Romans – The Play Part 3 – Free From the Law: Romans 7, Grace, and the End of Christian Legalism

Now, this is the message to the Jews. And Paul is speaking in the anti-room, and he’s telling the Jews: You are now free from the law by death. Isn’t that wonderful? You’re free from the law through death. Through death, you’re free from the law and no longer have to go through this woe-begotten chapter that says:

“The law is spiritual, I’m not spiritual. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not. But what I hate, I do.” And he says to them:

“Now the law has been obliterated by death. You literally are in two different realms. The law cannot touch you. You’re free. Now the law can no longer expose the sinfulness of sin to you, can no longer expose your mighty and great weaknesses. And sin can no longer take advantage of the law to bring you into sin, because you are dead, and your relationship to law is gone forever.”

About that time – is that good news? That’s good news. About that time, someone in the back of the audience says:

“Brother Paul, this has been wonderful. You realize that we’ve come from the ends of the world for this court scene. We have been found innocent. We have received Jesus Christ through faith, and we have to go home. Please excuse us.” And so, a group of people leaves this little counseling room, where Paul is preparing people for the Christian life. And they have learned that they are free from the law.

Oh, happy condition! Are you with me? Alright. We will not see these people again for ten years. This is a group of people who live over in Nicomedia. That’s the town. I’m not pronouncing it right probably, but—Nicomedia. Alright, now then. It so happens that 10 years later, Paul of Tarsus comes to meet these people again. And he visits their little assembly. They have been believers for how long? Are you following my story? I hope I’m not confusing anybody. If I am, would you stop me? Interrupt me?

Alright, he has walked into a group of the most well-begotten people who ever were.

Now I’m telling you the story, but now I’m no longer telling you Paul’s testimony. I am giving you mine, and I’m casting it into a story. During these ten years, those brothers and sisters have forgotten what Paul told them. Or, if they have not forgotten, they have failed to see a relationship. Saints, I just read a passage of Scripture to you. If you’ve been in Christ for five years, it ought to ring a bell in your life:

“That which I would do, I do not. That which I would not do, I do.” Does that ring a chord in you? Say “Amen” if it does. It does? It doesn’t? It does!

Okay, I’m gonna do that again. Does it? All right, good enough. And I was told that I was supposed to go to church. “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves, as is the manner of some of you.” And I thought to myself, I want to forsake this assembling, like some of those backslidden people out there who don’t go to church. One told me that Constantine invented the church building, and John Calvin invented the Sunday morning Protestant worship service.

Well, to me, that meant going down to a Baptist church and listening to some preacher drone on and on for ad infinitum. And then I went to church on Wednesday night, because that was a prayer meeting. We never prayed, but we went to prayer meeting. And it was followed by choir practice. And then I was told to tithe. And then I was told to keep a clear conscience. And then I was told to repent of my sins. And then I began to forget just what was on this list. And I couldn’t keep it all in mind. I was then trying to be good to everybody, sweet and nice and kind.

So that when Paul of Tarsus arrived in my little town of Nicomedia, we were having a question and answer, I stuck my hand up and I said: