Why did Paul use a marriage picture in Romans 7:4?
Paul uses marriage to picture believers’ new union with Christ. Having become dead to the law by His body, they are married to the risen One so they may bring forth fruit unto God. The marital picture shows God’s purpose in uniting Himself to the Body of Christ: spiritual fruitfulness and spiritual children.
Les explains that Paul’s marriage picture in Romans 7:4 is tied to the same husband-and-wife analogy found in Ephesians 5, where the husband is head of the wife even as Christ is head of the Church, and Christ is Savior of the body. The Church is subject to Christ, and He will present it to Himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle—a beautiful white-clad Bride. Les feels the Holy Spirit gave Paul this particular picture for doctrinal understanding. In Romans 7:4, believers become dead to the law by the Body of Christ and are married to another, even Him who was raised from the dead, that they should bring forth fruit unto God. The primary purpose of God bringing man and woman together in marriage is fruit, namely children. In the same way, God unites Himself to believers as members of the Body of Christ and claims them as His own so they may be fruitful and bring forth spiritual children.
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.
More Questions
Why did the Holy Spirit give Paul the marriage picture in Romans 7?
The Holy Spirit gave Paul the marriage picture in Romans 7:4 for our own doctrinal understanding.
How does Paul use the marriage illustration to explain being held to the law?
Paul's illustration of husband and wife in Romans 7 is that, just as a husband and wife are held together by the law of the land and cannot operate or function without that law being part and parcel, so the law binds a person until death.