In Romans
7:1-6 (in fact throughout the entire
letter), Paul refers several times to the believers former relationship to the
Law.
Romans 7:4 - So, my brothers, you
also died to the Law
Romans 7:5b - The sinful passions
aroused by the Law were at work
Romans 7:6b - We have been released
from the Law
Clearly in each
of these cases, the law in view is the Mosaic Law, given to the Jews at Sinai.
We might wonder
what application (if any) these statements have to Gentiles, who were not under
the Mosaic Law.
While Paul does
not address this question specifically, we do know:
In principle, some of what is said concerning the Jews
would be true in principle of the Gentiles as well.
For example, the Jews, in being released from the Law
of Moses, were released from having to obey the Law in order to be saved. The
Gentiles, who were under condemnation of the Law on the heart are likewise freed
from having to keep the Law on the heart perfectly (which they could not do).
On the other
hand, the burden of Law experienced by the Jews far exceeded anything that a
Gentile, who did not have the Mosaic Law, ever experienced. Therefore some of
what is said applies uniquely to the Jews.