Romans 7:25

Question:
What is Paul saying in Romans 7:25?

Well, let's see: Romans 7 King James Version (KJV) 1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) St. Paul is speaking to everyone, but he is emphasizing that this is something which those who are from a Jewish background, should know. how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? So, then, the law of Moses, he says, has dominion over the Jews as long as they live. 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. Now, he compares that to matrimony. What some find confusing here, is that the woman has not died. The woman continues to live. So, let's look at this in detail. The woman in the matrimony is subject to her husband as the Jewish man is subject to the Law. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: So then, if the woman marries another while her husband is still alive, she commits sin. So, if the Jewish man changes religion, while that religion is still in effect, he commits sin. but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. But now, if the husband dies, the woman is free to love another an marry him. So, if the Jewish religion has died, the Jewish man is free therefore from the Law of Moses. Let's look at another Scripture: Hebrews 9: 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Note the twist. Suddenly, everyone is dead. The woman is dead and the husband as well. The woman is dead and her husband resurrected and she is resurrected in her husband. Is she therefore marrying another? No, it is the same God. But He has brought with Him a New Law. And so, the Jewish man has become died in Christ, but is resurrected in Christ and may then become married to Christ and thereby embrace the Law of Christ. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. This is an interesting metaphor because it is saying, before we died in Christ, we were dead in the flesh because of our sins. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Now, then, we are dead to sin and freed from the law because we are alive in the Spirit. 7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid.Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Is the Law evil? Of course not. It is the Word of God which highlights for us what is sin so that we may avoid it. As the Scripture says elsewhere: 1 Corinthians 6:9 King James Version (KJV) 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. This is a reference to childhood. Before we know the difference between good and evil, while we are still children, we commit no sins. 9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. But when we are older, we learn to discern right and wrong and we learn the Commandments, the will of God and we die. Because we sin. 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. The Commandment was supposed to guide us to righteousness, but since we could not uphold them, led us to dead instead. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Therefore, Satan deceives us as he deceived Adam. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. The Law and Commandments of God are holy. They are the Word of God. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. The Commandments are good, but sin continued in the flesh. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Sins temptation is so strong, that even when I don't want to do it, I succumb. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. But if I sin even when I don't want to sin, I admit that the Law which leads to righteousness is good, because it reveals sin. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. But I no longer commit sins, even though sin dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. And yet, I do nothing good. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. But the good I want to do, I don't, but the evil I don't want to do, I wind up doing. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. Therefore, since I do what I don't want to do, it isn't because of me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. Therefore, there is a law at work. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: I delight in God's law in my heart. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. But there is another law at work in my members which is against that law. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? How then, can I be saved? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. By the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Romans 8 King James Version (KJV) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Therefore, we must walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For the law of the Spirit. The law of Christ has freed me from the law of sin. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Because I was too weak to overcome sin by knowledge of the Law. Therefore God sent Jesus Christ to save me. 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So that we could fulfill the Law of Moses, the Commandments of Christ, by walking after the Spirit of Him who died for our sins. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Those that pine after the deeds of the flesh are dead. But those who live according to the Spirit are alive. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Because the flesh is against God and will not submit to His law. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. So, all who live according to the temptations of the flesh will be condemned. Essentially then, this whole treatise is summarized in Rev 22:13-15: Revelation 22:13-15 King James Version (KJV) 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Sincerely, De Maria PS  See also updated version, here.  And see my commentary on Romans 8