No Longer Married To Sin

“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” – Romans 7:4

Paul’s question in Romans 7 is one that every believer must wrestle with: “What is the relationship of the Christian to the law?” He begins with a simple, undeniable truth—an axiom. Romans 6:14 declares, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Paul’s point is clear: the law has no authority over someone who has died. Just as a police officer wouldn’t issue a speeding ticket to someone in a coffin, the law cannot condemn a person who is no longer alive to it. To help us grasp this, Paul uses the analogy of marriage. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives, but once he dies, she is free—free to remarry, free from obligation. This analogy isn’t about marriage and divorce; it’s about the power of death to sever binding contracts. In Christ, we died to the law, and that death has annulled our former relationship with it.

The law isn’t dead—it still convicts—but its curse no longer holds sway over us. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” We were once married to sin, bound to its demands and condemnation. But through the violent death of our old self in Christ, we are now joined to Him in new life. Hebrews 10:10 affirms, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Our salvation came through death—His death—and now we live under grace, not law. The law’s curse, which demanded death, has been satisfied in Jesus. We are no longer under its rule, no longer condemned by its demands.

Yet many Christians live defeated lives because they misunderstand this truth. They fall into sin and begin to question their salvation: “If I’m truly saved, why do I still struggle?” This doubt leads them back under the law, trying to earn what has already been given. They feel condemned, guilty, and unsure of their standing with God. But Paul’s message is liberating: you are dead to the law’s curse. You are alive in Christ. Don’t return to what has been annulled. Instead, walk in the freedom of grace. Understand your position—justified, sanctified, and secure. Let this truth anchor your assurance and fuel your obedience. Today, reflect on your union with Christ. You are no longer married to sin. You belong to Jesus. Live like it.

“Most problems in the Christian life could be solved if Christians had a better understanding of Romans 7” – Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones