In Romans Chapter 7, Paul uses the analogy of marriage to shed light on our relationship with the Law.
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 (NASB)
Before the new birth, we were “married” to the Law. The Law is a demanding husband, who is always right in his criticisms, but who never lifts a finger to help us.
When it comes to being fruitful toward God, the Law is absolutely impotent.
Because of our inherited sin nature, the Law can never produce anything good in us. It only highlights our sinfulness and actually goads us to become more sinful because the more we try to be “perfect” by using our own resources, the more hopelessly we fail.
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Romans 7:5 (NASB)
Our relationship with the husband called the Law can only produce death; yet, the Law continually condemns our fruitlessness toward God. It is like an impotent husband criticizing his wife for not bearing children to him. It simply cannot happen. That is why our heavenly Father united us with his Son in his death.
When Christ died, so did we, which liberated us from our marriage to the Law.
Before his death, our Lord perfectly satisfied the requirements of the Law. His death satisfied God’s righteous judgment against us for breaking the Law. Since we were included in his death and resurrection, we benefit from his perfect righteousness and his perfect sacrifice.
Now that we have died with Christ, we can be married to Christ without violating God’s righteousness.
Jesus is the perfect husband through whom we can now bear fruit to God. This is because his Spirit lives in and through us, causing us both to will and to do God’s will.
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)
If we in frustration for our apparent lack of fruit toward God turn back to our own efforts to try to make it happen, we have fallen from grace and returned to an impotent husband. How foolish!
For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 (NLT)
Our love relationship with our Lord Jesus is the only way we will ever bear fruit to God. Never abandon him in a foolish quest to find another lover (the Law) who will never be able to satisfy our deep longings to be fruitful.
