ROMANS 15
We will begin this lesson in Romans 7:1 "Know ye not, brethren,
(for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath
dominion over a man as long as he liveth?"
We see here, that Paul is speaking to his Hebrew brethren who
knew the law of Moses. A man was required to keep the law all the days
of his life. Death cancels out all obligations of the dead person.
Until death (by the mosaic law) a man is obligated to keep the law.
Romans 7:2 "For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the
law to [her] husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead,
she is loosed from the law of [her] husband."
In Matthew 19:4 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not
read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and
female," Matthew 19:5 "And said, For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall
be one flesh?" Matthew 19:6 "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one
flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder". Please take note that this is one flesh, not spirit . We
must be careful to see that we are not one in the spirit with our
husband or wife. This oneness is in the flesh. All who are Christians
become the bride of Christ and are one in the spirit with Christ. That
which is flesh is earthly (husbands and wives on the earth are one in
the flesh.) The groom (Jesus Christ) and His bride (all Christains)
are one in the Spirit of God.
When we die with Christ (in the flesh) we will live with Him in
the spirit. When we become a Christian, we are buried with Jesus
Christ in baptism, and we rise to our own new spirit life in Him. In
Ephesains chapter 5 beginning with 21 and going thru v-33, we find the
reverence of the wife to the husband and the love of the husband for
the wife to do with flesh. Verse 23 the husband is the saviour of her
body. In verse 28 notice the husband loves the wife, because she is
part of his body. All through this chapter, Christ is head of the
church (male and female). The church is not made up of just men, but
women, as well. I say notice (no where does this indicate that the
earthly husband is over the woman's Spirit). He, the earthly husband
should be reverenced in the flesh as head of the family. He rules over
the flesh of not only his wife, but the children, as well. Jesus
Chirst is head of all in the Spirit. With God there is no male or
female. Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are
all one in Christ Jesus." Women, if you are expecting your husbands
Christianity to save you, take another look at Ananias and Saphirra.
She was judged separate from her husband. Read Acts chapter 5. Women
are not excused from their obligation to God, because their husband
does not believe. Husbands and wives have an obligation to each other
on the earth. At death of the flesh that obligation ends.
Romans 7:3 "So then if, while [her] husband liveth, she be
married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her
husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no
adulteress, though she be married to another man."
Here, again, we see that husbands and wives are one flesh until
one is taken in death. The obligation is to the flesh (not the
spirit). There are two things in the Bible that are grounds for
divorce; physical and spiritual adultery. Matthew 5:31 "It hath been
said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of
divorcement:" Matthew 5:32 "But I say unto you, That whosoever shall
put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to
commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery." The key word in this is fornication.
Fornication means harlotry [includes incest and idolatry]. Chapter 7
of 1 Cointhians is good to read. I Corinthians 7:15 "But if the
unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under
bondage in such [cases]: but God hath called us to peace."
Romans 7:4 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.
We Christians are no longer under the law of the flesh, because
we have buried that flesh in water baptism. We are no longer flesh,
but spirit. The lust of the flesh and sin associated with it were
crucified on the cross of Jesus. Colossians 2:12 "Buried with him in
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Colossians
2:13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses;" Colossians 2:14 "Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it
out of the way, nailing it to his cross;" We are dead to the flesh
and alive with his spirit, if we are Christians.
Romans 7:5 "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins,
which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit
unto death." I Corinthians 15:47 "The first man [is] of the earth,
earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven." I Corinthians
15:50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God; neither doeth corruption inherit incorruption."
Flesh and blood have to do with what all of us are until Jesus comes
into our life and makes us a spirit being. Sin brings death. Jesus
brings life.
Romans 7:6 "But now we are delivered from the law, that being
dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit,
and not [in] the oldness of the letter."
In Galatians 5:16 "[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh
lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and
these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the
things that ye would."
Galatians 5:18 "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the
law." Those whom Jesus made free are free indeed.
Notes
Questions 15
1. Who was Paul speaking to in verse 1?
2. How long did the law have dominion over man?
3. What cancelled out the Jews' obligation to keep the law?
4. How long is the woman bound by the law to her husband?
5. In Matthew ch. 19 vs. 5, husband and wife are one in what?
6. All Christians are one in what with Christ?
7. In Ephesians 5 vs 32, it says this is a great mystery concerning
whom?
8. The reverence of the wife to her husband in Ephesians ch. 5 is in
what area?
9. The husband is the saviour of her ___________.
10. In Ephesians ch. 5 vrs. 28, Why does the husband love the wife?
11. Who is head of the church?
12. Who makes up the church?
13. What does the husband rule over on the earth?
14. Where in Galations do we read that with God there is no male or
female?
15. Who do we read about in Acts chapter 5 that lets us know that
women are responsible for their own sins?
16. If a woman marries some one else while her first husband is alive,
what is she called?
17. What are the only two things a husband or wife can get a divorce
for?
18. What does fornication mean?
19. What does 1 Corinthians ch. 7 vrs. 15 tell us about marriage to an
unbeliever?
20. Why are we Christians no longer under the law of the flesh?
21. How are Christians buried with Christ?
22. Which trespasses did Jesus buy our forgiveness for?
23. Sin brings fruit unto what?
24. 1 Corinthians ch. 15 vrs. 5 tells us what about flesh and blood?
25. In vrs 6, we see that after we are delivered from the law we are
to serve what?
26. Walk in the _______ and ye shall not fulfil the ______
of the __________.
27. If ye be led of the __________,ye are not under the law.
Notes
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