You missed the chapter before that.
Romans chapter 7
4 So, my brothers and sisters, 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 for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[
a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound 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.
Here is what you missed in all of
Chapter 7
Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to
those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.
all bound by the LAW - all obligated to keep it - all guilty as sinners - "transgression of the LAW" -- sinners.
Having just established in Chapter 6 "The wages of SIN is DEATH" - we see that for the saints - that death takes place - in Christ our substitute and in the New Birth new life begins,
Romans 7
4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were
made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be
joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
That "We" that are now "joined to ANOTHER" is the same "WE" that were formerly bound by the LAW as sinners as transgressors - as those who needed salvation.
Romans 7
5 For while
we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were
aroused by the Law, were at work
in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. 6 But
now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that
we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
What about making an evil-thing out of the LAW of God - blaming God and His LAW for our sin? Does Paul allow that?
Romans 7
7
What shall we say then? Is the Law sin?
May it never be! 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.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity
through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for
apart from the Law sin is dead.
As Paul notes in Romans 4 - "where there is no LAW there is no SIN".
"
Sin IS TRANSGRESSION of the LAW" 1 John 3:4
The wicked there is apparent "life" outside of being aware of the full requirement of the LAW of God -- and being oblivious to the Romans 3:19-21 fact that they are bound by the LAW as sinners.
Romans 7
9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but
when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 10 and
this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11
for sin, taking an opportunity
through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12
So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Therefore
did that which is good become a cause of death for me?
May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
The Conflict of Two Natures
14 For we know that
the Law is spiritual, but
I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
Paul describes the sinful nature and its war against the LAW of God
Romans 7
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for
I am not practicing what I would like to do, but
I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want
to do,
I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
Very few here will dare to quote that text at the same time as declaring they are at WAR with the LAW of God. The two positions are opposed to each other.
Romans 7
17 So
now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that
nothing good dwells in me, that is,
in my flesh; for
the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good
is not. 19 For
the good that I want, I do not do, but
I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it,
but sin which dwells in me.
Instead of Paul declaring himself to be at WAR with God's LAW -- he says he fully affirms it - admits that it is good, holy, just and Spiritual - but that HE has a sinful nature that seeks to be at WAR with the LAW of God.
Romans 7
21 I find t
hen the principle that evil is present in me,
the one who wants to do good. 22 For
I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but
I see a different law in the members of my body,
waging war against the law of my mind and making me
a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am
serving the law of God, but on the other, with
my flesh the law of sin.
