ADDRESSES ON ROMANS
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The only kind of fruit the law can produce is fruJt unto death. When we were in the flesh, we were in our natural, unregenerate state. And Christ said to Nicodemus, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). Paul puts before us here our experience in the flesh. He shows us that our desires in the flesh work to bring forth fruit unto death. The law provokes evil. It produces no good. Now look at verse 6. The words "but now" refer to the state we are in by virtue of Christ's death. Once we were married to the old husband, "but now" our new Husband is our Head. This verse is translated more accurately in the Re- vised Version: "But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." We died to the law, and it is a broken bond. We serve in the newness of the Spirit and are not in a hopeless state. We should be helpless in trying to keep the demand of the law; but because of our new relation to Christ, who speaks and rules, we are conscious of new power and new motives. He makes obedience a joyful thing! THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW 7:7-13 Earlier in this lesson, in reviewing the Old Testament record concerning Israel's blindness in asking for the law, we touched upon the topic Paul refers to in verses 7-14: that is, the purpose of the law. In this portion of the chapter he leaves no room for doubt on the subject, and shows plainly that the law was given to reveal sin, and to show the sinner his need of a Saviour. It was, indeed, "our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ." In verse 7 the objector raises the question, "Is the law sin?" And immediately the apostle replies, "God forbid." And the words which follow tell of his own experience. The law was given to Saul of Tarsus to show him his lost condi- tion. There was a time when he thought he was all right. In [Page 119
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