Foundations of Truth

Guest (Male): Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the Biblical Teaching Ministry of Dr. Timothy Man. Our mission is to help you build your life on the unshakable foundation of God's Word, rooted in scripture, anchored in the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each week, Dr. Man opens the Bible to bring clarity, conviction, and encouragement for everyday life.

Dr. Timothy Mann: What does Paul mean when he says believers have died to the law? In Romans chapter 7 verses 1 through 6, he uses the picture of marriage to explain a profound change in our relationship to the law through Christ. Today on Foundations of Truth is part two of the message Dead to the Law. Let's open up our Bibles to Romans chapter 7 and here now is Dr. Timothy Man. Salvation, when you trust Christ and you're saved by God's grace, salvation brings a complete change of spiritual relationship. Just as remarriage after the death of a spouse brings a complete change of marital relationship, this is the idea.

You are no longer married to the law, but you are now married to Jesus Christ, the divine bridegroom of the church. You're not married to the law anymore. You're married to Jesus. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul gives us a beautiful picture of this relationship. He says in Ephesians 5 verse 24 through 27, he said, but just as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as in the same way Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present her to himself, the church, in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and blameless.

Now, the main emphasis of the book of Romans is that we are only made right in God's sight by faith. That's the main emphasis of the book of Romans. We're made right in God's sight by faith. Just shall live by faith. But the underlying emphasis or the secondary emphasis probably of the book of Romans is this, that salvation, when you are made right with God, when you are put in right standing with God, salvation brings total transformation. That's the other emphasis of Romans. Salvation brings total transformation. Through Jesus's death and his resurrection, God, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Look at this next phrase in verse 4. I don't want you to see it. There's a purpose here. Verse 4. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, that is to him who was raised from the dead. Now, look at this. Here's the purpose. What's it say? That we should bear fruit to God. That we should bear fruit to God. The purpose of our being dead to the law now, which by the way, when you were married to the law, when you were alive to the law, you could not bear fruit to God.

It was impossible. You could try and try and try, but it wouldn't happen. But now after you were joined to Christ, after you're dead to the law and you're alive to God through Christ and you're married to Christ, you're joined to Christ, the very purpose of you being joined to God through Christ is that we might bear fruit to God. That's what it says. Ephesians 2:10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. He gives additional insight in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 2:19 through 20. He says, for through the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and who delivered himself up for me. And so this transformation takes place. And what the word of God is saying here is this. It's saying that the transformed life will bear fruit to God. It will. The transformed life will bear fruit for God.

And what is that? Well, godly fruit exists basically in two dimensions. Attitude and action. Attitude and action. The fruit of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life is manifested internally in his attitudes, her attitudes. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And as far as godly actions are concerned, that will come out. That will come out. As we used to say up in the mountains where I come from, what's down in the well will come up in the bucket. It will. And Jesus said this, as far as godly actions are concerned, Jesus said in John 15:1 through 2, he said, I'm the true vine and my father is the vine dresser.

And every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it that it may bear more fruit. Now, look at verse 5. Verse 5. What happens here in talking about this discussion, there's a big contrast that occurs at this moment in verse 5 because in verse 5, the Holy Spirit of God reminds us, the Apostle Paul reminds us as readers of four characteristics that characterized our old lives as unbelievers. And so here's the deal. If you see a person who professes to be a Christian and these elements actually characterize their life, what we see in verse 5, there's a problem there.

There's a disconnect. Because verse 5 says, for when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. Now, the word flesh in this particular verse is used in particularly in a moral and ethical sense. And it has an evil connotation. The Apostle Paul repeatedly uses it this way in Romans 8, in Galatians 5, in Ephesians 2, and in every instance it refers to a person's unredeemed humanness, okay? The flesh, unredeemed humanness. And this is what the testimony of scripture basically is.

It's this, that a person who continually lives in the flesh, always, their whole life, a person who continually lives, who still lives in the realm of the flesh, cannot belong to Christ. That's what the scripture teaches. The scripture says in Romans 8:9, you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now, all of us in this room who are believers, we know this. It is possible, of course, for the believer to fall back into some of the ways of the flesh, which we do whenever we sin.

But you can never again be in the flesh in a state of life, in a state of position as a believer. But the flesh is still able to manifest itself in the believer. So he says here, you were living in the flesh. That's what an unbeliever does. And then it says that that unbeliever's old life was characterized by sinful passions. It's characterized by sinful passions. In other words, the impulsives to think and to do evil that are generated by those who are in the flesh. Those are sinful passions. If you live your life constantly by sinful passions, you're in the flesh.

You don't belong to Christ. And thirdly, it says in this verse that the believer's old life when you were an unbeliever was characterized by your sinful passions, continually being aroused by the law, constantly being aroused by the law. How is it that such a thing as the holy law of God can arouse that which is sinful? Well, first of all, it does so because apart from the law, apart from knowledge of the law, a person really doesn't know good and evil completely. A few weeks ago, those of you on Facebook and on the church Facebook page and are friends of me on Facebook, you saw a new picture I put up last night of Patty and I standing in a water fountain.

A lot of people in the first service saw that. Anybody seen that picture yet? Few of you have. If you haven't, now you're going to go look if you're if you're on Facebook. A few weeks ago, I told you about me seeing the don't walk on the grass sign. Remember that a few weeks ago? If you were here over at the Trails Shopping Center and because on that particular day I was so filled with the spirit of God that I didn't walk on the grass. I I avoided it and walked around it. But that that water fountain that we saw yesterday, it didn't have a sign, one way or the other.

So I didn't know the difference between good or evil as it related to that water fountain, so we got in it. No, actually that's not exactly what happened. Here's what's true. What's true is Patty dared me. She said, I will if you will. I jumped right smack in that thing. Listen, don't dare me to do something. I'll do it. If it's not immoral or illegal, and I don't know if that was illegal or not, so I'm off the hook on that one.

Guest (Male): This ministry depends on listeners like you who believe careful, faithful teaching of God's Word should remain available to others. If these programs have helped you, would you prayerfully consider a gift to support Foundations of Truth? Your financial support helps us continue sharing Biblical teaching with listeners around the world who need to hear it through our podcasts and radio programs. Thank you for standing with us. If you'd like to give a gift, you can do so now at foundationsoftruth.net. That's foundationsoftruth.net. Now, let's return to today's message from Romans chapter 7.

Dr. Timothy Mann: The idea though is is the law in declaring what is wrong, this is wrong, it actually arouses evil in an unregenerate person because that person who is not a Christian naturally has this rebellious nature that makes him or her to want to do the very things that you learn are forbidden. You want to do those things. That's what your life is characterized like when you're not a Christian. And then it says fourthly here this this believer's old life is characterized by the unceasing work. It never stops, this work of your sinful passions in the members of your body.

They bear fruit to death. They bear fruit to death. That's what happens. Look at verse 6. This is bringing it home. Verse 6. But now this introduces the real the heart really of this brief passage. All in this one verse, but now there's a radical contrast between verse 5. This is how you were when you were in the flesh. Sinful passions aroused by the law and they were at work in your members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

That is to say that we we that are believers in Jesus Christ, we have been released from our old bondage to the law, having died to that which formerly bound us in the flesh. We've been released just as the Apostle Paul has already pointed out. The law only has jurisdiction over a person only as long as they live. And therefore, when you die, when you die that death, you are discharged of all those legal liabilities and all those legal penalties. Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay that sin debt at Calvary. And what the Bible says is because we as believers, we died in Jesus Christ when he paid our sin debt on Calvary.

And we were thereby, because of Jesus's death on the cross, we were released from our moral and spiritual liabilities and penalties under God's law. We're released from that penalty, no longer under condemnation of the law when you've trusted in Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:13 says, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on the tree. You as a believer, you have been discharged from all legal penalties of the law. You're freed from it. Freed. Now, the Apostle Paul has already declared as forcefully and unambiguously as possible that freedom from the law's bondage does not mean freedom to do what the law forbids.

It doesn't mean that. Freedom from the law does not bring freedom to sin, but just the opposite. Actually, it gives a believer freedom for the first time to do what is righteous and a freedom that the unregenerate person does not and cannot have. And so the the point here that the spirit of God is making the point is not simply that the redeemed person is able to do what is right, but that he or she will do what is right. That's the point. We will. And in response to your faith in Jesus Jesus Christ, God releases you from your bondage to the law so that you will serve.

So that you will serve. Did you see that? That we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. That word serve sometimes is ambiguous and doesn't really carry the full force of the original language. I think many times, most many times, not all of us, but sometimes we have this experience in our lives where our Christian life, our Christian service is a lot like we view ourselves as the voluntary service of a hired worker, you know? And if for some reason we don't like something, we we kind of feel like we're able to refuse an order and go look for another employer if we so desire.

It's kind of how we live our Christian lives sometimes, I think. I don't like the requirements, I'll just quit, go do something else. That's not what this is talking about at all here. This term is referring exclusively to the service of a bond slave whose sole purpose for existence is to obey the will of his master. That's what this is. And so it's service to the Lord in the newness of the spirit rather than the oldness of the letter. I'm serving the Lord now not because I'm going to be condemned and I am trying to somehow work my way out of that condemnation, trying to do enough good to outbalance the bad, which by the way you can't do cuz that's not the issue.

I'm not there serving in the oldness of the letter now. I'm serving in the newness of the spirit because I'm married to the one I love. I'm in a relationship with the one I love, my savior, my Lord. And there is a newness there from the heart. I'm dead to the law. I'm not worried about its penalties any longer. I'm not worried about the liabilities of it anymore. I don't have to be in that legalistic mindset. I love the Lord Jesus. The only by the way, the only thing ultimately that will ever displace the your love for your sin is your love for your Lord.

That's the only thing that's ever going to do it. Until you love Jesus more than you love your sin, you will continue to sin more than you love Jesus. That's what'll happen. That's why I want you to know God's grace, so you will be amazed at God's grace and you'll love him more. And that'll displace your sin. Can I just be real honest with you? I think that that is so revolutionary. I think maybe I really got a hold of that for the first time in my life about a year and a half ago. I've been pastoring a church for 24 years.

I've been a Christian longer than that. Legalism is terrible. It'll make you a pretender cuz it's all about the image. It's all about appearances. It's all about what other people think. It's making sure you look good enough. Now, you will be fruitful. It's fruitful. It's fruit to God. There's genuine fruit coming forth. And by the way, you don't produce fruit. You just bear it. You just carry it. It's the spirit of God that produces the fruit. But you bear it. It's evident. Okay? There is no such thing as a fruitless Christian. A fruitless Christian is not a genuine Christian according to the Bible, and has no part in God's kingdom.

Jesus said that in John 15. So the person who is justified by faith through grace in Jesus Christ is secure, as we talked about in chapter 5, is holy, as we talked about in chapter 6, and now is fruitful and serving as we're saying in chapter 7. You're secure, you're holy, you're fruitful and serving. And they're not optional. They're not conditional. It's all divine marks of regeneration. And that's never perfect in human manifestation, by the way, but it's going to be present in your life. Now, the law is still important to the Christian. Still important because for the first time you are now actually able to meet the law's demands for righteousness.

You're able, which was God's desire when he gave it in the first place. Now, you're able because you have a new nature and you have the Holy Spirit of God living inside of you. And you're no longer under the law's bondage. You're no longer under the law's penalty. Let me tell you what happens though when there's a change in relationship. Here's what takes place. When there's really a change in relationship and you get engulfed in God's grace, you will be more genuinely eager to live by the standards of God's Word than the most zealous legalist.

That's what happens. And as believers, we are dead to the law as far as its demands and condemnation are concerned, but now we live in the newness of the spirit and we love and we serve God's law with a full and joyous heart. And we can truly say with the psalmist, oh, how I love thy law. Do you know why? Because it's a reflection of who God is. And we love him. And we know that to obey his law is to do his will. And that to do his will is to bring him glory. Would you bow your heads, please?

Just quiet yourself for a moment and bow your heads and give meditation to the truth of God's Word. Do you understand as a believer that you're dead to the law, its penalty, its condemnation? And are you living in newness of the spirit, bearing fruit to God, loving him? Are you a legalist? Let's just be honest. You can be honest with me. I'm a recovering legalist, so I know where you're coming from. Are you a legalist? Are you critical? Are you unloving? Are you unforgiving? Do you have high standards and you're the standard? And you always see everybody else falling short of the standard but you.

Nobody can ever reach the level of perfection that you're at. When yet deep in your heart, you know that's not true. You know it. It bothers you at night when you think about it. You feel shame and guilt, but you can't give up the image. You got to make sure you pretend and fake it so that everybody else will think that you're everything you're presenting yourself to be. Are you a legalist? I pray God will redeem you from that and deliver you from that. And you'll just love the Lord. You'll thank him for his grace.

You'll see what he's done in Christ. And you will love him. And your love for him will displace your desire for sin.

Guest (Male): Thanks for spending part of your day with us on Foundations of Truth, the Biblical Teaching Ministry of Dr. Timothy Man. If you'd like to hear this message again or give a financial gift or get more Biblical resources, you can do so online, foundationsoftruth.net. That's foundationsoftruth.net. And thank you so much. Join us again tomorrow for another opportunity to study the scriptures and discover the unchanging truth of God's Word. Foundations of Truth with Dr. Timothy Man is supported in part by Cat Care Clinic, located in Ormond Beach, and serving families with thoughtful and compassionate veterinary care for cats.

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If this Biblical teaching is helping you grow in your knowledge of Christ, your financial support helps us continue sharing these messages with others. If you'd like to give a gift today, you can do so online, foundationsoftruth.net. Here again is Dr. Timothy Man.

Dr. Timothy Mann: Before we close today, I want to tell you about a resource that I believe will be a genuine help to you. I've recently published my first book, Saved, Understanding God's Work in Us. In over 30 years of pastoral ministry, one of the questions I've encountered more than almost any other is this. How can I know that I am truly saved? Saved, Understanding God's Work in Us walks through what the scripture teaches about salvation, what God has done for us, what he is doing in us, and the assurance that every believer can have because of his work.

If you want to understand salvation more deeply, stand on firmer ground in your faith or be better equipped to share the gospel with someone you love, then this book was written for you. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million, and pretty much anywhere you buy books. Just search Saved, Understanding God's Work in Us by Dr. Timothy Man. I pray it strengthens your faith. Thanks for being with us today. God bless you.