Except that God says that in Christ we are dead to the Law :
G2289 - thanatoō
1. to put to death
metaph.
2. to make to die i.e. destroy, render extinct by death to be liberated from the bond of anything, literally to be made dead in relation to (something)
Furthermore, we have been delivered - G2673 -
katargeō from the Law (Rom. 7:6) and in Christ, the Law has been abolished -
G2673 - katargeō (Eph. 2:15):
G2673 – katargeō
1) to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative
a) to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency
b) to deprive of force, influence, power
2) to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish
a) to cease, to pass away, be done away
b) to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one
c) to terminate all intercourse with one
To reiterate, that means that the Law, for those
in Christ, is these things:
➞ idle
➞ unemployed
➞ inactive (!!!)
➞ inoperative (!!!)
➞ to cause a person to have no further efficiency
➞ to deprive of force, influence, power (!!!)
➞ to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish (!!!)
➞ to cease, to pass away, be done away (!!!)
➞ to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one (!!!)
➞ to terminate all intercourse with one (!!!)
Which is why, in Hebrews 7 we're told this:
18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
Except that, as it is written, the Law actually stirs up sin:
Law was given to increase sinning:
Romans 5:20
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.
Law stirs up sinning:
Romans 7:7-8
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
Law produces death:
Romans 7:9-11
9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it [the commandment] killed me.
Law produces fruit unto death:
Romans 7:5
5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
Law is the power of sin:
1 Corinthians 15:56
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Note that people sin under Law and they sin under Grace. While the Law stirs up sinning, what do the Scriptures say Grace and the Spirit do in a believer?
Grace teaches us godliness:
Titus 2:11-14
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It [grace] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
The Spirit produces life:
Romans 8:5-6
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; (see also Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, and Ephesians 6:14-17)
The Spirit produces the Fruits of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22-25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
That's why we are told this in Romans 6:
14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Why is sin no longer the master of those in Christ? Because they are no longer under that which stirs up sinning, but under that which teaches them to say no to ungodliness and produces the Fruit of God in their lives \o/.
Now re-read Rom. 7:4-6:
4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
To go back to that which stirs up sinning and bears fruit unto death seems like a silly thing to do for a believer who wants to be pleasing to God and bear His Fruit.
The Scriptures are clear on the matter.
-JGIG