This is one od Rav Sha'ul's more convoluted reasonings, and I don't pretend to understand it all or to be able to follow it. And it is for this reason it is one of the antinomianists most beloved passages, and one they like to throw at us. My first thought is the entire chapter must be read so we have this passage in context. Then there are a few key verses here I can use to counter the antinomian arguments:
Romans 7:1 (ESV) Released from the Law Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?
"See! Right there, doesn't it say we are eleased from the law?" No, that is a heading inserted by Christian authors who are, by definition, antinomian. It isn't in the source documents. But look at this first verse, "the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives." We'll see as the discourse progresses here Paul speaks of two laws; the one of God (that'd be ) and the one of sin. Which one do we die to when we accept Yeshua? I've been to countless Christian baptisms in several denominations, and almost without fail pastor paraphrases Roman 6, saying the one being baptized has died to sin and is raised a new man in Christ. So the answer is not both (as the antinomian, sensing a trap is almost certain to reply); but is we die to sin. Or did the preacher lie when you were dunked?
We could also take this to mean that the law IS binding on us as long as we live- but we get to choose which law. And there are only two choices given here- one of sin and death, the other the law of God, .
Romans 7:7-8 (ESV) The Law and Sin What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead.
So, "apart from the law, sin lies dead?" I take that to mean that without there is nothing to transgress. Without speed limits, we could drive as fast as we wanted. But try driving 40 in a 25 mph zone past a speed trap and you'll find out that, because there IS a law and because you just transgressed it, the law comes to life very quickly. Without , there would be nothing to transgress. But because we have , we either drive 25 through God's domain or we'll pay the penalty.
Romans 7:12-13 (ESV) So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
So "the law [] is holy;" kind of makes Paul's view of clear. And "the commandment [mitzvah] is holy and righteous and good," just in case we missed the point. And the mitzvoth are there "in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure." In other words now there is a standard which, if we transgress it, we are about to be pulled over and given an order to appear in that court from which there is no appeal and in which we cannot lie. For all our transgressions will be laid before us as evidence, and our only defense will be the covering of Yeshua, His blood and our trust and repentance.
Romans 7:22 (ESV) For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
Again, Rav Sha'ul delights in . His view of the law is clearly positive. So to interpret this chapter or any part of it as antinomian would be a lie.
Romans 7:25 (ESV) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
And here we have the two laws clearly stated. But this is not as some would say an excuse to sin. Rav Sha'ul isn't saying think good things but do evil. He is saying our sinful nature is at war with the spiritual laws of Elohim:
Galatians 5:17 (ESV) For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
And those mitzvoth, by the way, do tell us how we are to conduct ourselves in the physical, fleshly world.
Dan C