THE GROWTH OF FAITH, Dr. Samuel Lee
THE HOLY LAW
Passage: Romans 7:7~13  
Key verse: 13
The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then?(A) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!(B) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.(C) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”[a](D) 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(E) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.(F) 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life(G) actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,(H) deceived me,(I) and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.(J)
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good(K) to bring about my death,(L) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
Footnotes
- Romans 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21
Cross references
- Romans 7:7 : S Ro 8:31
- Romans 7:7 : S ver 12
- Romans 7:7 : S Ro 4:15
- Romans 7:7 : Ex 20:17; Dt 5:21
- Romans 7:8 : ver 11
- Romans 7:8 : S Ro 4:15
- Romans 7:10 : Lev 18:5; Lk 10:26-28; S Ro 10:5; Gal 3:12
- Romans 7:11 : ver 8
- Romans 7:11 : Ge 3:13
- Romans 7:12 : ver 7, 13, 14, 16; Ro 8:4; Gal 3:21; 1Ti 1:8; S Ro 4:15
- Romans 7:13 : S ver 12
- Romans 7:13 : S Ro 6:23
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Source:  BibleGateway
1. Law exposes the sinful nature (7-8)
The tenth commandment is 'Do not covet.' It is the only commandment directed toward our inner desires. A well-disciplined person might keep his hand from stealing, but he cannot keep his heart from coveting. Paul was an able and self-righteous Pharisee. But he realized that his heart was full of worldly ambition and covetous desires; he knew that he was a sinner. He could not solve his own sin problem, so he despaired. Then he met Jesus.
2. The commandment is righteous (9-13)
God is righteous, and his law is holy and good. But law has no power to cleanse one's heart and life from sin. Law only makes demands which cannot be met. A person who longs for righteousness only realizes how sinful he is. Paul uses strong language. He said, 'The good law killed me.' The law diagnoses sin; it is used by God to bring conviction of sin. But the law cannot solve our sin problem.
Prayer: Lord, I know that I am a sinner, unable to help myself. Thank you for forgiving me through the blood of Jesus.
One Word: Recognize sin as sin