Romans 7:7-12

Text

Romans 7:7-12. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet: Romans 7:8 but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting; for apart from the law sin is dead. Romans 7:9 And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; Romans 7:10 and the commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death: Romans 7:11 for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me. Romans 7:12 So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 7:7-12

279.

If the power of sin is the law, why not do away with all law so we would have no sin?

280.

If the law causes sin, is it not itself some form of sin?

281.

In just what way does sin or Satan find an occasion in the law?

282.

There must be a very personal Devil, for how else would he be able to approach our spirits through the law? Do you believe this is a fair deduction?

283.

When was Paul ever alive apart from the law?

284.

In what sense did the commandment come to Paul?

285.

What death did Paul die as a result of his personal sin?

286.

In what sense did sin revive? cf. Romans 7:9 b.

287.

Verse ten states the purpose of the law. What was it?

288.

Just what was, or is, the occasion of Romans 7:11 a?

289.

Paul was beguiled or deceived by sin through the commandment. How?

290.

In what sense are we to understand Romans 7:12? The law is holy, In what respect?

291.

Is the commandment different from the law? Explain. Answer all of these questions with your present knowledge. You are directly responsible to God and directly responsible to the word of God. These words were written to the Christians in Rome, who had no more ability to understand than you do, yet God expected them to understand by reading and thought. He expects the same thing of each of us.

Paraphrase

Romans 7:7-12. What then do I say when I affirmed, Romans 7:5. that, under the law, our sinful passions wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death? Do I say that the law is a bad institution? By no means. Nay, I could not have known sin in its extent and demerit, unless through law. For even strong desire of things sinful, I could not have known to be sin punishable with death, unless the law of Moses had said, thou shalt not covet.

Romans 7:8 But I say that sin, taking opportunity under the law to kill me by its curse, wrought effectually in me the strongest desire of things forbidden, and thereby subjected me to death, (Romans 7:5) For without the law, sin is dead; hath no power to kill the sinner.

Romans 7:9 Accordingly, I was in my own imagination entitled to life, while without the knowledge of law formerly: but when the commandment, with its curse, came to my knowledge in their full extent, sin, which I fancied had no existence in me, lived again, and I died by the curse.

Romans 7:10 And so the commandment written on the hearts of men, and published in the law of Moses, which was intended for giving life, the same was found by me, in my present state, to be the occasion of death.

Romans 7:11 For as law neither remedies the weakness of human nature, nor subdues its evil appetites, sin, taking opportunity while I was under the commandment to kill me, deceived me into the commission of evil actions by its specious allurements, and through the commandment slew me.

Romans 7:12 Wherefore, the law indeed, as it restrains us from sin by the fear of punishment, is holy even in its curse, and the moral commandment is holy, and just, and good.

Summary

The law is neither sinful nor the cause of sin. On the contrary, sin becomes known by the law. As proof, I had never known desire to be sin, but for the precept of the law forbidding it. But so soon as the precept was given, sin took advantage of the circumstance to work up desire in me, the very thing the law forbade; and thus I fell under the condemnation of the law. Without law sin is dead or powerless to kill. Accordingly, before the law I was alive or uncondemned, but when the precept came I broke it. Thus sin arose, and for it I was condemned to die. It was in this way that a precept which was designed for life turned out to end in death. The law then is not sin; but is holy in all its parts.

Comment

a.

The Objection Stated: Since it is so desirable to be released from the law, is the law a form of sin? Romans 7:7 a

b.

The answer is given. Romans 7:7 b - Romans 7:12

The apostle, in this instance as in the former two, first states the objection then immediately denies it. Then follow the reasons for his refusal to accept the validity of the objection. Romans 7:7 b

Since the subjects of sin and law have been brought together, Paul takes this opportunity to explain the relationship of the law to sin and vice versa.

(1) His first observation is that although the law of itself is not sin, it does make sin known. In other words, it defines sin. As an illustration of this thought Paul says, I would never have known it was a sin to covet unless the law had been given. In the law I was informed that a condition of covetousness was a condition of sin. Romans 7:7 c

(2) His second thought is to describe the work of sin (or Satan, as sin is here personified) in its relation to the commandment. When the commandment was given it afforded an occasion to Satan for temptation. Even as Satan took the command of God in the garden and, appealing to the power of choice, tempted Eve, so now he comes to you and me and says, even as of old, Yea, hath God said? In the case cited by the inspired writer he would have said: Yea, hath God said, -Thou shalt not covet-'? Thus when man makes the wrong choice, all manner of coveting is given entrance to his heart. We can see then indeed that apart from the law sin (or Satan) is dead or powerless. Romans 7:8

144.

State in your own words the thought of the objection concerning the law in respect to sin.

145.

What is the relationship of the law to sin (cp. 1 Corinthians 15:56)?

146.

Describe briefly the work of Satan in respect to the law.

(3) The third point in this discussion recalls the days of innocent childhood, before the demands of the law were comprehended or ere the light of reason shone upon its penalties. Regarding his childhood state Paul could truly say, I was alive (or happy, living in blissful unconsciousness of moral responsibility) apart from the law. But when I became conscious of God's demands upon my soul, when I understood God's will for my life, no sooner had this taken place, than sin (or Satan) came alive and I died. How his death took place has already been described. Romans 7:9

(4) Further describing the work of the commandment: it was given to point men to a life in God. But tragic as it may sound, I found it to result only in death. It is even as I have already observed, that Satan found an occasion through and by the commandment to beguile me, even as he in his craftiness did beguile Eve. Thus we see that Satan actually used the commandment as a death weapon in his hands to slay me. Romans 7:10-11

(5) So, in conclusion, and in direct answer to your objection, I can say that the law is not a form of sin. The commandment bears no vestige of sin. The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. From what I have said, you know the true relation of the law and sin. Romans 7:12