“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 . . . 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.” (Romans 7:4, 6, KJV 1900)
In Chapter 7 verses 1-3, Paul uses some illustrations to demonstrate how believers have been released from the Law and joined to Christ. He states that a person is bound by the law and released from obedience to it upon death. He further goes on to explained this in the context of marriage, that the law of marriage that binds a woman to her husband is in affect as long as the husband is alive. Moreover, if she would unite with another man while the husband is alive, she would be violating the law of marriage as an adulteress. Yet, if the husband would die, the woman then would be free to marry another and would not be breaking the law of marriage. The point is that, in the same way, believers have died to the law through the body of Christ so that we might be bound to Him.
This death to the law came to we who believe when we trusted in Christ alone for our salvation. Prior to faith, the law could only point out to us the futility of our efforts to justify ourselves. We could attempt to obey it, but would always fall short. You see, the law had no power to transform our lives. It did not have the power to bear fruit. Paul states that we, being released from the law, were now bound (married) to Christ for the purpose of bearing fruit for God.
Now we serve in a new and powerful way, the way of the Spirit, rather than the old way of legalistic obedience to the written code. Remember Paul’s words to the Galatians when he stated, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, KJV 1900) Paul died to the law but then lived by the power of Christ in him.
Jesus, stated to the disciples “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5, KJV 1900) We who believe are truly blessed, since we are united with Christ. It is in Him and with His spirit in us that we have the power to bear much fruit.
Renewing the Heart 