Romans 7

Paul writes that when we accept Christ we are no longer bound to the law, but bound to Christ. When we die with Him, we die to our old self and just like a marriage is dissolved upon death, so is our bond to the law. We become united with Christ and are raised up to do great things for Him. The law was made to open our eyes and show us what we're doing wrong, but can have the opposite effect if our rebellious nature takes over and wants to do the things that are wrong for the sole reason that they are wrong. Even when we agree with God's law, and want to do what is right, we still have an internal battle between our desire to do right and our human nature.

Even though we are not bound to the law as a means of making us right with God, that doesn't excuse us from following it. The punishment has been taken away for all those who have been made new in Christ, but the law remains as a guideline for how we are to live. Jesus reaffirmed the law and even showed how it goes beyond our actions and applies to what we think in our hearts. The law is on each of our hearts and we want to follow it, but our sinful nature gets in the way and we wind up doing the exact opposite of what we know we should do. This is not an excuse for bad behavior, but a reminder to always look to Christ for strength and to pay attention to our actions.