Romans 7:1-25
Now, how many of you remember the study we did in Galatians? Do any
of you remember how in chapter 2 of Galatians John gave Paul the right
foot of fellowship and told Paul: "You go to the gentiles and we
will deal with the Jews, just remember the poor." In other words:
"Hey Paul, we got a good thing going here. Why would you want to
mess it up? Can't you see how good of a relationship we got going with
the Jews? Man, take a hike. You've caused enough trouble already for
me, Peter and James."
Now, in Romans chapter 7 and verse 1 we find Paul doing the very opposite
of what John had told him to do. We just read 6 chapters of Romans,
and there's no doubt nor question as to who it was that Paul was talking
to in all of these first 6 chapters. Now, chapter 7 doesn't move on
to a new topic or subject. Immediately after chapter 6 and verse 23,
Paul makes it clear as to who it is that he is addressing the issue
of "This is your life under the law" and "This is your
life under God's grace." Under the law you will get nothing but
wrath and death. But under grace you will experience the life and peace
of God."
Any questions? Friends, read what chapter 7 and verse 1 says: "Know
you not (don't you know) brethren, for I speak to them that know the
law, how that the law has dominion over a man as long as he liveth?"
In other words: "Don't you Christians know that this letter of
Paul to the Jews is not being written to you? Don't you Christians know
that the law was given to the Jews? Why do you Christians think that
you can keep the law when the law was not written to you nor for you,
and you don't know squat about the law? Why is it that you preachers
continue to preach and apply the first 6 chapters of the book of Romans
to people that don't know the law, nor have never been under the law?
When are you legalist's going to learn the difference between law and
grace, and stop pulling verses out of context, and preaching the dead
works of the law to a human race that God has saved by grace? Can't
you see that Christ has redeemed the entire world from the curse of
the law, having become a curse for us all Himself? Galatians 3:13.
This letter that I am writing, is being written to them that know the
law, not to any of you confused legalist's that have never been under
the law, and yet you are still trying to keep to something that only
brings wrath and death? What's the matter with you?"
"How long are you going to remain stuck on 'stupid'? Friends, now
that we know who it is that Paul had been talking too all along to those
in Rome, how is that we continue to pull verses out of context and apply
them to ourselves and to others not realizing that when we do such a
thing our minds and the mind of others, to include ours and their children
are affected with fear, guilt and condemnation? Please do yourselves
a favor and before you use any verse, chapter, letter or book to make
a point, make sure you know who it is that the writer is talking to.
You may be doing more harm than good.
You will save yourself and others from total foolishness and embarrassment.
I don't know if any of you ever saw the movie "Taxi" with
Robert DiNero and Jodi Foster. It was a very tough movie to watch for
some of us, and it was filmed in the drug, gang and prostitution neighborhoods
of New York City. In my younger days I walked around those neighborhoods
with my friends looking for trouble. Anyway, in the movie the actor
DiNero uses a phrase that has stuck with me whenever someone tries to
use a passage out of context to apply it to me or to others.
I still use it today and it ruffles the feathers of the religious legalist's
and gets under the skin of those who believe they are preaching the
Gospel. I say to them, as DiNero said in the movie: "Are you talking
to me? I know you're not talking to me? You couldn't possibly be thinking
that what you are saying is talking to me? Are you sure that applies
to me? No, I don't think that is talking to me, and I know you aren't
talking to me? You better read it again, because I know that what you
are quoting me, is not talking to me nor about me"
"I am not under the law of Moses, so what you are quoting couldn't
possibly be talking to me? I know that what you are quoting to me is
not talking to me nor about me, because I am not a Jew, and I am not
under the curse of the law. Therefore, what you are quoting is out of
context, and it is not even talking to you nor to me, even though you
don't know it. For if you really knew who that is being said to, you
too would be saying, is not talking to me. Are you with me?"
I have a lot of fun with this one, and those who still think that they
are Jews, when they are not, don't find it too funny. Friends, look
at what last part of verse 1 of chapter 7 says: "how the law has
dominion over a man as long as he liveth". Friends, do you know
what Paul is trying to say here? Paul is saying that the law has dominion
over those who don't believe that Christ has put the law to death. In
other words, if you've been declared to be dead to the law, then how
can the law have dominion over anyone if Jesus put it to death in His
own body?
The only time the law had power, control, and dominion over a man, was
when that man kept himself alive to the things of the law, not realizing
that the end results would be wrath and death because he nor she could
keep to the entire law. Friends, read chapters 1 through 6 again and
tell me where you will find that this letter is being addressed to those
who are now dead to the law? The only way any of us will regain our
sanity, and experience total freedom and peace in our hearts, is when
we stop applying something that is not talking to us and we aren't able
to keep.
To be continued...
Grace N Peace
Eddie Narvaez