Corpus-Paul

[Jason D Weaver <jsweaver7 AT juno.com>]

Moon,
        This is a very interesting and very disputed topic in Christianity 
and I
am excited to share my thoughts on it with you.  I would agree that the
phrase hUPO NOMON refers to those with which God had made a covenant
through the Law.  This was however a conditional covenant that Israel was
not able to keep.  Included in that covenant was sanctification by the
Law.  The standard the Law sets is perfection (Gal 3:10).  This, of
course, is impossible (Gal 3:21).  God knew that and provided the
sacrificial system as a means of atonement for their sin.  Since Christ's
death, God is not enjoining people under the Law, because faith has come
(Gal 3:25).  The  Law was used to keep the peoples' sin suppressed by
rules and regulations until inward reform would be possible by the
indwelling Spirit (Gal 4:6).
        The Law is for the self-reformer, not for the one in whom Christ 
lives,
who is the end of the Law for righteousness (Rom 10:4).  Even if Romans
6:14-15 could be interpreted according to the new way of understanding
Paul and the Law, Romans 7:1-6 could not.  These verses state that the
law was bondage (vs1 - hO NOMOS KURIEUEI TOU ANQRWPOU) and required death
to escape it (vs 6).  Since the interpretation that our relationship to
the Law and sin is directly proportionate does fit Rom 6:14-15 and the
7:1-6, there is no reason to search for another meaning.  
Galatians 5:18 also must be interpreted with the understanding that the
law brings condemnation.  If walking in the Spirit keeps us from
fullfilling the lusts of the flesh and it removes us from being 'hUPO
NOMON' , the only logical conclusion is that, for us of fallen flesh, the
law brings us into the condemnation of sin.  1 Cor 15:56 tells us that
the strength of sin IS the law.  Rom 7:6 calls the law 'the oldness of
the letter' and  says we no longer have any relationship with it 
(KATHPGHQHMEN APO TOU NOMOU).  It also says that the law held us (in
bondage), but  by our indentification with Christ's death (through His
body 7:4) we have died to it, and can now serve in newness of Spirit. 
This last statement implies that service under law, was at best, not very
effective.  One last verse truly shows the relationship between sin and
the law is verse 5.  It says that the passions of sins were through the
law.  This implies that it was the law that prompted sin within us, and
caused us to produce fruit unto death.  The Spirit is in contrast to the
law here as well as in Gal 5:18.  
        Romans 6 speaks of our death to sin and it bondage.  This message 
would
have been sufficient for the Gentile believers in Rome.  But for the
Jews, it would have been incomplete had Paul not written chapter 7.  If a
Jewish believer was free from sin, then what of the law?  Chapter seven
shows that we are dead to the Law as well as sin, because the two are
inseparable in relation to us.
        All this to say that, if Scripture supports this interpretation, and 
it
is the most natural one, why try  to find another that is less attested
by scripture?
        IN Christ,
                Jason Weaver