Where is Our Identity: In the Word, in Sin, in the Law, or in Christ?

The Bible in Romans 7:1-6 it says that we are dead to the law. Does this mean we don’t have to follow the law anymore? Does it mean that we can break the law and it is okay? This is certainly not what it means.

Christians are dead to the law in the sense that we cannot be saved by keeping the law. We cannot be made right with God by trying to be good in our own strength or trying to keep God’s law. Christianity is received in salvation, not achieved. We would have to keep the law perfectly to be saved by keeping the law. The Bible says, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10). The law is a guide to living a life that honors God and the law informs us of what is right and wrong. It also instructs us in what we should be doing to honor God. Again, the Bible guides us, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” (James 2:8). Jesus also gives us His commission in Matthew 28:19-20. You cannot be saved just by the strength of your will or by trying to keep the law. The Apostle Paul knew this and he had a very strong will. (Philippians 3:2-11)

People think they are going to heaven because they are pretty good people, as if God grades on the curve. The Bible tells us that no one by their own goodness enters heaven. (Romans 6:23) By trying to keep the law and not receiving Jesus as your Savior and Lord you will be lost for eternity, although, you might have a pretty good life here by keeping God’s law or living by Christian principles. If you refuse to receive the remedy for your condition because of your sin, who it to blame if you end up in hell?

Too often Christians get saved by God’s grace in the Holy Spirit by Christ and then go back to trying to live the Christian life or being sanctified by the law, which often just produces self-righteousness and defeat. The law also cannot produce a holy life. The Apostle Paul states something very profound that has a great impact when understood, but it is not easy scripture to interpret. Paul states this in Romans 7:14-25. "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."

This has got to be one of the most difficult scriptures in the Bible to interpret and there are various views among Bible believing Evangelicals. Some would say that this describes the Christian life and the struggle of the Christian with sin within. There are many good Christian scholars who hold this view. The problem with this, is that it goes contrary to how a Christian is described in the rest of the Bible especially in the book of Romans. This is not a picture of a Christian in Romans 6:6, described as a person who is dead to sin. Nor what 2 Corinthians 5:17 says about the Christian, etc.

The Apostle Paul is using a literary form called impersonation. He is impersonating himself as a person who is under the law, his life before coming to Christ, in saving faith. This is a person who is trying to be right with God and be accepted by God, by keeping the law. Paul changes from the third person to the first person in Romans 7:14-25 as he impersonates himself before being born again of God’s Spirit in Christ. It is a picture or impersonation of someone trying to keep the law to honor God but someone who does not yet have the Spirit of God. (see Romans 8) It also is a picture of defeat and frustration. It is specially a picture of a Jewish person without Christ, but also of any person without Christ. It is picture of Paul under the law, trying to be right with God by keeping the law, before coming to Christ.

What does this mean practically for the Christian. Well, first it means we cannot just live the Christian life by our will, but by the will empowered and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. We must live the Christian life primarily in Christ’s strength within and without-- from the inside out. We must walk in God’s grace to be daily transformed primarily in our interior life which changes our exterior life.

It also means that we find our identity fully in Christ and not in sin. We must live by the Spirit instead of the law of sin. However, Christians are not perfect and they do often sin each day in word, thought or deed—hopefully in minor sins not blatant moral sins, however, they will not glory in sin like the world. (Romans 1:32) A true Christian, however, will be progressively being freed from sin within and without, as we cooperate with God in being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. We need to live primarily by the Spirit and only have the law as our guide to know what we shouldn’t do and what we should or can do and how to please God. (Romans 8:12-14)

The Apostle Paul often talked about being in Christ. (Galatians 1:22); etc. That was the Apostle Paul’s identity and that is ours as a Christian. We are nothing without Christ and our life amounts to nothing here or in heaven, if we are not walking in the Spirit. Paul expressed the fullness of his identity in Galatians 2:20-21: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

Christians still have what the Bible refers to as “flesh” and it is how Satan tries to influence us to sin. When we walk in the flesh, we are walking in our strength contrary to God’s and following the influences of the devil who tempts us to get life out of perspective, especially our knowledge, doctrine, devotion and love of God. The flesh leads us to live a disordered life, if we follow these influences.

Luther used to say that he is a sinner and a saint. I hate to disagree with Luther, but on this point, I think he is incorrect. We are saints who are in the process of being sanctified progressively free from sin and looking forward to being in heaven without then even being in the presence of sin or evil. However, saints do sin at time, within and without. A sinner is someone who identifies with sin instead of Christ. As Christians we identify with Christ and find our full identity in Christ. Christian be who you are in Christ, your true self.

You might be saying to yourself. This is just about theology and Biblical interpretation, what difference does it make? it is not easy to grasp and how does it really apply to my life? However, what we truly believe determines how we live. The Bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7) What we believe, greatly effects our life and how we live. Therefore, it is very important to correctly interpret the Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16)

It is essential to know your identity when you in the midst of spiritual warfare and every person including Christians and especially Christians are involved in spiritual warfare. (Ephesians 6:16-19) Satan is more afraid of us in Christ than we are of him. We are a threat to Satan because we are being guided by God and walking in the Spirit and adding to God’s kingdom. When Satan comes with his condemnation and lies and half truths it is important to stand, in and on our identity in Christ. Also, when the psychological inner critic that has developed over years, especially in childhood and during adolescent and life and is often relentless, we can stand against these distortions because we know who we are in Christ. Socially and emotionally it also makes a huge difference. We don’t have to act so we can be accepted by others, and be a person pleaser, rather than a God pleaser. We are accepted by God in Christ and can be our true selves and significantly and eternally add to other people’s lives. As the Apostle Paul said, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

When we die it will be all about who I am in Christ. This is the bottom line the core of everything. This is also the core of life, the solid and unmoveable foundation built on something even stronger than life. When all is taken away, what matters is who I am in Christ. In the book of Job in the Bible, Job learned through it all to center fully on God and have his identity fully in God and his life was extremely blessed. (Job 42:5-6)

Our identity gives us strength and a center. There is no stronger identity against the flesh, the world and the devil than our identity in Christ. (1 John 2:16; Galatians 5:17) It is wise to live by Christ’s strength rather than a false identity or an illusionary identity like the world. Christian rise up and claim your inheritance in Christ. Be true to yourself in Christ. You no longer need to hide yourself for at your core of your personhood is the righteousness of Jesus Christ the Lord. God sees us through the righteousness of Christ and we should live in that identity that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit gives us as Christians.

This is the Apostle Paul’s prayer for us for spiritual strength and for the fullness of our identity in Christ.

“ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:14-21).

For Further Study:

(I don’t necessarily agree with everything an author or speaker says, but these are highly recommended for reading and study).

A Man in Christ-------------------James S. Stewart

Romans-----------------------------Thomas Schreiner, Robert Yarbrough.

Gospel Coalition article by Thomas Schreiner: - Does Romans 7 Describe the Christian Experience?

Biola University blogs & Podcasts—Paul is not Talking About Himself: Why I take the Pre-Christian View of Romans 7:14-25. By Gary Manning Jr.

Romans-----------------------------Ben Witherington

Does Romans 7 Teach That Christians will Continuing sinning? (Seedbed) You tube by Ben Witherington.

Chad Owen Brand, Stephen Chester, Grant R. Osborne, Mark Seifrid----Perspectives on Our Struggle with Sin: Three views on Romans 7.

Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs, ---Steve Cuss