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“Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man.”
— Romans 7:1–3 (NKJV)
This passage is the foundation of the truth reflected in these lyrics:
> The law has dominion,
> While we're alive,
> But when death comes,
> We're free to thrive.
Paul is explaining a central reality of the Christian life: our relationship to the law has been decisively changed through death. Not our physical death, but our death with Christ.
Many believers remain in spiritual bondage because they do not understand this. They live as if the law still has absolute dominion over them, as if they are still married to an old husband who constantly points out their failures but never lifts a finger to help them.
The central theme here is this:
The law’s dominion is valid only as long as we live in the old nature. Through union with Christ in His death, we are released from the law’s claim, in order to belong to another—Christ risen from the dead—and to live in the Spirit.
Let us see how the Word of God explains this.
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These words come from Paul’s letter to the Romans, written to believers in Rome—both Jews and Gentiles. Paul says explicitly in Romans 7:1: “I speak to those who know the law.” He is addressing especially those who understand the Mosaic Law—Jews familiar with Torah, or Gentiles who have been taught it.
The problem Paul is dealing with is this:
If the law is holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), what is its place in the life of a believer who is saved by grace through faith apart from the works of the law (Romans 3:28)?
Romans 6 has already declared:
Now in Romans 7, Paul goes further: not only have we died to sin, but we have died to the law as a system of dominion.
The situation in Romans 7:1–3 is an analogy from everyday Jewish life. Under the law of Moses, a married woman was legally bound to her husband as long as he lived. She was under that legal bond. That legal bond had dominion over her. Only death could dissolve it.
Paul uses this marriage law as a picture of our previous relationship to the law. Before coming to Christ, we were “married” to the law. The law was our covenant-husband. It had a rightful claim over us. It demanded righteousness, but it did not impart life or power.
In Jewish society, marriage was not merely an emotional or romantic concept; it was a legal covenant, publicly recognized and upheld by the law. That is the picture Paul draws on. He wants his readers to feel the legal weight, the binding nature of that relationship.
So he says, in effect:
This is the situation he will later apply in Romans 7:4:
> “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”
The song’s “Outro” echoes this:
> Free to thrive,
> Free to live anew,
> In the Spirit,
> Our life is true.
This is exactly Paul’s argument. Death changes the legal situation. Death breaks the dominion of the law and opens the way for a new union.
---
Let us look carefully at two key words in Romans 7:1–3.
### 1. “Dominion” – Greek: *kurieuō* (κυριεύω)
Romans 7:1: “the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives.”
The verb *kurieuō* comes from the noun *kurios* (Lord, master). It means:
It is the same word used in Romans 6:14:
“For sin shall not have dominion (*kurieuō*) over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
So we see two different masters that seek lordship:
Neither of these is our final Lord. Christ alone is Lord.
The law’s dominion is a legal, covenantal authority. It tells you what is right and what is wrong. It pronounces blessing and curse. It demands obedience. But it does not impart the power to obey.
When the lyrics say:
> The law has dominion,
> While we're alive,
they are echoing this word *kurieuō*. As long as we remain in the old life, the old man, the law stands over us as a ruler. Its dominion is valid, righteous, unbending.
But:
> But when death comes,
> We're free to thrive.
That is exactly Paul’s logic. Death breaks *kurieuō* – the law’s lordship.
### 2. “Bound” – Greek: *deō* (δέω)
Romans 7:2: “a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives.”
The verb *deō* means:
It is used in Matthew 16:19 about “binding” on earth and in heaven, and also of Paul being “bound” with chains (Acts 21:11).
So the married woman here is legally *deō*—tied, obligated, held by a covenant that the law recognizes and enforces.
Paul then uses another word: “released” – *katargeō* (καταργέω), which means:
When her husband dies, the binding legal force (*deō*) is nullified (*katargeō*). That specific law no longer *operates* over her. She is free.
The lyrics reflect this:
> But when death comes,
> We're free to thrive.
“Free” in Paul’s thought is never lawless. It means legally released from one covenant obligation in order to be bound by another, higher one. We are released from the law’s covenant in order to be joined to Christ in a new covenant.
Understanding *kurieuō* and *deō* helps us see that Paul is not speaking of feelings, but of legal relationships in the spiritual realm. The Cross is a legal transaction. The death of Christ, and our death with Him, have judicial consequences. The law’s rightful authority is not destroyed; it is satisfied. Its claim over us, in Adam, is fulfilled through death. Therefore, it no longer has dominion over us in that old relationship.
---
We will now walk through the lyrics theme by theme, letting Scripture interpret Scripture.
### Verse 1
> Now, dear brothers and sisters,
> You who are familiar with the law,
> Don't you know the law applies
> Only while a person is living?
This stanza mirrors Romans 7:1:
> “Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?”
Here we must be clear: Paul is not saying the law is temporary or invalid in itself. He is stating a principle: Law’s legal jurisdiction is tied to the life of the person under it. Death changes the jurisdiction.
The same principle is found in Hebrews 9:16–17:
> “For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.”
Legal covenants, testaments, and marriage all acknowledge the finality of death.
Spiritually, the “person” to whom the law applies is the old man—the Adamic nature. Romans 5:12 says sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men. We were all “in Adam” and therefore under the law’s righteous judgment.
Galatians 3:10 declares:
> “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse…”
Why? Because the law pronounces a curse on all who do not continue in all things written in the book of the law (Deuteronomy 27:26). The law is unbending. Break it once, and you stand condemned.
Therefore, as long as we live in Adam, as children of fallen humanity, the law has dominion. It is God’s righteous standard confronting our fallen nature.
But Romans 6 introduces a new man, a new humanity in Christ:
So, when the song says:
> Don't you know the law applies
> Only while a person is living?
we must ask: Which “person”? The old man in Adam. The law’s dominion is over Adamic humanity. But at the Cross, God executed the old man. Our old man was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). Legally, that person died. Therefore, the law’s claim over that person is finished.
### Chorus
> The law has dominion,
> While we're alive,
> But when death comes,
> We're free to thrive.
The theology here must be precise. We are not talking about biological death but identification with Christ’s death.
Romans 7:4–6 explains:
> “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 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. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Notice:
The law’s dominion is not evil, but it is deadly to sinners. It exposes sin, stirs up rebellion in the flesh, and sentences the sinner to death (Romans 7:5, 9–11).
How then can we be free to thrive?
Only by death. The death of Christ is our death. Through faith and baptism (Romans 6:3–4), we are united with Him in death and resurrection. The law has nothing more to say to a dead man. Its jurisdiction ended at the tomb.
So spiritually, the chorus is a proclamation of Romans 6 and 7:
Galatians 2:19–20 expresses the same:
> “For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”
We die to the law through the law’s own sentence, carried out in Christ. Then we live unto God.
### Verse 2
> For example, by law,
> A married woman is bound
> To her husband as long as he lives,
> But if he dies, she's released from the law.
This is Paul’s analogy:
> “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.” (Romans 7:2)
This is not primarily a teaching on human marriage ethics; it is an illustration of covenant and law.
Key points:
1. The marriage bond is legal
The woman is “bound by the law.” There is a legal, covenantal obligation.
2. Death changes legal standing
If the husband dies, she is “released from the law of her husband.” That particular law, in relation to that husband, no longer holds her.
3. Freedom for a new union
Verse 3: if she marries another after his death, she is not an adulteress. She is legitimately free to belong to another.
Paul then applies this spiritually in Romans 7:4:
> “…you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another…”
Now we must be careful with the analogy. In the picture, the husband dies; in the application, we die. The point is not which party dies, but that death dissolves the old legal bond. In Christ, both are fulfilled: Christ died under the law’s curse (Galatians 3:13), and we died in Him.
Before Christ, we were like that woman married to a husband who never dies—a husband who demands perfection but never imparts strength. That is the law. Holy, but unyielding. Right, but without mercy. It can expose sin. It can condemn sin. It cannot deliver from sin.
Through union with Christ in His death, God brings that covenant relationship to an end. The believer is no longer “married” to the law. Instead, he or she is joined to Christ, the risen Bridegroom.
Ephesians 5:25–27 gives us the nature of this new Husband:
Where the law demanded and condemned, Christ loves and empowers.
### Chorus (Refrained)
> The law has dominion,
> While we're alive,
> But when death comes,
> We're free to thrive.
Spiritually, this chorus declares a transfer of dominion:
Romans 8:1–2 is the outworking:
> “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
We are not lawless; we are under a higher law: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. This law does not merely command; it imparts life and power.
### Outro
> Free to thrive,
> Free to live anew,
> In the Spirit,
> Our life is true.
This summarizes Romans 7:6:
> “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Key points:
1. Delivered from the law
Not because the law is evil, but because, in Christ, we have moved to a different realm.
2. Died to what we were held by
There was a real bondage. Even a believer trying to serve God “in the oldness of the letter” experiences frustration, condemnation, and failure. Romans 7:14–24 describes that misery.
3. Serve in the newness of the Spirit
Life in the Spirit is not passive. We “serve” God. But the service now flows from inward life, not external pressure. It is Christ in us, by the Spirit, fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law in us (Romans 8:4).
“To live anew” means to live as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), with a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26–27), walking not by fleshly effort but by the power of the indwelling Spirit.
“Free to thrive” is not self-help language; it is biblical language of fruitfulness. Romans 7:4:
> “…that we should bear fruit to God.”
Jesus said:
> “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
We are set free from the legal bond to the law in order to be bound in love to Christ, and in that union, we bear fruit—holiness, obedience, love, and power.
---
Truth must be applied. Many believers mentally agree with these doctrines but still live under condemnation, striving in the flesh to keep rules, never entering into the liberty of the Spirit.
Let us identify four practical responses.
### 1. We must reckon ourselves dead with Christ
Romans 6:11:
> “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The same reckoning applies to the law. Romans 7:4:
> “You also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ…”
This is not a feeling; it is a faith-acknowledgment of a legal fact. You say:
When accusations come—either from your own conscience, from religious legalism, or from Satan the accuser—you answer not with your works, but with the Cross.
Practical step:
Verbally affirm, especially in times of condemnation: “Through the body of Christ, I have died to the law. I am no longer under its curse. I now belong to Christ.”
### 2. We must consciously “marry” Christ as our new Husband
Romans 7:4 states the purpose of your death to the law:
> “…that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead…”
Freedom from the law is not for independence; it is for union with Christ.
This means:
Practical step:
In prayer, explicitly present yourself to Christ as His. Say, “Lord Jesus, I renounce all reliance on law-keeping for my righteousness. I yield myself to You as my Lord and Husband. Take full possession of my life. Live Your life through me by Your Spirit.”
### 3. We must shift from “oldness of the letter” to “newness of the Spirit”
Romans 7:6 contrasts two modes of service:
This does not mean we ignore the written Word. Rather, we allow the Holy Spirit to write it on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3, 6).
Ask yourself:
Practical step:
In specific areas of struggle (anger, lust, fear), stop merely trying harder. Instead, acknowledge your inability, ask the Holy Spirit for power, and then choose obedience in dependence on Him. When you fail, run to Christ, not back to legalistic self-condemnation.
### 4. We must proclaim our new legal position
Spiritual warfare is largely fought with words—God’s Word in our mouths. Revelation 12:11 says believers overcome Satan:
> “…by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”
Your testimony must align with what the blood has accomplished. The blood of Jesus has:
Practical step:
Regularly proclaim out loud what the Word says about your relationship to the law, sin, and Christ. This aligns your mind, resists Satan, and strengthens your spirit.
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### Proclamation
Say this aloud, thoughtfully and deliberately:
**“Through the body of Jesus Christ, I have died to the law.
The law’s dominion over my old man has ended at the Cross.
I am no longer under the curse of the law, nor under its condemnation.
I have been released from what once bound me.
Now I am joined to Another—to Jesus, who was raised from the dead.
In Him, I live anew.
I serve God in the newness of the Spirit, not in the oldness of the letter.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has made me free from the law of sin and death.
In Christ, I am free to bear fruit to God,
free to thrive, free to live in the Spirit,
and free to walk in the truth of God’s Word.
This is my legal position, and I receive it by faith.
Amen.”**
### Prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, I acknowledge before You that in myself, in my flesh, I am unable to keep the law of God. I confess that my old man, the person I was in Adam, deserved the law’s judgment and death. I thank You that on the Cross, You took my place, bore my curse, and died my death.
Father, I thank You that in Your sight my old man has been crucified with Christ. I agree with Your Word that I have died to the law through the body of Christ. By faith, I renounce every attempt to justify myself by my own works, and I renounce every spirit of condemnation and religious legalism that has sought to keep me in bondage.
Holy Spirit, write God’s law on my heart. Enable me to serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Unite me in deeper union with Jesus, my living Lord and Husband. Let His life, His righteousness, and His love be manifested through me, that I may bear fruit to God.
I receive my freedom from the law’s dominion, and I yield myself fully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In His mighty Name I pray. Amen.”
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