR GETTING UP

ROMANS 7:4

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in regard to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”

We all need a reason for getting out of bed in the morning, don’t we? If you don’t have some motivation, you might be like the son who refused to get out of bed and go to school even after his mother kept calling and calling him. Finally, his mother went to his bedroom, opened the door and demanded he get up right then. The son replied, “Give me one good reason why I should go to school today.” To that his mother said, “Because you’re the principal.” We all need a reason for getting up.

You may not see it at first glance in this verse, but Paul tells us why we should get up. It’s in the last phrase – “in order that we might bear fruit for God.” Isn’t that a good enough reason to get up and get going each day? Our physical resurrection from sleep should put us right into the vineyard with God. We “were put to death in regard to the Law” so that we can be fruit producers in God’s kingdom.

APPLICATION

Barnes says this about that last phrase of the verse. “That we should live a holy life. This is the point and scope of all this illustration. The new connection is such as will make us holy. It is also implied that the tendency of the Law was only to bring forth fruit unto death Romans 7:5, and that the tendency of the gospel is to make man holy and pure; compare Galatians 5:22-23.”

Look at those verses in Galatians. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” This is our destiny as followers of Christ. We are to live out this fruit of the Spirit every day. I have to admit I miss some of these some days. But I have the obligation to shake that off and go after it again.

God has saved you and delivered you from the bonds of sin, from the chains of the law to serve Him freely. He will produce the fruit as you yield yourself to Him. Take a look at John 15. See how the fruit is the result of the branch (that’s us) abiding in the vine (that’s God). Now, get up and go produce that fruit!

I am simply a branch You have chosen to produce Your fruit as I give myself over to You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Freedom, Jurisdiction, Law, Masters, Scripture, Slaves

JURISDICTION

ROMANS 7:1

“Or do you not know, brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the Law), that the Law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?”

You may have heard the word “jurisdiction” in a cop show or court room drama. Law enforcement officers are normally restricted to their jurisdiction when it comes to making arrests. Judges also have districts which limit their rulings. Now, these “lines” of jurisdiction can be moved from time to time and law enforcement can work with other jurisdictions to enforce laws and catch bad guys. But what exactly did Paul mean when he used this word?

The Greek word used by Paul translated as “jurisdiction” is kyrieúō. It means “to exercise rights over one’s own property as an owner with full dominion (lordship) over this jurisdiction.” (HELPS Word-studies) This word is only used seven times in the New Testament with four of those occurring in Romans. We’ve already seen it in 6:9 and 14. We’ll see the word again in 14:9. Paul was emphasizing the power of sin over our lives before Christ and the power of the Law over those who tried to follow it.

APPLICATION

Perhaps one of the best uses of the word is found in Luke 22:25 where Jesus was confronting the disciples when they were caught disputing who was the greatest. He told them, “‘The kings of the Gentiles domineer over them; and those who have authority over them are called “Benefactors.”’” The word “domineer” is kyrieúō. Do you see it more clearly now?

The Topical Lexicon says kyrieúō “portrays the exercise of lordship—personal mastery that either liberates or oppresses, depending upon the one who wields it. In Scripture the term becomes a lens through which divine, moral, and relational authority are examined.” In today’s verse it is definitely a jurisdiction of oppression under the Law. There was no freedom found there.

So, how do you want to live your life? You say, I am not under the Law. I can do whatever I want. Really? If you do whatever you want, now your flesh is your master. If you try to keep all the laws, it is your master. You must decide to submit yourself to The Master Who sets you free. That freedom allows you to choose Him as Master. Come under His jurisdiction and find true freedom.

Thank You, O Father, for the freedom we have in Christ. He is the gentle Judge over our lives.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Grace, Jesus, Law, Masters, Scripture, Slaves

UNDERGRACE

ROMANS 6:14

“For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace.”

There’s a hymn written in 1718 that sums up today’s verse well. It is entitled “Christ Receiveth Sinful Men.” The third verse is particularly relevant. It says:

Now my heart condemns me not,

Pure before the law I stand;

He Who cleansed me from all spot,

Satisfied its last demand.

In today’s verse, Paul summarizes once again all the previous verses. Justification is not by works but is only by grace. The little preposition hypo is used here. It means be under something. Often that means to be under the authority of someone or something. In this case, under the authority of the Law or of grace. Paul, being a former Pharisee, knew the futility of trying to appease the Law. You know he was so thankful for grace in his life.

APPLICATION

Paul uses another word that is interesting. In past verses he used a different word to convey the idea of sin reigning over us. In today’s verse he uses kyrieúō which comes from kýrios meaning “Lord.” He used this same word back in 6:9 and will use it again in Romans 7:1 and 14:9. I particularly like how 14:9 uses it in reference to the Lord Jesus. “For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”

The Law is not Lord. Jesus is. The Law does not rule over us. Jesus does. The Law does not dictate how we live. Jesus does. Why won’t we, as followers of Christ, yield ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus and allow His grace to over us? We chase after sin to try to get some kind of fulfillment but are only left with emptiness and grief. Jesus can fill all our needs if we will allow Him.

If you’re like me, you don’t like to be told what to do. I have always been pretty self-confident and made my own decisions. I often had to make decisions that affected others whom I supervised. But I have learned not to lord it over them. I must show grace. I must emulate the example set for me by Jesus. He will lead us only if we follow. He won’t push or shove us into grace. We must come willingly under His lordship. Will you?

Lord Jesus, I recognize and accept Your lordship over my life. Help me to live under grace each day.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Grace, Jesus, Law, Salvation, Scripture, Sin

BAD NEWS AND GOOD NEWS

ROMANS 5:20

“The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,”

Have you gone into an old house that has been closed up for a while and turned on the lights in the kitchen? What is that scurrying all around on the counters and floors? It’s none other than those nasty cockroaches that can survive forever and wherever. The light exposes them, and they run for cover. They were there all the time, but you couldn’t see them until the light was turned on.

Paul describes a similar situation today in our verse when he says, “The Law came in so that the offense would increase;…” This does not mean that the law caused sin to become more. It means the law showed us our sinful state. We were already sinning before the law (just like the cockroaches were already in that kitchen). It just showed our filthiness and ungodliness. Light exposes things.

APPLICATION

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges says this about today’s verse. The phrase “[that the offence might abound] Q. d., ‘that the disease might be brought to the surface.’” That’s exactly what our sin is – a disease. It has been passed down to every generation from Adam and Eve. There is no cure besides Jesus and His shed blood on Calvary. All other attempts (religions) fall short of giving us freedom from these sins.

But… Don’t you just love that word in Scripture? Paul goes on to write in today’s verse, “but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” Look at what Albert Barnes says about this. “Did much more abound – Superabounded. The word is used nowhere else in the New Testament, except in 2 Corinthians 7:4. It means that the pardoning mercy of the gospel greatly triumphed over sin, even over the sins of the Jews, though those sins were greatly aggravated by the light which they enjoyed under the advantages of divine revelation.”

Isn’t that great news? In 2 Corinthians 7:4 Paul uses this same word to say, “…I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.” Shouldn’t that be the same for us? Because of the good news of the abundance of grace in our lives, we should be overflowing with joy even if our life circumstances say different. Choose the good news today, not the bad. Sin is still present in this world, and we must deal with it. But grace is bigger and better.

Father God, I praise You for the gift of grace that superabounds over sin.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Accountability, Bible, Forgiveness, Jesus, Law, Reconciled, Salvation, Scripture

HELD ACCOUNTABLE

ROMANS 5:13

“for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not counted against anyone when there is no law.”

Wouldn’t it be awful to be arrested, charged and imprisoned for breaking a law you never knew existed? I have heard it said, though, that ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it. Laws exist to keep people safe and, hopefully, allow for an efficient government (that’s not always the case). There have been laws on the books for centuries, some good and some bad. We are told to respect those in authority and submit to them. That’s hard to do

Paul continues to lay out the necessity for our reconciliation with God by showing us that sin has existed since the fall of Adam. There was no written law for people before God gave it to Moses, but there was still an unwritten law which God had given all mankind. It would indeed be cruel for God to hold people accountable for sins if they did not know they were sins. Paul tells us that was not the case in today’s verse.

APPLICATION

Look at what Poole says about this. “It appears there was a law before the law of Moses, for if there had been no law all that while, then sin would not have been imputed to men, so as to make them liable to punishment or death; but sin was imputed or charged upon men before the law of Moses, and death passed upon all. Therefore, there must have been a law, by the transgression of which men were sinners, before that time. And that was either the law of nature, or the positive law which God gave to Adam,…” (Matthew Poole’s Commentary)

Paul has already covered this back in Romans 1:20. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” No one can claim they did not know any better. They cannot claim God just made me this way. Boy, I’ve heard that a lot. Sorry, it doesn’t work.

How does this apply to us? I think it’s pretty clear. We have no excuse for our sins. We cannot claim ignorance. Christ came to die to cleanse us of all sin. Nothing prevents anyone from receiving that free gift. It doesn’t matter where you live, what you do for a living, who your family is or any other excuse you want to throw out there. Christ died for YOU! Never deny that. And if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, give Him praise right now. Bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, o my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Faith, Law, Powerless, Scripture

NULLIFY?

ROMANS 3:31

“Do we then nullify the Law through faith? Far from it! On the contrary, we establish the Law.”

I’ve told this story before, but it fits today’s verse so well. I had a little 4×4 pickup that I really loved. One afternoon as I was going into the woods to hunt, it died. One second it was running, and the next it was not. My truck got “nullified.” It was completely inoperative. I had to call a tow truck to haul it out of the woods and I wound up getting rid of the truck due to the expense of the repair which was more than the value of the truck.

Nullify is not a word we throw around a lot. The English word means to make void or cancel, but the Greek word translated in today’s verse as “nullify” has a much deeper meaning. The Greek word is katargéō “(from katá, ‘down to a point,’ intensifying argéō, ‘inactive, idle’) – properly, idle down, rendering something inert (“completely inoperative”); i.e. being of no effect (totally without force, completely brought down); done away with, cause to cease and therefore abolish; make invalid, abrogate (bring to nought); ‘to make idle or inactive’” (HELPS Word Studies). The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to use this specific word here, remember that.

APPLICATION

In 25 of the 27 times katargéō is used in the New Testament, Paul used it. He understood the power of this word. So, what is Paul saying to us today? He is telling us that even though we are justified by faith alone, the moral law given to us by God still guides our daily behaviors. We are not free to do as we want. We are free to do as we should.

In 1 Corinthians 13:11 Paul uses katargéō. “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” The phrase “did away with” is our word. We had to turn from the childish things in order to mature. In Christ, we have matured in our faith to the point that we no longer rely on the law to guide us completely. We now have the Holy Spirit guiding us in faith.

Paul uses the word again in Galatians 5:4 where it is translated “have been severed.” “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace.” Paul is telling us here that if we persist in seeking our justification in what we can do, we have made our relationship with Christ powerless. That is not the way it works.

As followers of Christ, we still need to obey His commands to us which are based on the moral law. We are not required to keep the Mosaic law because Christ fulfilled that law when He died on the cross. Our job today is to obey Christ which goes far and above any requirements of the law. I’ll say it again – we are not free to do as we want, but we are free to do as we should.

O Lord, You have given me freedom through Christ and I will seek to honor You in all I do. 

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Accountability, Bible, Guilt, Guilty, Judging, Judgment, Law, Scripture

ACCOUNTABLE

ROMANS 3:19

“Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;”

In our Every Man A Warrior books, we teach men to be accountable to God, family and other men. We are not afraid to confront each other about our lives. We challenge each other to be better men, to treat our wives as Christ would, to love our children as unto the Lord and to live for our communities to make it a better place. Accountability is difficult at times, but it is definitely worth it in the end.

Paul reminds his readers in today’s verse about two undeniable truths. One is that in order to be held accountable to a law, there must first be a law. Secondly, in order to be held accountable, there must have been a violation of the law. Paul’s readers knew this. God’s law was present and pertained to all. Their guilt was based on the fact that they had violated at least one of those commandments, thereby violating them all. Guilt was present.

APPLICATION

In the Commitment we sign as warriors in Every Man A Warrior, number five says that we will not be defensive if our brothers challenge us (hold us accountable). That may be related to not doing the weekly assignment or memorizing that week’s verse. We want to challenge each other to help each other grow. That’s the whole purpose behind God’s accountability in our lives. His commandments were given to us to make us more like Him. Who doesn’t want that?

The Greek word translated as “accountable” is hupodikos, and it only occurs right here in the New Testament. It literally means “under sentence.” In order for a sentence to be given, guilt must be proven. In our U.S. court systems, we say everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Then and only then is the sentence rendered. Sometimes that sentence is light and other times it is harsh, such as the death penalty.

None of us have a defense against the “divine bench.” The Great Judge will render judgment on all mankind. We, however, as followers of Christ, have escaped this great judgment because our guilt was put on another. Isaiah 53:5 speaks of the suffering Servant (Jesus) when it says, “But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” Thank You, Lord, for carrying my guilt to the cross.

I am forever grateful that You paid a debt You did owe because I owed a debt I could not pay.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Commands, Guard, Law, Scripture, Witnessing, Words

ENTRUSTED

ROMANS 3:2

“Great in every respect. First, that they were entrusted with the actual words of God.”

Have you ever been given something for safekeeping? Perhaps a friend asked you to hold on to something for them for a while and protect it. We see this idea a lot in movies when one character is given a treasure which others are trying to snatch from them. They fight to protect what has been entrusted to them. That’s a close analogy to today’s verse.

Paul answers his own questions asked in the previous verse. Remember those? What advantage or benefit did the Jew have over the Gentiles? And Paul answers literally, “Much in every way!” Why can he say that? He answers in the next sentence. Because God had entrusted them with His words. No other people had been given God’s words like the Jewish nation. God had cut covenant with Abraham and then gave Moses the ten commandments and the rules that followed. God had spoken directly to the Jews for generations through their prophets and judges.

APPLICATION

The key word in today’s verse is “entrusted.” It is the very commonly used word pisteuó, which is the word we translate as “believe” or “have faith.” The word here is in the Aorist Indicative Passive. What does that mean? One source said, “When you see an aorist indicative passive verb, you can understand it as conveying a past, completed action that was done to the subject.” The Jews were given God’s words in the past. That’s a fact. There’s no doubt about it.

The question arises then how they kept it, how they protected it. Psalm 119 is a great chapter to learn more about God’s word. Almost every verse of the 176 verses mentions God’s commands or precepts. Here are just three verses from Psalm 119, to show you what I mean. “4 You have ordained Your precepts, that we are to keep them diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes! 6 Then I will not be ashamed when I look at all Your commandments.”

Are you keeping God’s words safe by obeying and sharing? Nothing keeps God’s words safer than by sharing them with others. That may not make logical sense, but it’s the way God has passed on His words to generations, person by person. There are still billions of people out there who have not experienced the saving power of God’s words. Will you be the one who takes it?

Lord God, use me to keep and share Your Word!

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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