Sermons on Romans 7:4-6
The various sermons below converge on the interpretation that Romans 7:4-6 marks a decisive shift in the believer’s relationship to the Mosaic law, emphasizing that Christians have “died to the law” through union with Christ’s death and are no longer bound by law-keeping as the basis for their standing before God. They consistently highlight the transition from external adherence to the “written code” toward a life “in the new way of the Spirit,” characterized by bearing fruit for God and a faith-driven existence. A common metaphor used is that of a change in allegiance or relational identity—believers are no longer bound to the law as a “master” but belong to Christ, who animates their new life. The sermons also underscore that the law’s function post-Christ is primarily to expose sin and convict those outside of faith, rather than govern the righteous. Nuances emerge in how this new “footing” is described: some emphasize a purified heart and good conscience as marks of this freedom, while others focus on the participatory nature of union with Christ’s death as both a punishment for sin and a vindication from guilt. The relational and love-based character of the Spirit-empowered life is a recurring theme, contrasting with the old way of rule-following.
In contrast, some sermons frame the passage more explicitly in terms of communal and ecclesial implications, highlighting the abolition of the law as a means of justification that breaks down ethnic and ceremonial barriers, thus fostering unity between Jew and Gentile. This approach stresses reconciliation as both vertical and horizontal, making the new way of the Spirit foundational for peace within the body of Christ. Others focus more on the individual’s sanctification journey, distinguishing the liberation from law-keeping in Romans from endurance through suffering in Hebrews, and portraying the Spirit-empowered life as marked by hope and joy rather than mere rule compliance. There is also variation in how the “new way of the Spirit” is understood theologically: some sermons caution against antinomianism by affirming a Spirit-empowered obedience rooted in love and sound doctrine, while others highlight the existential transformation that redefines the believer’s identity and motivation. The linguistic insight regarding the Greek term for “justified” adds a layer of depth to the understanding of dying with Christ as both a legal and relational transaction.
Romans 7:4-6 Interpretation:
Understanding the Law: Purpose, Misuse, and Christian Freedom (Desiring God) interprets Romans 7:4-6 as a radical redefinition of the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic law, emphasizing that Christians have “died to the law” through union with Christ’s death, and thus law-keeping is no longer the basis for their relationship with God. The sermon uniquely highlights that “bearing fruit for God” (v.4) replaces law-keeping as the Christian’s way of life, and that serving “in the new way of the Spirit” (v.6) is contrasted with the “old way of the written code.” The preacher draws a metaphorical distinction between the law as a former “master or husband” and Christ as the new one to whom believers now belong, and stresses that the law’s function is now to confront and convict those outside of Christ, not to govern the righteous. The analogy of “new footing” is used to describe the Christian’s standing—no longer under the law but under the law of love and the Spirit.
Understanding Sanctification: A Journey of Faith and Transformation (Desiring God) interprets Romans 7:4-6 as introducing a new reality for the Christian life, specifically that believers have died to the law through Christ’s body, which liberates them from law-keeping as the means of relating to God. The sermon uniquely frames Romans 7 as addressing a different problem than Hebrews 12—whereas Hebrews focuses on endurance through suffering, Romans 7 focuses on liberation from the law as a basis for sanctification. The preacher highlights the “new way of the Spirit” as a distinct Pauline concept, contrasting it with the “old way of law keeping,” and connects this to a life of faith in God’s promises, suggesting that the Spirit-empowered life is characterized by hope and joy rather than mere rule-following. The analogy of “bearing fruit for God” is emphasized as the natural outworking of this new relationship, and the preacher draws a careful distinction between the “written code” and the “new way of the Spirit,” suggesting that the latter is a dynamic, relational, and transformative way of living.
Unity in Christ: Breaking Down Barriers Through Peace (Desiring God) offers a detailed interpretation of Romans 7:4-6 by connecting it to the abolition of the law through Christ’s death, arguing that dying to the law means both the punishment for sin is paid and the law is no longer the means of relating to God. The sermon uses the metaphor of “standing on the same footing” to describe how both Jews and Gentiles are reconciled to God in the same way, through the cross, and not through law-keeping. The preacher insists that the “abolishing of the law” is not just about ceremonial or ethnic distinctions but about the entire law as a means of justification, and that the new way of the Spirit is a new kind of obedience—fruit-bearing rather than law-keeping. The analogy of “dead people” not relating to the law is used to underscore the finality of the believer’s release from the law’s claims.
Jesus and the Transformation of Old Testament Laws (Desiring God) interprets Romans 7:4-6 as a key passage demonstrating that, through Christ’s death, believers have died to the law and now belong to Christ, which results in a new way of serving God—“in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written code.” The sermon frames this as a “new footing” for the believer’s relationship with God, emphasizing that righteousness and fruitfulness now come from union with Christ rather than adherence to the Mosaic law. The preacher uses the language of “list keeping or law keeping” versus “bearing fruit” to highlight the qualitative difference in the Christian’s relationship to God post-Christ.
Romans 7:4-6 Theological Themes:
Understanding the Law: Purpose, Misuse, and Christian Freedom (Desiring God) introduces the theme that the law’s primary function post-Christ is to expose sin and point unbelievers to their need for Christ, rather than to serve as a rulebook for those already justified. The sermon adds the fresh angle that the Christian’s “new footing” is characterized by a “purified heart” and “good conscience,” and that attempts to reintroduce law-keeping as a means of sanctification “ruin everything,” undermining the gospel’s transformative power.
United with Christ: Freedom Through Faith and Love (Desiring God) presents the unique theological theme that union with Christ’s death is not only substitutionary but also participatory, meaning the believer’s old self is executed with Christ, resulting in both justification and a new existential reality. The sermon further develops the idea that the Christian’s life is now “faith-driven,” with Christ as the “embodiment” of the believer’s new existence, and that the “new way of the Spirit” is fundamentally relational and love-based, not code-based.
Unity in Christ: Breaking Down Barriers Through Peace (Desiring God) introduces the distinct theological theme that the abolition of the law through Christ’s death not only removes ceremonial or ethnic distinctions but abolishes the law as a means of justification for all, thereby creating a radical equality between Jew and Gentile. The preacher adds the nuanced facet that this shared footing before God is the basis for true unity and the removal of hostility within the body of Christ, making reconciliation both vertical (with God) and horizontal (with others) inseparable and mutually reinforcing.
Jesus and the Transformation of Old Testament Laws (Desiring God) presents the unique theological theme that the believer’s relationship to God is now defined by “belonging to another”—to Christ—rather than to the law, and that this belonging is the source of fruitfulness. The sermon further develops the idea that the “new way of the Spirit” is not antinomian but is characterized by a Spirit-empowered obedience rooted in love, sound doctrine, and what is rooted in creation, rather than in the Mosaic code.
Romans 7:4-6 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Understanding the Law: Purpose, Misuse, and Christian Freedom (Desiring God) provides historical context by explaining that Paul’s audience would have understood the law as the Mosaic code, and that justification by faith was already present in the Old Testament (citing Abraham in Genesis 15:6, “430 years before the law was given”). The sermon also notes that Paul’s list of sins in 1 Timothy 1:9-10 is a contextualized expansion of the Ten Commandments, illustrating how the law functioned as a moral boundary for those outside the covenant, rather than as a guide for the justified.
Jesus and the Transformation of Old Testament Laws (Desiring God) provides historical context by explaining that the Mosaic law, with its ritual and ethnic distinctions (such as dietary laws, circumcision, and fabric regulations), was designed to set Israel apart from the nations. The sermon notes that with the coming of Christ and the formation of a new, multi-ethnic people of God, these laws have been fulfilled and set aside, as their purpose—to distinguish Israel—has been superseded by the inclusion of all nations in the people of God. The preacher references Jesus’ explicit statements (e.g., Mark 7:19) and the early church’s shift away from these practices as evidence of this historical transition.
Romans 7:4-6 Cross-References in the Bible:
Understanding the Law: Purpose, Misuse, and Christian Freedom (Desiring God) cross-references Titus (specifically Titus 3:5-7) to reinforce the doctrine of justification by faith and the role of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, connecting this to the “new way of the Spirit” in Romans 7:6. The sermon also references Genesis 15:6 to show that justification by faith predates the Mosaic law, and draws parallels between the list of sins in 1 Timothy 1:9-10 and the Ten Commandments, arguing that Paul uses the Decalogue as a summary of law-breaking behaviors for which the law is still relevant.
United with Christ: Freedom Through Faith and Love (Desiring God) cross-references Romans 6 (especially verses 5-7) to explain the believer’s union with Christ in death and resurrection, and Galatians 2:19 to show the parallel idea of “dying to the law” in order to “live to God.” The sermon also anticipates Galatians 3:1-5 as a further development of serving “in the new way of the Spirit,” and ties these passages together to build a cohesive Pauline theology of justification, union with Christ, and Spirit-empowered living.
Understanding Sanctification: A Journey of Faith and Transformation (Desiring God) cross-references Hebrews 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and 2 Thessalonians 1:11 to show how different New Testament passages describe sanctification using different language but unified realities. Hebrews 12:1-2 is used to illustrate “looking to Jesus” as the means of endurance and sanctification; 2 Corinthians 3:18 is cited to show that beholding Christ’s glory by the Spirit transforms believers; and 2 Thessalonians 1:11 is referenced to highlight that sanctification involves “works of faith by God’s power.” The preacher weaves these together with Romans 7:4-6 to show that the “new way of the Spirit” is consistent with the life of faith, hope, and joy described elsewhere in the New Testament.
Unity in Christ: Breaking Down Barriers Through Peace (Desiring God) cross-references Galatians 2:19-20 (“through the law I died to the law”), Romans 10:4 (“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness”), and Ephesians 2:14-18 to reinforce the argument that the law’s claims are satisfied in Christ’s death and that righteousness is now through faith, not law-keeping. The preacher uses these passages to support the idea that the abolition of the law creates unity and equality among believers.
Jesus and the Transformation of Old Testament Laws (Desiring God) references Matthew 5:17 (Jesus fulfilling the law), Hebrews 7:27 (Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice), Luke 22:20 (the inauguration of the new covenant), Matthew 21:43 (the kingdom given to a new people), Mark 7:19 (all foods clean), Genesis 2:24 (creational design), Mark 10:4-6 (divorce and hardness of heart), 1 Corinthians 7:19 (keeping God’s commandments), 1 John 5:3 (commandments not burdensome), Matthew 22:40 (love as the summary of the law), Matthew 12:7 (mercy over sacrifice), 1 Timothy 1:8 (law used lawfully), and Romans 1 (nature and morality). Each reference is used to illustrate how the law is fulfilled, transformed, or reinterpreted in light of Christ’s coming and the new covenant, and to provide criteria for discerning which Old Testament commandments remain relevant for Christians.