Meaning of Romans 7:6

This verse marks a pivotal shift in the Apostle Paul's argument regarding the believer's relationship with the Mosaic Law. Having previously described the struggle of living under the Law in Romans 7:1-5, Paul now introduces a radical new reality for those in Christ. The "death" to which Paul refers is not a literal physical death, but a spiritual death to the power and dominion of sin, which was amplified by the Law. This death, accomplished through union with Christ's atoning sacrifice, liberates believers from the Law's condemnation and its ability to compel sin. Consequently, believers are no longer bound to the outward, letter-of-the-law observance, but are enabled to live a life of active, Spirit-led obedience, characterized by internal transformation and the fruit of the Spirit, rather than external legalistic adherence.

Context and Background

Romans 7:1-5 establishes the premise that while a person is alive, they are bound by the Law. However, through union with Christ's death, believers have become "dead to the Law." This means the Law, which previously held them in bondage through its commandments and the resulting guilt and condemnation, no longer has authority over them. This is not an abolition of the Law's moral standard, but a release from its penal and accusatory function for those who are in Christ. The preceding verses illustrate this with the analogy of a married woman being freed from her husband by his death, allowing her to remarry without being considered an adulteress. Similarly, believers, through their spiritual death with Christ, are freed from their former "husband," the Law, to be united with Christ.

Key Themes and Messages

• Liberation from the Law: The central theme is freedom from the Old Covenant Law as a means of righteousness or salvation. This freedom is a direct result of Christ's atoning work.
• New Life in the Spirit: The release from the Law ushers in a new way of living, characterized by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. This is a life of active, willing obedience.
• Serving in the Spirit vs. the Letter: Paul starkly contrasts two modes of service: "in the new way of the Spirit" and "in the old way of the written code." The former is internal, dynamic, and empowered by God's Spirit; the latter is external, static, and based on human effort to keep a set of rules.
• The Efficacy of Christ's Death: The "dying" mentioned is fundamentally linked to the believer's identification with Christ's death on the cross, which effectively nullifies the Law's power over them.

Spiritual Significance and Application

For believers today, Romans 7:6 underscores that their obedience is not a legalistic attempt to earn favor with God, but a Spirit-empowered response to the grace they have received. It calls for a conscious reliance on the Holy Spirit to guide thoughts, actions, and desires, moving beyond a mere checklist of religious duties. This verse encourages a focus on the internal transformation of the heart, which naturally leads to outward expressions of godliness, rather than striving to conform to external regulations without a changed inner disposition. It liberates believers from the anxiety of trying to perfectly keep the Law, directing them instead to trust in Christ's finished work and the ongoing work of the Spirit in their lives.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This verse is a crucial link in Paul's theology of salvation by grace through faith, a concept that unfolds throughout Romans and Galatians. It bridges the Old Covenant, characterized by the Mosaic Law, and the New Covenant, established through Christ's sacrifice and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament prophets foretold a new covenant where God's law would be written on the hearts of His people (Jeremiah 31:31-34), a promise fulfilled in the New Covenant described here. This verse highlights the inadequacy of the Law to provide righteousness or life, a theme also found in passages like Galatians 3:10-14, which states that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us."

Analogies

• A Contract Expired: Imagine a contract that has been fulfilled or superseded by a new agreement. The old contract, while once binding, is no longer in force. Believers are no longer under the terms of the old covenant Law.
• A Prisoner Released: A prisoner who has served their sentence or been pardoned is no longer bound by the rules and restrictions of their confinement. Similarly, believers are released from the bondage and condemnation of the Law.
• A New Operating System: The "old way of the written code" is like an outdated operating system that is inefficient and prone to errors. The "new way of the Spirit" is like a modern, robust operating system that enables the device (the believer) to function optimally and with greater capacity.

Relation to Other Verses

• Galatians 3:23-25: "Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the coming of faith that was to be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian." This passage reinforces the idea of the Law's temporary role as a custodian.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6: "...for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." This verse directly echoes the contrast Paul makes between the "written code" and the "Spirit."
• John 14:16-17: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." This highlights the indwelling presence of the Spirit as the enabling power for the new life.
• Romans 8:1-4: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sin for sin, and so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live by flesh but by the Spirit." This passage further elaborates on the freedom from condemnation and the Spirit's role in fulfilling the Law's righteous requirements.