Romans Chapter 7

Hi Jennie!

Chapter 7 has a lot of "huh"?s for me. But I'll work through it anyway:

- vs. 1-3: I think Paul is using the law of marriage to describe how once we have passed away we are no longer under the law (and thus physically removed from the presence of sin). Is this your understanding? While it appears this commentary is strictly for a parallel between the law of marriage and the law which makes us aware of our sin, it's still interesting to me that Paul says "if while her husband is still living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress".  There's no exception here that says "unless she divorces for unfaithfulness". This sticks out to me because adulteress is among those mentioned in the gospels who will not inherit the kingdom of God, along with homosexuals. But the church isn't protesting second marriages is it?
- vs. 4: Thank you Lord that through Jesus we can bear fruit for you and not bear fruit for death
- vs. 7-14: I get that the law itself isn't sin. It makes us aware of our sin. However, I think Paul is "wrong" when he says (vs.9) "I was once alive apart from the Law but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died". Is that allowed? To think Paul is wrong? Haha... Paul just told us in chapter 2 that the law is written on our hearts. So it doesn't make sense that only once the commandments came that we (as a human race) became aware of our sin. That happened way back in the garden.
- vs. 18-19: Here we get our popular saying the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Though I want to do good, there is evil present in me "waging war" (vs. 23) Thank you Lord that Jesus will save us from this body of death! (vs. 24, 25)