Accountability

Romans 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

 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, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

 7 ¶ 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.

 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

Not by might, not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord

Does not mean that we do not follow God’s law..

Means we do not follow the law of the letter that the Israelites had to: sacrifice to atone for sin.

Romans 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

 2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

 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, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

 7 ¶ 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.

 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

We have the ultimate sacrifice in Jesus Christ for our sin, yet we still must follow God’s commandments. Which we will know by His Spirit if we learn of Him through His Word.

This scripture does not give us free reign to do what we will and still be saved. Not at all. The accountability is ours. “I did not know” will not stand on judgement day. AS God gives us ample opportunity to know Him and His Word.  Just because you were too lazy or just did not want to study is no excuse for not knowing God. To know Him and His ways we MUST study His Word!

Verse 6 spells it out righteously… now that we have the ultimate sacrifice and the Comforter (Spirt of God) with us, we walk in NEWNESS OF SPIRIT and not the oldness of the letter (Old Testament sacrifice) we (verse 7) do not walk in sin continually having to atone for it every year or six months. We have the atonement living within us that we don’t sin.

Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

We are still bound to Jesus Christ, our atonement for sin, by obedience to His Word. All of it, with the exception of sacrificial atonement for there is NO greater sacrifice than Christ.  Nothing left for us to do other than OBEY God’s commandments – all of them.

  Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

You/we are accountable for our actions, words and deeds! How you choose to live is how you will spend eternity. No pointing fingers, nor statements that “I did not know” will be accepted at the throne of God. It is too late to change it then. God does not accept excuses, just ask the person with the 1 talent that they hid instead of investing it.

Invest in Jesus Christ and His ways...learn of Him and how He works. He has your best interest at heart always.

Be Blessed my friends.