The Reaction of the Sin Nature to Law - part 3

What did the sin nature separate Paul from? Back in chapter 5 of Romans, Paul wrote about the change in position for those who are in Christ. In chapter 6, Paul discusses how to handle our old nature, which is a result of being in Adam. Now that we are in Christ, we are no longer slaves to the sin nature. The sin nature has been rendered ineffective in our position in Christ, but has not been annihilated, Roman 6:6. Now, in chapter 7, Paul writes about the reaction of the sin nature to law. When law is put on the sin nature, it revives. The sin nature puts you back under slavery. Romans 6:16 " Don't you know that to whom you present yourself servants unto obedience, servants you are whom you obey. Whether the sin nature unto death, or obedience unto righteousness."

Therefore, the death Paul experienced was a separation from his resurrection life. He was no longer living from his position in Christ and yielding his member to righteousness; rather, he was acting as through he was dead to his position in Christ and alive to the sin nature.

Remember, we do not battle the sin nature. Romans 6:11 "Likewise you also count yourself to be dead to the sin nature, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." When we take God at His word, and count ourselves to be dead to the sin nature, but alive unto God, how we govern our lives is guided by the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is guiding us, we will in no way fulfill the desires of the sin nature, Galatians 5:16. However, when we put a law on the sin nature, we are no longer being guided by the Holy Spirit, Who will battle the sin nature for us; rather, we are relying on that law to control the sin nature.

In Romans chapter 7 Paul is explaining what happened when he put a law on the sin nature. Rather than controlling the sin nature, the law energized the sin nature, and through the law, the sin nature deceived Paul and brought him back under its control. This is the death Paul is referring to in verses 9-11. In this frame of mind, using law to control the sin nature and not counting yourself to be death to the sin nature but alive unto God, Paul was in a sense, acting as though he was dead to his position in Christ.

"Wherefore, the law is holy and the commandment is holy and right and good. Therefore, did that which is good become death to me? May it never come to be! But the sin nature, in order that sin should be manifested through the good to me, working out death, in order that, the sin nature should become exceedingly sinful through the commandment. For we intuitively know that he law pertains to the spirit, but I pertaining to the flesh; sold under the sin nature. " Romans 7:12-14.

Next we will discuss what happens when we put ourselves back under the sin nature by trying to control it through law.