Marriage with Christ (Romans 7:1-4)

Marriage with Christ

[Romans 7:1-4]

Until last week's Wednesday worship, we had been meditating on Romans chapter 6. We particularly meditated a lot on sin, and how we cannot continue in it, remembering again the words from Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death. However, through God's grace, we have been liberated from sin (v. 17). While we were once slaves to sin, God, in His grace, has made us slaves of righteousness.

Starting today, we intend to meditate on Romans chapter 7. In this chapter, the focus shifts from sin to the law. The word "law" appears 23 times in the original Greek [νόμος (nomos)]. Romans 7:4 states: "Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God." Here, "another" refers to Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead. When the Bible says "belong to," it essentially means entering into a "marriage" with Jesus Christ. Therefore, the King James Version translates Romans 7:4 as follows: "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. " Today, under the title "Marriage with Christ," we aim to meditate on Romans 7:1-4.

Romans 7:1 says: "Brothers and sisters, I am speaking to those who know the law. Don't you know that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives?" In other words, Apostle Paul addressed the believers in the Roman church who were acquainted with the law, specifically those who were Christians. The essence of his message is that the law governs a person only as long as they are alive.

Romans 7:2 states: "For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him." In essence, when a person dies, the law no longer has authority over them. Paul illustrated this with the example of a married couple. A married woman is legally bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if he dies, she is freed from the legal obligations, suggesting that she can live alone or remarry.

Romans 7:3 continues: "So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man." In this case, if a married woman engages in relations with another man while her husband is alive, it is considered adultery. However, if her husband dies, she is no longer bound by that law, and marrying another man does not constitute adultery.

Romans 7:4 says: "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" [(King James Version) "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"]. Here, the "body of Christ" refers to the body that died on the cross, shedding blood for us. Through the body of Christ, we have experienced a death to the law. Therefore, through the death to the law brought about by Christ's body, we have entered into a marriage with Jesus Christ, who has risen from the dead. As a result, we are not considered adulterers; we have not committed the sin of adultery. The question is that our death to the law through Christ, not the law itself dying. Referring back to Romans 7:2-3, just as the wife is freed from the law by the death of her husband, we are freed from the law through our death to it, allowing us to enter into a new relationship with Jesus Christ, analogous to marriage. The language used in the Bible indicates that we died to the law and not that the law died itself. How can we explain this? I would like to attempt an answer to this question based on the teachings in the book of Romans:

Looking at Romans chapter 6, the Bible states that we, who have been baptized together with Jesus Christ (v. 4) – in other words, we who are united with Christ in death (v. 8) – have died to sin (v. 2, 11). It mentions that the body of sin has died (v. 6) or, in Modern Korean Bible terms, the flesh enslaved to sin has died. It further emphasizes that the one who has died is freed from sin, described as someone who has already died to sin (v. 7). In these expressions, the Bible doesn't explicitly say that "sin" has died, but rather that we have died to sin.

In Romans chapter 6, the Bible portrays us who have died to sin as being freed from sin (vv. 7, 17) and no longer being under the law but under grace (v. 14). Previously, when we were under the law, we offered our bodies as slaves to sin, leading to death (vv. 16, 23) or eternal death (v. 21, Modern Korean Bible). However, now that we are under grace, sin no longer has dominion over us (v. 14), and we become slaves of obedience (v. 16), slaves to righteousness (v. 18), and slaves to God (v. 22). We present our bodies as instruments of righteousness to God (v. 13), resulting in a holy life and the outcome of eternal life (v. 22). Therefore, when Romans 7:4 says we have died to the law because we are no longer under the law, and it does not imply that the "law" itself has died.

In Romans 7:7, according to the Modern Korean Bible, it says, "What shall we say then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.'" If Romans 7:4 had stated that the law itself died, instead of us dying to the law, then Romans 7:7 would indeed be explicitly saying, ‘The law is never sin.’ In that case, a question might arise: "If the law is not sin, why did Jesus Christ have to die on the cross with it? However, Romans 7:4 does not state that the law itself died; rather, it emphasizes that we died to the law. Moreover, the Bible recognizes the holiness of the law, as mentioned in verse 12. In Modern Korean Bible terms, the law is considered holy, righteous, and good. So, the question arises, why does the law need to die? Galatians 3:24 provides an explanation: "So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith." The law served as a tutor guiding us to Christ, helping us recognize righteousness through faith. The idea is not that the law is sinful, but rather it plays a role in leading us to Christ for justification by faith. Therefore, the notion is not that the law itself dies, but that we die to the law in the sense of being no longer under its dominion for justification.

The Bible speaks of Jesus Christ as our bridegroom, and the church, representing us, as the bride of Jesus Christ (Ref.: Mt. 9:15; Mr. 2:19; Lk. 5:34; Eph. 5:21-33). Believing and trusting in this biblical message, we are to live each day. Our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, has prepared a place for us in God the Father's house (Jn. 14:2), and He will come again to take us Home. When our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, returns, we, the glorious church without spot, wrinkle, or any blemish (Eph. 5:27), will participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb of Jesus Christ (Rev. 19:9). The lyrics of the hymn “Will Our Lamps be Filled and Ready” express this sentiment:

(v. 1) Will our lamps be filled and ready When the Bridegroom comes?

And our Lights be clear and ready When the Bridegroom comes?

In the night, that solemn night, Will our lamps be burning bright,

When the Bridegroom comes?

(v. 2) Shall we hear a welcome sounding When the Bridegroom comes?

And a shout of joy resounding When the Bridegroom comes?

In the night, that solemn night, Will our lamps be burning bright,

When the Bridegroom comes?

(v. 3) Don't delay our preparation Till the Bridegroom comes?

Lest there be a separation When the Bridegroom comes:

In the night, that solemn night, Will our lamps be burning bright,

When the Bridegroom comes?

(v. 4) Oh, there'll be a glorious meeting When the Bridegroom comes!

And a hallelujah greeting When the Bridegroom comes!

In the night, that solemn night, Will our lamps be burning bright,

When the Bridegroom comes?

(Chorus)

Oh, be ready! Oh, be ready! Oh, be ready When the Bridegroom comes!