85: To Whom Are You Married?

Paul begins Romans 7 by using the analogy of marriage: are we married to the law or to Jesus? At one time we were “married to” the law. We were “in the flesh” and our identity was in the flesh. Mr. Law gave us our name: “Sinner.”

Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. (Romans 7:1-3)¹

If Mr. Law lives, his wife cannot marry another man because she can’t be married to two men at the same time. If she marries another man while her husband is alive, she commits adultery. However, if her husband dies, she’s free to marry another man. The problem with Mr. Law is that he can’t die! He’s eternal because he came from God. Since Mr. Law cannot die, who has to die? The wife. And that’s YOU and ME! But how can we die and still live? The next verse tells us:

You [the wife] also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ… (Romans 7:4, brackets mine)

And that’s exactly what happened: we died, but actually, He died our death for us at the cross!

The dilemma was that someone had to die to release us from the dominion and condemnation of the law so that we could be joined to Jesus. There was no way for us to ever be compatible as sinners with our new Husband. A whole new bride of His species had to be born!!

…that you may be married to another —to Him [JESUS!] who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. (Romans 7:4, cont., brackets mine)

When we are joined to Jesus, we bear the offspring of that union: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against these things there is no law!² Now we are married to Jesus who by His Spirit gives us everything we need for life and godliness. He never stops supplying us with every good fruit. Every day has its demands, but the supply of our new Husband is there before we even need it or were conscious of it. As awesome as it is to be free from Mr. Law, that’s not the good part. The good part is being joined to our new Husband, Jesus, who is our endless well of supply. We can do all things through our new Husband who strengthens us!³

(from pages 146-147 of Unveiling Jesus)

Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!

Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.

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¹All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.  Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.  Used by permission.
²Galatians 5:22-23
³Philippians 4:13