Once there was a very handsome and well-respected man who married a lovely woman with great hopes of having a family. After a few years, the woman was not able to conceive, which made the husband frustrated and angry. He began to accuse his wife of being barren and a great disappointment to him, which hurt her deeply. After several years of childlessness, his frustration turned to bitterness and rage. He began to beat his wife in addition to the verbal abuse and condemnation. She became extremely discouraged and was ready to give up when Jesus paid her a visit. She poured out her heart to him as he patiently listened. When she had finished, he explained that it was not really her fault that she was not able to conceive. Her husband was to blame because he was impotent and had no ability to father a child.

Now the woman was even more distraught. What was she to do? She truly wanted children, but now it seemed that she could never have any. Jesus explained to her that the only way out was through death, since marriage is for life. But her husband was in very good health; so, now she wondered if Jesus wanted her to kill her husband! Then he explained that she was the one who had to die! Well, now she was alarmed and confused. She would rather be alive and childless than dead and childless!

In Romans Chapter 7, Paul used 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 our new birth, we were “married” to the Law. The Law is a demanding  and cruel husband, who is always right in pointing out our fruitlessness, but who has absolutely no ability to help us do better. His continual criticisms make life frustrating and painful.

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 we fail. In addition, the more the law condemns us and goads us to try harder, the more discouraged and resentful we become, which propels us in a negative direction.

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 frustration, discouragement, and 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 also satisfied God’s righteous judgment against us for breaking the Law. Since we were included in Christ’s death and resurrection, we benefit from his perfect righteousness and his perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Now that we have died with Christ, we can be spiritually “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 desire 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 faith-love relationship with our Lord Jesus via the indwelling Holy Spirit is the only way we will ever bear fruit to God. As we learn to fully trust and obey him, we will see what God can do in and through us.