Romans 7:5 - For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring out fruit to death.
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What does "Romans 7:5" mean?
Romans 7:5 is a dense verse that speaks to the contrast between living under the law and living under grace through Christ. Let's break it down piece by piece:
"For when we were in the flesh..." This refers to a state of being before salvation and living under the influence of our sinful nature (the "flesh"), rather than the Holy Spirit. It describes a time when our lives were governed by our unredeemed desires and impulses.
"...the sinful passions..." These are strong, unholy desires and impulses driven by our fallen nature. They are desires that lead us to sin, fueled by selfishness, lust, greed, anger, and other vices.
"...which were through the law..." This is a crucial and often misunderstood part of the verse. It doesn't mean that the law creates sinful passions. Instead, it suggests that the law, by defining sin, actually arouses or intensifies these sinful passions. Here's why:
The law reveals sin: The law shows us what sin is. Before a law exists against something, we might not even recognize it as wrong.
The law can provoke rebellion: Human nature tends to rebel against rules and restrictions. When we are told "Don't do X," our sinful nature can be tempted to do X simply because it's forbidden. This is the "forbidden fruit" effect.
The law highlights our inability: The law sets a perfect standard that we, in our fallen state, cannot possibly achieve on our own. This highlights our inherent sinfulness and our inability to overcome it through willpower alone.
"...worked in our members..." "Members" refers to the parts of our body – our hands, feet, tongue, mind, etc. The sinful passions worked through our physical and mental actions, using our bodies as instruments to carry out sinful desires.
"...to bring out fruit to death." This is the consequence of living under the control of our sinful passions, fueled by the law's highlighting of our sin. "Fruit" refers to the results, consequences, or outcomes of our actions. These actions lead to "death" – not just physical death, but also spiritual death, separation from God, and ultimately, eternal death.
In essence, the verse is saying:
Before we were saved by Christ, we were governed by our sinful nature. The law, while good and holy in itself, inadvertently stirred up our sinful passions by revealing and highlighting our transgressions. These passions then manifested themselves in our actions, leading to consequences that ultimately resulted in spiritual death and separation from God.
Key takeaway:
The verse emphasizes the futility of trying to achieve righteousness through the law. It underscores the need for grace and salvation through Jesus Christ, who frees us from the power of sin and death and enables us to live according to the Spirit, not the flesh. Romans 8 goes on to elaborate on this new life in the Spirit.
Romans 7:5 - For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring out fruit to death.
What does "Romans 7:5" mean?
Romans 7:5 is a dense verse that speaks to the contrast between living under the law and living under grace through Christ. Let's break it down piece by piece:
"For when we were in the flesh..." This refers to a state of being before salvation and living under the influence of our sinful nature (the "flesh"), rather than the Holy Spirit. It describes a time when our lives were governed by our unredeemed desires and impulses.
"...the sinful passions..." These are strong, unholy desires and impulses driven by our fallen nature. They are desires that lead us to sin, fueled by selfishness, lust, greed, anger, and other vices.
"...which were through the law..." This is a crucial and often misunderstood part of the verse. It doesn't mean that the law creates sinful passions. Instead, it suggests that the law, by defining sin, actually arouses or intensifies these sinful passions. Here's why:
The law reveals sin: The law shows us what sin is. Before a law exists against something, we might not even recognize it as wrong.
The law can provoke rebellion: Human nature tends to rebel against rules and restrictions. When we are told "Don't do X," our sinful nature can be tempted to do X simply because it's forbidden. This is the "forbidden fruit" effect.
The law highlights our inability: The law sets a perfect standard that we, in our fallen state, cannot possibly achieve on our own. This highlights our inherent sinfulness and our inability to overcome it through willpower alone.
"...worked in our members..." "Members" refers to the parts of our body – our hands, feet, tongue, mind, etc. The sinful passions worked through our physical and mental actions, using our bodies as instruments to carry out sinful desires.
"...to bring out fruit to death." This is the consequence of living under the control of our sinful passions, fueled by the law's highlighting of our sin. "Fruit" refers to the results, consequences, or outcomes of our actions. These actions lead to "death" – not just physical death, but also spiritual death, separation from God, and ultimately, eternal death.
In essence, the verse is saying:
Before we were saved by Christ, we were governed by our sinful nature. The law, while good and holy in itself, inadvertently stirred up our sinful passions by revealing and highlighting our transgressions. These passions then manifested themselves in our actions, leading to consequences that ultimately resulted in spiritual death and separation from God.
Key takeaway:
The verse emphasizes the futility of trying to achieve righteousness through the law. It underscores the need for grace and salvation through Jesus Christ, who frees us from the power of sin and death and enables us to live according to the Spirit, not the flesh. Romans 8 goes on to elaborate on this new life in the Spirit.