The Bible tells us plainly that we cannot be married to Christ and married to the law at the same time. To be married to the law means to be motivated to act as if we owe a debt to God's law and justice, one which we cannot pay because we are sinners (Rom. 3:10-20). To be married to Christ is to see that the debt was paid in full by Christ, our Substitute and Surety, as He obeyed the law's precepts perfectly, and as He satisfied its demand of justice for our sins. Therefore we cannot be married to Christ until we are dead to the law, and we cannot be dead to the law but by the body of Christ – His substitutionary obedience and death to establish a righteousness for us. All who believe in Him, who have sought and found salvation based on His righteousness alone, are dead to the law and married to Christ.

"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." – Romans 7:4

     One of the reasons for our marriage to Christ and being freed from and becoming dead to the law is that we should bring forth fruit unto God as opposed to fruit unto death. "Fruit unto God" refers to the works and efforts of justified sinners, those who are married to Christ and dead to the law, aimed at obeying God's commandments, aimed at pleasing God, in our personal character and conduct. "Fruit unto God," then, is that which proceeds from our personal character and conduct aimed at perfect conformity to Christ. Therefore, "fruit unto God" must be excluded totally as to attaining or maintaining any part of our salvation. "Fruit unto God" is the works and efforts of believers, and our works and efforts are not good enough to save us, keep us, make us holy and fit and qualified, nor are they good enough to earn God's favor and blessings, nor can they make us more certain for Heaven. All of these things are attained by Christ, and we are partakers of all these blessings of grace as we become dead to the law and married to Him. "Fruit unto God" is pleasing to God as it is the fruit of faith that honors God, exalts Christ, and excludes boasting in ourselves. They are motivated by the assurance of salvation based on the righteousness of Christ.