Romans 7:1-2 says, “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? For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.”  You asked which law this was speaking of.

The Apostle Paul had stated in Romans 6:14, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, but under grace.”  Even though these believers were not under the Law, they were certainly familiar with it for Paul writes in verse one, “I speak to them that know the law.”  He goes on to explain how that one is bound to obey the law of marriage as long as he lives.  As originally intended, death alone could break the covenant between a man and his wife.  Paul is giving a specific illustration of the general principle, that only death should dissolve those connections and relations which, under the law, are binding in life.

Paul goes on to state in verse 3, “So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.”  How serious is the marriage vow that it should not be broken.  Marriage is intended to be for life.  We have the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 5:32 which says, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”  One exception the Lord gives is that in the case of fornication, divorce is allowed.  It is not commanded, however.  Many marriages on the brink of divorce because of fornication have been saved through repentance, confession, and in some cases…some good Christian counsel. 

We don’t want to lose sight of the lesson that is being taught in this portion, so let’s continue and read verses 4-6, “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in regard to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were brought to light by the Law, were at work in the parts of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” 

Even as the death of the spouse frees up the surviving one to remarry, one who puts their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ becomes “dead to the law” and is therefore free to enter into a marriage relation with that one who “is raised from the dead”…the Lord Jesus Christ.  The illustration given here is of great importance when we think of how death legally and completely ends the marriage relationship.  We who are “dead with Christ” (Romans 6:8; Colossians 2:20) have had the dominion of the law broken from us.  So, being completely free from the bonds of the law, we, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, become His bride.  The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”  We read of the Church being Christ’s bride and of His great care of His bride in Ephesians 5:25-27 which says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  What a blessed transformation for believers from being under the Law to being the precious bride of Christ.  (CC)  (714.6)