“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17, KJV)

ABSTRACT

This article explores Paul’s teachings in Romans on the relationship between God’s law, human accountability, and Christ’s grace, showing how the law exposes sin while grace liberates and empowers obedience. Using the marriage covenant as an illustration of spiritual fidelity, it highlights how law and grace work in harmony to reveal God’s character, uphold covenant loyalty, and guide believers into transformed lives rooted in divine love.

BOUND BY LAW, FREED BY GRACE

Paul’s epistle to the Romans unveils the profound dynamics between divine law, human sinfulness, and liberating grace, employing the marriage covenant as a vivid illustration of spiritual fidelity and renewal. Asserting that the law exposes our need for redemption while grace empowers obedience, Scripture affirms this through passages like “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” (Romans 7:7, KJV) and “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” (Romans 8:3, KJV). Ellen G. White illuminates this truth, declaring, “The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable. It is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 52, 1890); through inspired counsel, we learn, “The gospel of the grace of God alone can uplift the soul. The law can never do this.” (Evangelism, p. 225, 1946). These revelations guide us toward a transformed existence, where law and grace harmonize to foster covenant loyalty. How does this framework begin with the law’s role in unveiling personal accountability?

THE FIRST HUSBAND MUST BE DEAD

The Apostle Paul’s writings in Romans offer profound insights into the relationship between God’s law, human accountability, and the transformative power of grace. Using marriage as a metaphor, Paul explains the binding nature of the law and the spiritual liberation found through Christ. This blog explores these themes through the lens of Scripture, Ellen G. White’s writings, and their relevance to individual and communal faith journeys. “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4, KJV) captures this interplay, while “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24, KJV) highlights grace’s redemptive force. Ellen G. White, God’s messenger, affirms, “The law and the gospel are in perfect harmony. The law shows what is sin, and the gospel provides the remedy for sin.” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 235, 1958); a prophetic voice echoes, “Grace is unmerited favor, and the believer is justified without any merit of his own, without any claim to offer to God for a righteous character.” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 367, 1958). These truths invite us into deeper communion with the divine. What role does the law play as a mirror revealing our need for such grace?

THE LAW: A MIRROR OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Paul declares in Romans 7:1, “The law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives.” This statement underscores the enduring nature of divine law. Like a mirror reflecting our flaws, the law reveals sin. “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” (James 1:23-24, KJV) illustrates this reflection, as does “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20, KJV). As Sr. White writes, “The law is a transcript of God’s character; it reveals His will” (Steps to Christ, p. 62, 1892). Looking into the moral mirror—God’s holy law—man sees his defects, and it leads him to the Saviour, who is the sinner’s friend (The Signs of the Times, April 5, 1883). Yet, this law binds humanity until a spiritual death occurs—a death to the old life of sin. Deuteronomy 30:19 urges us to “choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” God sets before humanity the choice of obedience and the blessings of life, or disobedience and the curses of death. This choice echoes throughout history, from Adam and Eve’s fall to modern-day struggles with sin. What choice do we make daily, and how does willful avoidance of truth intensify our responsibility before God?

WILLFUL IGNORANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Paul warns against willful ignorance, where individuals knowingly avoid truth. Jesus states in John 15:22, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.” This concept holds individuals accountable, not only for what they know but also for what they could have sought to understand. “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48, KJV) emphasizes degrees of knowledge, while “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” (Acts 17:30, KJV) calls for active seeking. Sr. White reinforces this principle: “Those who have an opportunity to hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, will be judged guilty before God” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1145, 1956). In rejecting the truth, men reject its Author; in trampling upon the law of God, they deny the authority of the Law-giver (The Great Controversy, p. 583, 1888). In society, do we not often see people avoiding moral responsibility by claiming ignorance, and what sacred covenant does Paul use to depict the law’s unyielding hold on our commitments?

THE MARRIAGE LAW: A SACRED COVENANT

Paul uses marriage to illustrate the binding nature of divine covenants. In Romans 7:2-3, he explains that a woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. Breaking this bond without death is considered adultery. This principle mirrors Exodus 20:14, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” which highlights the sacredness of promises made before God. “Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.” (Malachi 2:14, KJV) underscores covenant fidelity, as “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4, KJV) warns of its sanctity. Sr. White adds, “The law binds her to her husband so long as he is alive, and only after his death is she justified in entering a new marriage” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 313, 1958). You have united in a lifelong covenant; to gain a proper understanding of the marriage relation is the work of a lifetime (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 53, 1902). This analogy reminds us that spiritual commitments are equally binding. Just as a marriage covenant reflects faithfulness, our relationship with God demands loyalty and surrender. How then do we break free from this binding to embrace a new union with the risen Christ?

FREEDOM THROUGH SPIRITUAL DEATH

Paul transitions from the physical law to its spiritual application in Romans 7:4: “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead.” The first husband represents our sinful nature, which must die before we can unite with Christ. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6, KJV) depicts this crucifixion, while “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, KJV) celebrates the new life. Sr. White describes this transformation: “As we die to sin, we are united to Christ, the new husband, and only in this union can we bear fruit for God” (Reflecting Christ, p. 57, 1985). Christ consented to die in man’s stead, that he, by a life of obedience, might escape the penalty of the law of God (The Sufferings of Christ, p. 2, 1869). This union brings liberation and purpose, allowing us to live in harmony with God’s will. Have we experienced this spiritual rebirth, and in what ways does the law itself manifest God’s profound love?

GOD’S LOVE REFLECTED IN THE LAW

The law reveals God’s love through its purpose: to guide us into a saving relationship with Him. Paul’s teachings demonstrate that the law is not a burden but a pathway to grace. “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97, KJV) expresses this affection, as “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10, KJV) shows its relational core. Sr. White explains, “The law points to Christ, who alone can free us from its penalty and power” (The Desire of Ages, p. 763, 1898). The law and the gospel go hand in hand; the one is the complement of the other; the law without faith in the gospel of Christ cannot save the transgressor of law (Our High Calling, p. 127, 1961). This love is evident in God’s willingness to redeem us through Christ’s sacrifice, offering freedom and hope to all who believe. By choosing spiritual death to sin, we accept God’s invitation to a covenant of love, one that ensures eternal life. What greater evidence of divine love can there be than this, that God provides both the law and the means to fulfill it through grace, prompting us to reflect on our daily embrace of this freedom?

CONCLUSION

The metaphor of marriage in Romans underscores the seriousness of divine commitments and the transformative power of Christ’s grace. As we examine our lives, let us ask: are we living bound to the old self, or have we embraced the freedom found in Christ? Paul’s message reminds us that through spiritual death, we gain the opportunity for eternal life—a choice that reflects God’s love and offers hope for all who seek Him. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4-5, KJV) embodies this revival, while “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12, KJV) instructs our response. Through inspired counsel, Sr. White affirms, “It is the fragrance of the merit of Christ that makes our good works acceptable to God, and it is grace that enables us to do the works for which He rewards us.” (God’s Amazing Grace, p. 192, 1973); in The Great Controversy, a passage reminds us, “The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the service of love, the only service acceptable to heaven, the option is before us of uniting with Christ by living a life of bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” (p. 615, 1888). May we, as a community, seek to embody this truth, helping others to see the beauty of God’s law and the freedom of His grace. Together, let us choose life.

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SELF-REFLECTION

How can I, in my personal devotional life, delve deeper into the marriage metaphor of Romans 7, allowing its truths about law and grace to shape my daily choices and deepen my surrender to Christ?

How can we adapt Paul’s teachings on spiritual death and new covenant life to resonate with diverse audiences, from lifelong community members to newcomers exploring faith, while upholding scriptural precision and Sr. White’s insights?

What common misunderstandings about the law as a mirror of love exist in our circles, and how might I address them compassionately through Romans’ context and the Spirit of Prophecy?

In practical terms, how can our congregations and personal lives radiate the liberating grace of Christ, turning law’s reflection into actions of covenant faithfulness and communal hope?