THEREFORE MY BRETHREN, YOU ALSO WERE MADE TO DIE TO THE LAW THROUGH THE BODY OF CHRIST: hoste adelphoi mou, kai humeis ethanatothete (2PAPI) to nome dia tou somatos tou Christou: (Romans 7:6; 6:14; 8:2; Gal 2:19,20; 3:13; 5:18; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14,20)

In Galatians Paul states a parallel truth writing that...

through the Law I died to the Law (cp Ga 3:10,13, 24), so that I might live to God.

Comment: What does the first [somewhat difficult to grasp] clause mean? The law condemns and subjects all men to the death penalty. Think of the situation where a man is found guilty of a capital offense and is executed. What power does the law have over this dead man? And by the same token, Paul is saying [and the next verse makes this even clearer - Ga 2:20-note] I have died with Christ [Ro 6:3-note] and Christ took the full brunt of the penalty that was justly due to me for breaking the law, though He Himself was not guilty of breaking any law [He 4:15-note, 1Pe 1:18, 19-note]. And so God's righteous justice was propitiated or satisfied when the full fury of His holy wrath was poured out upon the Lamb of God Who took away [Jn 1:29, 1Pe 2:24, 25-note, cp Re 5:6-note, Re 5:9-note] Paul's [and every believer's] sins, so that Paul [and every believer] is forever free of the death penalty imposed by the law.

Middletown Bible has a useful table comparing the truths in Romans 6 and Romans 7...

Therefore  (5620) (hoste) means so that, consequently, accordingly, thus. This opening word indicates that illustration is now giving way to application. It draws an inference from the preceding illustration and introduces the actual relation with respect to Christians who are in a position corresponding with that of the wife.

Made to die (2289) (thanatoo [word study] from thánatos = death) means literally to kill, to cause to be put to death, to mortify, to give up to death, to condemn to death or to deliver over to death. And so in the NT some uses are literal  (Mt 10:21, 26:59, 27:1, Mk 13:12, 14:55) and mean to cause cessation of life as by condemning to death or delivering/handing one over to be killed.

In Ro 7:4 thanatoo is used figuratively in reference to the death that the believer dies through supernatural, mystical but very real unity with the body of the crucified Christ. The aorist tense conveys the truth that this "death" is a past tense, historical event. Count it as true. Praise Him that it is true. Then walk in the light of that truth. Don't place yourself back under the "yoke" of the law in any form! Even "good things" can subtly become "laws" -- e.g.,  "If I don't have my quiet time this morning, the Lord won't bless me." Wrong! The Lord blesses you not because you merit blessing but because He is good. Sure, He blesses obedience, but our obedience is to be out of love, not legalistic constraints, out of a desire to please our Father, not puff up our flesh. So don't be deceived beloved brethren for our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak, so we must continually be on guard and continually surrendered to His sweet will, not some legalistic yoke.

In another very practical figurative use of thanatoo Paul instructs believers to mortify (cp Col 3:5KJV-note) or subdue the evil desires and deeds that emanate from those desires (Ro 8:13 -note). By using the present tense in Ro 8:13 Paul is calling for a habitual, moment by moment effort (albeit not "self" effort, but Spirit enabled effort) on the part of believers to "search and destroy" these death dealing deeds. We need to have the continual mindset of soldiers who are continually engaged (Take no "furloughs" please dear believer! Your adversary doesn't! cp 1Pe 5:8-note where "prowls" = continually) in a deadly conflict (1Pe 2:11-note, 2Ti 2:3, 4-note) and must continually be killing sin (by the Spirit), lest sin kill us. Remember that "death" speaks of separation so what a believer enabled by the Spirit is to do is to separate moment by moment, day by day from the evil, dead dealing deeds of the fallen flesh nature (Jas 1:14, 15-note). Remember brethren beloved by God (1Th 1:4-note), that He saved us by grace through faith (Ep 2:8, 9-note) the first time (justification - Ro 3:24-note, Ro 3:28-note) and He saves us each day by that same grace through faith (progressive sanctification). Our tendency is to try to live this supernatural life in our strength (flesh), not the strength of His Spirit (faith). God says in Roman 6-8, stop "trying" and start "dying" (to your flesh), and do this every day and every moment of every day! Trying breeds struggling and frustration. Dying yields surrender and fulfillment. In Romans 7 Paul will make it all too clear that one cannot be sanctified by the law. To reiterate, the moment you try to please God by keeping a list of do's and don'ts, of regulations, of schedules, etc, then at that moment you have in effect placed yourself back up under the law in one form or another and your experience will mimic that of Paul's description in Romans 7. And as Paul explains in the next verse, when you place yourself under the law, the law functions like a stimulant or a catalyst to arouse your sinful passions (Ro 7:5)! Beware! Legalism can be very subtle!

Thanatoo -11x in 11 verses in the NAS - Matt. 10:21; 26:59; 27:1; Mk. 13:12; 14:55; Lk. 21:16; Rom. 7:4; 8:13, 36; 2 Co. 6:9; 1 Pet. 3:18 and is rendered in the NAS as cause to be put to death(1), made to die(1), put to death(8), putting to death(1).

Note that the Law has not died. Believers have been made to die (passive voice = divine passive = God brought about this supernatural event, not us. We became sharers and participants in this truth by grace through faith!) to the Law. Paul avoids saying that the Law died, for that is not taught in Scripture, though the law had a certain course to run as explained in Hebrews (cp He 8:13NLT-note). Paul is continuing the emphasis which he had begun to explain in Romans 6,  where he introduced the truth that death ends obligation, having stated in Ro 6:14 (see note) that believers are no longer under (under the power, authority, and control of) law, but under grace".

In Galatians Paul explained that

Christ redeemed (bought us back, delivered us by paying the price = His precious blood) us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse (which condemned us to die) for (on our behalf, speaking of His substitutionary death) us (Galatians 3:13)

In Colossians he explained that God

cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. (Col 2:14-note)

Paul went on to explain that

(believers) have died with Christ (believer’s union with Christ in His death and resurrection) to the elementary principles of the world... (Col 2:20-note)

Writing to the churches in Galatia Paul explained that

I have been crucified with Christ (the believer is identified with Christ in His death) and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Jesus did not die for me in order that I might go on living as I choose but that from now on He might live His life in and through me, empowering me by His Spirit to live in a supernatural way previously not possible in my strength) and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith (reliance and continual dependence on Christ, yielding to Him, allowing Him to live His life through me) in the Son of God, Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." (Gal 2:20-note)

Christ, not the law, now is to have dominion over me. Stated another way, the believer’s rule of life is Christ and not the law. It is not a matter of striving and trying, but of trusting and relying. Believers are called and empowered to live a holy life (1Pe 1:14-note, 1Pe 1:15, 16-note, Lv 11:44), not out of fear of punishment, but out of love of God and a desire to be pleasing to Him as our Father (cp 1Pe 1:17NLT-note, 2Co 5:9, 2Co 7:1-note in context of the promises in 2Co 6:16, 17, 18).

As Middletown Bible reminds us...

The law is a terrible husband -- strict, inflexible, stern, rigid, demanding and unbending. The Lord is a wonderful husband -- merciful, gracious, and He, by His power and life, ENABLES me to please Him (cp He 13:21NLT, He 13:20NLT-note). Just as a marriage relationship produces FRUIT (children), so our marriage to Christ produces fruit (see Ro 6:22ESV-note; Ga 5:22-note, Ga 5:23-note). See also John 15:2, 5, 8 = "fruit" > "more fruit" > "much fruit." (Romans chapter 7)

Through (1223) (dia) marker of instrument by which something is accomplished, by means of.

The body of Christ (Mt 26:26; Jn 6:51; 1Cor 10:16; Heb 10:10; 1Pet 2:24-note) - This is not a reference to the church (also referred to as "the body of Christ", cp Ep 4:12-note), since the word has not been used in the corporate, mystical sense so far in Romans, and when it is so used (Ro 12:4, 5-note) Paul brings in the human body as an analogy in order to make his meaning clear, as he had done in an earlier letter (1Cor 12:12, 13).

Newell writes that...

The great lesson which each of us must lay to his own heart, is, that those in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, are not under law as a principle, but under grace (Ro 6:14-note),—full, accomplished Divine favor—that favor shown by God to Christ! And the life of the believer now is

(1) in faith, not effort: as Paul speaks in Gal 2:20 (note):

The life which I now live in the (physical) flesh, I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God

(2) in the power of the indwelling Spirit; for walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-note, Ga 5:18-note, Ga 5:25-note) has taken the place of walking by external commandments; and

(3) exercising ourselves to have a good conscience toward God and men always (1Ti 1:5, 19, 1Pe 3:16-note): particularly, not wrongly using our freedom (or liberty) (Take a moment and ponder these passages on freedom in Christ = Ro 8:2-note, Ga 5:1, cp Ga 2:4, Jn 8:31, 32, 34, 36, 1Co 7:22NLT, 2Co 3:17NIV, 1Pe 2:16NLT-note, 2Pe 2:19NLT-note, Jude 4NIV). (Romans - Verse by Verse)

THAT YOU MIGHT BE JOINED TO ANOTHER TO HIM WHO WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD: eis to genesthai (AMN) humas hetero to ek nekron egerthenti (AAPMSD): (Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; Isa 54:5; 62:5; Hos 2:19,20; Jn 3:29; 2Cor 11:2; Eph 5:23, 24, 25, 26, 27; Rev 19:7; 21:9)

Paul now spells out two purposes of our union Christ (in His death): (1)  We might belong to Christ and (2) We are to be fruit bearers for the glory of God.

Stop for a moment and contrast our new relationship in Christ with our former relationship under the law - we are dead to the law and married to Christ. Our relationship is now a love relationship not a legal (law) relationship. What a wonder, that the God Who created us, redeemed us and then marries us! Surely we see in this how Christianity is not a dead, even orthodox religion but a relationship to a living Person. Beloved, Paul is explaining that Christianity is not about doing something but about knowing Someone (cp Jn 17;3, 1Jn 2:3, 4). Never lose the wonder of this grand truth and lapse into legalistic religion when you could be enjoying intimate relationship with the God of the Universe! Amazing love, how can it be?...

And Can It Be That I Should Gain

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

See and listen also to...

Gaithers And Can It Be That I Should Gain live
Amazing Love
Chris Tomlin - Amazing Love

Joined (be married to, might belong to, becoming another's) (1096) (ginomai) means to cause to become or to come into existence and more literally "having become another man's". If you are dead, how can you be joined to another? In Christ’s death we died and in Christ’s resurrection we live and since we are alive we can be joined in marriage to Christ! Amen.

And so in a mystical (but very real) sense believers are now united to Christ as His bride (Ep 5:25-note) for we have been betrothed to our Beloved (2Co 11:2) and betrothal in the Jewish culture was tantamount to a legal binding relationship and to break it one had to get a writ of divorce (cp Joseph contemplating breaking the "engagement" to Mary in Mt 1:18, 19, 20). As a woman could marry a new husband only after her first husband had died, so we have been married, as it were, to our great Bridegroom after we died to the law (Re 19:7-note, Re 19:8-note, cp 1Co 6:19, 20).

To belong to Christ involves participation not only in his death but also in His resurrection (cp Col 2:12-note, cp Ro 6:3-note, Ro 6:4-note, 2Co 13:4). Severance from obligation to serve the law is only part of the truth. We are married, as it were, to the risen Lord, with a view to bearing fruit to God. Perhaps an analogy is intended here--as a marriage produces progeny, so the believer's union with Christ results in spiritual fruit. It should be recalled that in our Lord's teaching the secret of fruit bearing is union with Himself (Jn 15:5, 7, 8), emphasized here in Romans 7:6.

THAT WE MIGHT BEAR FRUIT FOR GOD: hina karpophoresomen (1PAAS) to theo: (Ro 6:22; Jn 15:8; Gal 5:22,23; Phil 1:11; 4:17; Col 1:6,10)

That (2443) (hina) is a marker of result or of purpose for the fact that believers are in Christ, having been born again to a new Master with a new Power and Purpose in Christ.

Bear fruit (2592) (karpophoreo from karpos = fruit + phero = to bring) literally means to bring forth fruit, to be fertile, productive. In John 15 those who abide in the Vine Christ Jesus, will bring forth "much fruit" ("good works").

Karpophereo is in the subjunctive mood which with hina (conjunction meaning "for the purpose of", "in order that") is used to express purpose -- fruit bearing. If you are a believer and feel you have no "purpose", here it is...go and bear fruit, much fruit, fruit that remains for eternity. Focus on the facts not on your feelings. Let this truth renew your mind if you are downcast.

The aorist tense calls for this to be an actual outcome (fruit bearing).

Some commentators (even some very excellent expositors like Lloyd-Jones) interpret fruit as literal children (continuing with Paul's metaphor of marriage), an interpretation that seems incorrect even from the context. In other words, who is a believer joined to? Christ of course, so it seems far fetched to think Paul intends fruit in such a context to be children. Could he mean "spiritual children"? I suppose one cannot totally discount that possibility for converts are occasionally referred to as "fruit".

Newman writes that Paul's metaphor of bear fruit...

may have the specific meaning of “bringing others to God,” but in the present context the emphasis seems to be more general, that is, simply living a life that is useful to God. In some languages, useful in the service of God may be expressed as “doing good for God’s sake” or “doing good as a way of serving God.” (The United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series or Logos)

Stott goes on to add that...

whether ‘fruit’ means ‘children’ or not, all are agreed that the result of being released from the law and joined to Christ is holy living, not antinomian license. For becoming a Christian involves a radical change of allegiance. At the end of chapter 6 our two slaveries were contrasted. At the beginning of chapter 7 it is our two marriages, death dissolving the first and so permitting the second. Both metaphors speak of our new freedom to serve, which is the topic to which Paul now comes. (Stott, J. R. W. The Message of Romans. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press)

Matthew Poole says fruit refers to...

fruits of holiness and good works, to the glory and praise of God.

Jamieson writes that...

all the issues of this new life, in Christian obedience, are regarded as the “fruit” of this blessed union to the Risen One.

KJV Bible Commentary writes that...

The purpose of our being free from the law and married to another, the risen Lord, is that we may produce fruit unto God. Although this may be an extension of the marriage analogy, and the fruit mentioned is the progeny which is the result of marriage (i.e., the winning of others to the Lord), it is most likely that the fruit unto God is a righteous life which is characterized by those “good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10-note). (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson or Logos)

John MacArthur's comments that...

Godly fruit exists basically in two dimensions: (a transformed life that manifests godly) attitudes and actions. The fruit of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is manifested internally in his attitudes of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-note, Ga 5:23-note). As far as godly actions are concerned, Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1, 2). The writer of Hebrews speaks of “the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (He 13:15-note), and Paul prayed that Philippian believers would be prepared for the day of Christ by being “filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Php 1:11-note).

Charles Simeon (Horae Homileticae Vol 15: Romans) says that ...

By our connection with the law, we have brought forth fruit only unto sin and death: but by the mighty operation of divine grace, we shall be enabled to bring forth fruit unto God, and holiness, and life (Ro 6:21, 22-note). We shall no longer live under the influence of a slavish spirit, aiming only at the mere letter of the commandment, and regarding even that as an irksome service; but we shall aspire after the utmost spirit of the commandment, and strive with holy ardour to make the highest possible attainments, longing, if possible, to be “holy as God is holy,” (1Pe 1:16-note) and to be “perfect as God is perfect.” (Mt 5:48-note) Our services will resemble those of the heavenly choir, who look, and watch, and pant, as it were, for an opportunity to testify their love to God, and to execute, in all its extent, His holy will. How should the prospect of such fruit stimulate our desires after Christ! Let us bear in mind, that the bringing of us to such a state was the great object which He sought in giving up Himself for us (1Pe 2:24-note); and let it be also the great object of our solicitude in devoting ourselves to Him (Ro 14:7, 8-note)

Notice that Paul moved from the second person plural (you) to the first person plural (we), including himself along with his readers. The believer who has died with Christ is released from bondage to the law and hence from bondage to sin and is free to experience the abundant life of Christ (Jn 10:10b). God’s purpose in all this is in order that we might bear fruit to God (cp Ro 6:22-note Gal 5:22, 23- notes-Ga 5:22;  23 Php 1:11- note). Only a person who is spiritually alive can bear spiritual fruit, fruit that remains (cf. Jn 15:4,5,16). (See also word study on fruit = karpos)

As believers we are not to continue in sin (Ro 6:1-note) but we are now in Christ  and married to our Savior, Jesus, and our occupation is to bear fruit for God...

For we are His workmanship (poiema), created in Christ Jesus for good works (see Good Deeds), which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ep 2:10-note).

In sum, Paul is saying that before faith in Christ's death, burial and resurrection, we were ''married'' to a husband named ''the Law''. But when we died with Christ in Romans 6, we were set free from our husband and united with our new Husband, Christ. The old ''husband'' is not dead...believers are the ones who have died.

Barnes writes that bring forth fruit means...

That we should live a holy life. This is the point and scope of all this illustration. The new connexion is such as will make us holy. It is also implied that the tendency of the law was only to bring forth fruit unto death, Ro 6:5 and that the tendency of the gospel is to make man holy and pure. Comp. Ga 5:22,23. (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)

Barnhouse has the following thoughts on fruit...

One of the most important purposes of redemption is that we might bring forth fruit unto God. We were transplanted out of death and rooted and grounded in His love so that we might bring forth fruit. Fruit is the expression of life, and in the Word of God fruit is indicative of converts, character, and conduct...

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me” (John 15:4). This is a magnificent expansion of our text in Romans which sets forth our oneness with Christ, our marriage to Him to bring forth fruit for God. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing” (v. 5). How many Christians read it, “Without me you cannot do very much,” cling to their own imagined ability, and so fail to bear fruit! God never mingles His power with ours. Only when we recognize our own absolute nothingness does He work in full power. (Barnhouse, D. G. God's Freedom : Romans 6:1-7:25. Grand Rapids, MI.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)

Robert Haldane writes that...

One of the great ends of marriage was to people the world, and the end of the marriage of believers to Christ is, that they may bring forth fruit to God, John 15:4, 5, 6, 7, 8. From this it is evident that no work is recognized as fruit unto God before union with Christ. All works that appear to be good previous to this union with Christ are “dead works,” (He 9:14-note) proceeding from self–love, self–gratification, pride, self–righteousness, or other such motives. “They that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Ro 8:8-note) “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Ro 8:7-note) We can never look upon the law with a friendly eye till we see it disarmed of the sting of death; and never can bear fruit unto God, nor delight in the law as a rule, till we are freed from it as a covenant, and are thus dead unto sin. How important, then, is the injunction, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,”—and this applies equally to the law,—”but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 6:11. (Romans 7 Commentary)

Newell adds that...

FOR WHILE WE WERE (past tense) IN THE FLESH (unregenerate): hote gar hemen en te sarki: (Ro 8:8,9; Jn 3:6; Gal 5:16,17,24; Eph 2:3,11; Titus 3:3)

Were is in the imperfect tense which speaks of durative action (= action that is ongoing, progressive or continual) in the past (when you were unregenerate). At that time we were dead in our trespasses and sins and under the rule and control of our fallen sin nature inherited from Adam. We had no choice but to obey the strong desires of our unregenerate flesh.

NIV is interpretive but accurate "controlled by the sinful nature"

"when basically we were governed by our sinful human nature" (Kistemaker)

Flesh (4561)(sarx) (Click in depth study) is used 147 times in the NT and because of multiple nuances (some Greek lexicons list up to 11 definitions for sarx!) the diligent disciple must carefully observe the context of in order to discern which nuance is intended. The range of meaning extends from the substance flesh (both human and animal), to the human body, to the entire person, and to all humankind.

In the present context, sarx is used in the moral/ethical or spiritual sense to describe the outlook of mankind which is continually orientated toward self,  is prone to sin, is opposed to God and which pursues its own ends in self-sufficient, independence from God. Flesh thus is the ugly complex of human sinful desires that includes the ungodly motives, affections, principles, purposes, words, and actions that sin generates through our bodies. Sarx as used in this manner denotes the entire fallen human being—not just the sinful body but the entire being, including the soul and mind, as affected by sin. To live in the flesh is to be ruled and controlled by that evil complex. Because of Christ’s saving work on our behalf, the sinful flesh no longer has the "right" to reign over us, to debilitate us and drag us back into the pit of depravity into which we were all born.

In the flesh - Here are all the NT uses (in the NAS) of this phrase - Ro 2:28; 7:5; 8:3, 8, 9; 2Co 10:3; 12:7; Ga 2:20; 6:12; Ep 2:11; Phil 1:22, 24; 3:3, 4; 1Ti 3:16; Philemon 1:16; 1Pet. 3:18; 4:1, 2, 6; 1Jn. 4:2; 2 Jn. 1:7. Most of these uses of in the flesh describe one's physical being, the literal body, a number of these in fact specifically referring to the Incarnation or Christ in the flesh. The following 4 verses however use in the flesh to refer to  man’s unredeemed humanness, his own ability and achievements apart from, hostile to and opposed to God - Ro 7:5, 8:8, 9, Php 3:3, 4.

The Amplified Version qualifies the phrase in the flesh with the explanatory clause that this refers to mere physical lives but a careful examination of the context does not support the Amplified Version's interpretation.

The Weymouth paraphrase is interesting...

For whilst we were under the thraldom of our earthly natures, sinful passions— made sinful by the Law—were always being aroused to action in our bodily faculties that they might yield fruit to death.

Phillips renders it...

While we were "in the flesh" the Law stimulated our sinful passions and so worked in our nature that we became productive - for death!  (Phillips: Touchstone)

MacDonald explains that...

In the flesh here is descriptive of our standing before we were saved. Then the flesh was the basis of our standing before God. We depended on what we were or what we could do to win acceptance with God. In the flesh is the opposite of “in Christ.”  (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

Donald Barnhouse rightly states that...

Here, ‘in the flesh’ does not refer to the body. These three simple words describe the deadly state of people who have not been born again... It is a moral state, the condition of the unsaved before God. The state of the redeemed is described in chapter 8:

“You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you” (see note Romans 8:9).

Being in the flesh, then, is the opposite of being in the Spirit. We all begin in the flesh, but some of us are now in the Spirit, even though the flesh is still in us. Because we have been freed from the flesh by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ and our union with Him in His resurrection, we are liberated from the passions of that flesh and may henceforth be dominated by the new life of our risen Lord.

Wuest writes that in the flesh...

refers to the condition of a person in the absolute control of the evil nature, as is clearly seen by a consideration of Paul’s words in Ro 8:9  where he says, “But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God, dwell in you.” That is, in the case where the person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, that person is not in the control of the evil nature. That individual is a saved person. Consequently, the one who is in the flesh is an unsaved person, the flesh here referring to the fallen nature.

John MacArthur notes that...

The unredeemed, unregenerate person can operate only in the area of the flesh, the natural and sinful sphere of fallen mankind... A person who still lives in the realm of the flesh cannot belong to Christ (see Ro 8:9)...  It is possible, of course, for a believer to fall back into some of the ways of the flesh, which he does whenever he sins. Although a believer can never again be in the flesh (Ed: In the figurative sense of being in the sphere of the anti-God influence), the flesh is still able to manifest itself in the believer.

William Newell explains that Paul...

...does not say, in the body, for we are all that! Being in the body has no moral significance, but the words are, in the flesh-the condition of those not saved, as we see from Ro 8:8-note; Ro 8:9-note:

For ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.

This does describe a moral state or condition, - absence of life, absence of the Holy Spirit, and control by the fallen nature. (Romans 7).

In summary, In the flesh in Romans 7:5 refers to a lost man, one who is unredeemed and thus unregenerate and able to operate only in the sphere of fallen mankind. To be sure, the believer can still manifest deeds of the flesh, but he or she can never again be in the flesh in the same way as before being crucified with Christ  (Ro 6:6-note).

MacDonald agrees explaining that...

The expression in the flesh obviously doesn’t mean in the body. In the flesh here is descriptive of our standing before we were saved. Then the flesh was the basis of our standing before God. We depended on what we were or what we could do to win acceptance with God. In the flesh is the opposite of in Christ. (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

As alluded to above in the discussion of sarx, in order to keep one from becoming confused,  be aware that in the letter to the Romans Paul uses the word flesh to convey different meanings:

(1) the humanity of Jesus Christ (Ro 1:3-note)

(2) the physical body (Ro 2:28- note)

(3) mankind--"no flesh" (Ro 3:20-note)

(4) the so-called "ethical" meaning denoting the old sinful nature (flesh). It is this last sense of the word that pervades Romans 7 and 8, together with a final use in Ro 13:14-note.

THE SINFUL PASSIONS...AROUSED BY THE LAW: ta pathemata ton hamartion ta dia tou nomou: (Ro 3:20; 4:15; 5:20; 1Cor 15:56; 2Cor 3:6, 7, 8, 9; Gal 3:10; Jas 2:9,10; 1Jn 3:4)

Simply stated, the law can never conquer our sinful passions. It can only arouse our sinful passions.

Sinful passions - This is a genitive expression in Greek and can be rendered "sinful passions" or "passions which lead to sin." Robertson says "passions of sins" or marked by sins.

Passion (3804) (pathema from pascho = suffer where the suffix "–ma" indicates that which is suffered) in this context means passions, impulses, affections or strong inward emotions. Although not the primary meaning of pathema in this verse, the other meaning deserves mention and contemplation for it refers to the very pain that we are experiencing right now because of sin, those very things that we can "see, touch and feel" - those things that are causing us anguish and emotional trauma...all because they are dictated by our fallen sinful nature and fall so far short of God's mark.

Sinful passions then describe those overwhelming impulses to think and do evil, which characterize those who are “in the flesh” (Ep 2:3), but which obviously can also affect true believers. Prior to our conversion we were ruled by sinful passions which were aroused by the law. Paul uses pathema in Galatians explaining that...

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions (pathema) and desires. (Gal 5:24)

Aroused is not in the original Greek but does accurately reflects the intent of this passage. Consider the effects of the Laws of Prohibition in the 1920's. The law that banned alcohol stimulated the old flesh nature and the sinful passions were aroused so that men's appetite for alcohol increased and the results were deadly fruit euphemistically referred to as the "Roaring 20's". It was a tragic chapter in American History. The Mosaic Law affected the nation of Israel much like the Law of Prohibition affected America. The Law stipulates what is right and what is wrong, and in so doing it arouses evil in an unregenerate person because the naturally rebellious nature makes him want to do the very things that are forbidden.

As MacDonald succinctly explains...

It is not that the law originated them ("the sinful passions"), but only that by naming and then forbidding them it stirred up the strong desire to do them!" (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

Poole notes that sinful passions refer to...

the corrupt inclinations to sin, which are drawn forth by the law, as ill vapors are raised out of a dunghill by the sun; or which are irritated by the law.

Calvin writes that...

the law excited in us evil emotions, which exerted their influence through all our faculties; for there is no part which is not subject to these depraved passions. What the law does, in the absence of the inward teacher, the Spirit, is increasingly to inflame our hearts, so that they boil up with lusts.

The unbeliever’s rebellious nature is awakened when restrictions are placed on him and make him want to do the very things the law forbids. As strange as it might seem, the law itself, by its very prohibitions, generates sinful impulses which lead to breaking the law! So in fact this is one of the functions of the Law -- to stimulate our sinful flesh! "Forbidden fruit is sweet". The natural (in the flesh) tendency in man is to desire the forbidden thing.

Augustine vividly pictured the interaction of the Law and our sinful passions writing that...

"The law is not at fault, but our evil and wicked nature; even as a heap of lime is still and quiet until water is poured on it, but then it begins to smoke and burn, not from the fault of the water, but from the nature of the lime which will not endure it."

Barnhouse has an interesting comment on the Law noting that...

When the Church age began, the majority of believers were Jews who, not yet having the New Testament, continued to live as though still under the law. Consequently there was a conflict which reached its climax at Antioch when Paul rebuked Peter for clinging to the law as a principle of Christian living. But in spite of Paul’s victory, man’s natural tendency to do something for himself brought him back under law, and by the end of the Dark Ages the entire legal system clouded over the life of the Church. Those who believed in grace alone were a small remnant appearing throughout the centuries like scattered stars peeping through clouds. When the Reformers emerged after the Renaissance, they made a valiant attempt to lead the church back to Biblical truth.

Wayne Barber comments on Romans 7:5 noting that it teaches...

the most fundamental truth about living under the law. When we were under the Law, it actually energized and encouraged our sinful flesh to operate. The law actually energized our sinful flesh. In Romans 7:5 we see the term in the flesh is associated with the controlling power of the sinful passions, and all this is associated with being in union with Adam and under the law:

"For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death."

In the flesh—we were dead spiritually in the realm of flesh. We were in union with Adam.

The sinful passions indicated that which is the result of the sin of Adam. These are the inordinate desires of our bodies that once controlled us.

"Which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death."

Actually, you could read that:

"which were, through the Law (or by means of the law) at work in the members of our body."

They were energized by the law. Paul wants us to see how that the law actually energizes the flesh.

Paul has just described a miserable situation. Under the law, the sinful passions of our flesh were energized and we could do nothing about it. They produced fruit in us, unrighteous fruit.

We have got to understand this. When we are under the law, the flesh is always at work, and the flesh can only produce unrighteousness. The flesh loves to work whether it be grossly sinful works or "religious works." In fact, it is in the "religious" realm that it is the hardest to detect. Flesh is inherently rebellious to God and His ways, so even though it may appear to do good things, flesh trusts in it’s own strength. And without the ingredient of "faith in God and His ability," the result is that our fleshly self always wants the glory for what it has done.

In the religious realm the flesh loves to obey laws, to observe holy occasions, even to fast. Paul had to chastise the Galatian believers over this. Look at Galatians 4:9, 10, 11:

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

That is true even today. Years ago my wife and I were walking on a beach in Florida. This lady came towards us with a radio headset on. She was singing a Christian song at the top of her lungs. We stopped and spoke with her for several minutes. She never said a word about Christ. It was all about her church and what her church was doing and how active she was in her church. I had the overwhelming feeling that she had completely missed the point of what being under grace was all about.

The flesh also loves to boast about its religious achievements, of how many prayers were offered, or how many gifts were given. Look at Luke 18:9-14

And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, "God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get." But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.’

Folks, our flesh hasn’t changed! Just as in the days of Genesis 11, when man became so arrogant that he thought he could somehow ascend unto Heaven, our depraved flesh always thinks it can somehow perform in such a way that God will accept it.

To go back and live under the law is to endeavor to live once again in the power of one’s flesh. It is to invoke the guilt and the condemnation of the law which energizes the flesh. You say,

"It is impossible for a believer to think that he can please God in his own fleshly efforts. He has been delivered from that kind of thinking."

Has he? Listen as Paul addressed some believers at Galatia in Galatians 3:1:

"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?"

He is saying, "You have a mind, and you have been taught, but you choose to refuse to understand. You would rather play church." "Who has bewitched you" has the idea of "charmed." Paul says,

"Who has come to you and with smooth-talk charmed you into this foolish error of thinking you can please God by fleshly effort and religious habit?"

He goes on in Galatians 3:2:

"This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?"

You see, the law, and the works of the flesh that seek to obey the law, cannot save nor sanctify a person. To trust in one's flesh, seeking to obey the law, is to commit spiritual suicide. Paul dealt with the antinomians in Romans 6. Could it be that he is dealing with the legalists in Romans 7?

The same misery we experienced when we were in Adam under the law, which is the inability to produce righteousness in our fleshly efforts, will be ours if we go back to trusting in our own efforts. Our flesh is just as arrogant and sinful. It has been rendered powerless, so it cannot control us unless we choose to allow it.

So far we have seen: the principle of law—it controls a person as long as they live; the practical illustration of the Principle—the law said that a woman who was married to a man still living could not remarry another until her first husband died; the purpose of the illustration Paul used—we were once in union with Adam with the law controlling and condemning us, but when we put our faith into Christ we died to that relationship and now we are free from the law and under His Grace in our union with Him. The problem that man had which required him to be joined to Christ was that man in union with Adam could never produce righteousness that God would accept.

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Illustration - Take a dish of Baking Soda (and explain it represents our Sin nature). It appears quiet until another substance is added. Add Vinegar (and explain that it represents the Law). What's the result? The Baking Soda is no longer quiet but begins to smoke and froth. The fault is not in the vinegar, but in the nature of the Baking Soda which will not remain inactive when "provoked" by Vinegar. The Law is not at fault, but the fault lies in our evil, wicked Sin nature!

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WERE AT WORK IN THE MEMBERS OF OUR BODY: energeito (3SIMI) en tois melesin hemon: (Romans 7:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13; Mt 15:19; Gal 5:19, 20, 21; Jas 1:15)

Were at work (1754) (energeo [word study] from en = in + érgon = work. English = energetic) means they worked effectively to cause something to happen. They worked energetically to produce results. The imperfect tense pictures the continual activity - over and over these sinful passions effectively and efficiently exerted their influence on our various body parts.

As Wuest phrases it...

The emotions or impulses of sin, stirred to activity by the law, were operative in the members of our bodies with the result of the production of fruit, this fruit being with respect to death, identified with death, thus, characterized by death. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos)

Members (3196) (melos [word study]) refers to the parts of the physical body, which is the "base camp" from which Sin operates in the unbeliever, but can also operate in a believer.

Melos - 34x in 24v in NAS - Matt. 5:29f; Rom. 6:13, 19; 7:5, 23; 12:4f; 1 Co. 6:15; 12:12, 14, 18ff, 22, 25ff; Eph. 4:25; 5:30; Col. 3:5; Jas. 3:5f; 4:1.

As Beet says members refers to...

the various parts of our bodies, moving our lips, hands, and feet, to words, deeds, and ways, of sin. When the body with its appetites was the controlling element of our life, it was the seat of emotions prompting sin. (Beet, J. A. Beet's Commentaries: Romans)

Jesus used melos in His graphic warning declaring that...

if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts (members) of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell (which would equate with "fruit for death").  And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts (members) of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell (which would equate with "fruit for death"). (Matthew 5:29, 30-note)

Earlier Paul had used melos in his charge to believers to...

"not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness (which equates with "fruit for death"); but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Ro 6:13-note)

After explaining to the saints at Colossae their lofty position (and privilege) in Christ Paul commanded them (their responsibility) even with a sense of urgency to

"Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. (all of which equates with "fruit for death")" (Col 3:5-note)

TO BEAR FRUIT FOR DEATH: eis to karpophoresai (AAN) to thanato:

Bear fruit (2592) (karpophoreo [word study] from karpos = fruit + phero = to bring) The verb is in the Infinitive mood which is used to express purpose.

Robertson rightly observes that here we see a...

Vivid picture of the seeds of sin working for death.

The sinful passions at work in unbelievers produce a corrupt and perishable harvest of eternal death (Ro 5:12-note; Ro 6:16-note, Ro 6:21-note cf Galatians 6:7-8). The contrast between the two types of fruit is striking in Romans 6 where Paul asks the rhetorical question:

what benefit (literally "fruit" = karpos) were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit (literally "fruit" = karpos), resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life." (Ro 6:21KJV, Ro 6:22KJV, Ro 6:23KJV-notes Ro 6:21; 6:22; 6:23)

MacDonald says that...

These sinful passions found expression in our physical members, and when we yielded to temptation we produced poison fruit that results in death. (MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

Harry Ironside offers an interesting word picture to explain bearing fruit for death writing that...

The law was the husband, the active agent through whom we hoped to bring forth fruit to God. But instead of that, we brought forth fruit to death. All our labor and suffering in the hope of producing righteousness ended in disappointment - the child was stillborn. (Commentary on Romans)

C H Spurgeon explains the fruit bearing nature of sinful passions aroused by the law writing that...

It is not the nature of sin to remain in a fixed state. Like decaying fruit, it grows more rotten. The man who is bad today will be worse tomorrow. Every week that he lives, he adds some new evil habit to all that he had before, until the chain, which at first seemed but a silken cord, becomes at last an adamantine fetter, in which he is held fast so that he cannot escape. It is impossible to say how far men will wander away from God!

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Our Daily Bread devotional tells an interesting story of our "sinful passions"...

A twenty-five year veteran of the Internal Revenue Service was con­victed of income tax evasion. The IRS auditor was caught trying to exploit what he thought was a flaw in the system. About the time that story made headlines, the Detroit News ran a feature article on the growing problem of the unethical and immoral conduct of some crim­inal court judges. The article raised the question, "Who's going to judge the judges?"

The lawlessness of people familiar with the law is not confined to courtrooms and the IRS. There is one law that we all have broken—God's law. Worse than that, some religious people take pride in their relationship to that law. Without fail, these people are exposed by the very law they love. The law of God reveals all self-professed law keepers to be lawbreakers.

Writing to the Romans, Paul made it clear that the law of God should never be used as a basis for self-righteous pride. Instead, it should be used to show how much we all need God's mercy. The law is a school-master or tutor to bring us to Christ so that we can be justified by faith (Gal. 3:24) . Only when we rely on God's mercy rather than on our record of keeping the law will we bring honor to the Lord. And only then can we be "delivered from the law" (Ro 7:6) —M R De Haan II (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

In Christ, we can all live above the law.

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Vance Havner addresses the issue of fruit in the Christian life in a piece entitled "The Four Fs of the Christian Experience"...