Death ends the law's dominion over a person.
According to Scripture, law has authority only during a person's lifetime. Les Feldick illustrates this with courtroom examples: a dead man cannot be tried, and legal proceedings cease. This principle is foundational to understanding believers' freedom from the Mosaic law through death with Christ.
Romans 7:1 — This verse directly states that the law has dominion over a man only as long as he lives.
Romans 7:1 states, "Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?" This shows that the law's authority is limited to the duration of a person's life. Romans 7:4 further explains that believers are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, so that they are free to be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead. The law itself could only condemn, as Romans 3:19-20 and 2 Corinthians 3:7 indicate, making it a ministration of death.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the law has authority only while a person is alive. He uses practical analogies, such as a bank stopping a foreclosure upon death or a murder trial ending when the defendant dies, to illustrate that legal dominion ceases at death. He applies this to the believer's relationship to the Mosaic law: through death with Christ, believers are free from the law's dominion. He further clarifies that physical death is separation of body and soul, and spiritual death of the old Adam frees us from sin's power.
Les uses courtroom analogies: if a person dies before a jury verdict, the case ends; you cannot try a dead man. Similarly, legal claims like foreclosures cease upon death. This illustrates the principle that law's authority applies only to the living.
Les teaches that believers are dead to the law through the body of Christ, as stated in Romans 7:4. The Mosaic law no longer has power over them. He emphasizes that the law could only condemn and had no life-giving power, but grace through Christ brings life.
Dead to the Law, Married to Christ — What Romans 7 Really Means
physical death. This old body is going to die if the Lord doesn't come. It's something that every human being is going to experience. No one, except Christ Himself, no one is going to escape physical death. That's part of the curse. But if you remember the circles I put on the board several weeks ago, inside this body of flesh, God has placed that invisible part of us, the personality, the I, the …
Courtroom Analogy: Dead Man Cannot Be Tried
Les illustrates that if a convicted criminal dies before trial ends, the case is closed; you cannot try a dead man, showing that death ends legal proceedings.
Law's Condemnation and Grace's Life
Les notes that the law could only condemn and give no life, while grace through the Spirit brings life.
Murder Trial Ends with Death
Les repeats the analogy: even if a murderer dies before the verdict, the trial ends; the law has no power over the dead.
Dead to the Law by the Body of Christ
Les applies Romans 7:4: believers are dead to the Mosaic law, so it no longer has power over them.
Romans 5:1-2 Explained — Peace With God Through Faith Alone
Death. If somebody was caught in a known act of adultery, what was it? Death. No questions asked. Boy, if you tried to do that today, there wouldn't be anybody alive, would there? It was severe. It was drastic. And now what has happened to it? Oh, read on. Those handwriting of ordinances that were against us, they were contrary to us.
What the Veil on Moses' Face Really Meant (Most Miss This)
Now we know that whatsoever the law saith, it saith it to them who are under the law. Now just stop a minute, who's under the law? Israel. The Gentiles never were, the Jews. But the power of the law didn't stop with Israel, that every mouth in the whole human race may be stopped, and that all the world, not just Israel, may become guilty before God.
Death as Separation
Les defines death as separation, beginning with physical death of body and soul.
Romans 7:1: Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
This verse establishes the principle that law's authority lasts only during a person's lifetime.
Romans 7:4: 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.
This verse shows that believers are dead to the law through Christ's body, ending its dominion over them.
Yes, according to Romans 7:1, the law has dominion only while a person lives. Les Feldick illustrates this with courtroom examples where a dead man cannot be tried.
Through faith in Christ, believers are considered dead to the law (Romans 7:4), so it no longer has power over them.
Watch the Teaching: Dead to the Law, Married to Christ — What Romans 7 Really Means