“…I would not have known…” Romans 7:7b&c NIV

Through these five simple words, we find the holiness and goodness of God’s law. Without the law we would not have known what sin was, the power of it to deceive, or how despicable it is in God’s eyes (vv. 7 – 13). Paul cited the last commandment found in the Decalogue: “You shall not covet.” (v.7c; Exodus 20:17) Covetousness differs from the other commandments: murder, larceny, adultery, etc., in that it is committed inwardly in one’s mind and heart and becomes the catalyst to committing the other prohibited acts.

Paul observed that sin (the pattern of rebellion found in man since the fall in Eden) seizes an opportunity through The Law: first through one dying to goodness in the discovery of wickedness (v.9); secondly, by covetousness leading to other acts of evil (v.10); thirdly, by deceiving the sinner into ignoring the guilt and remorse of sin (v.11a), thereby being as good as dead (not responding to any stimulus of goodness or rightness; v.11b).

Paul’s observations on sin are easily seen in the nature of man. For instance, a child will deliberately disobey his parents after being told not to do something, like eat a cookie or touch a hot iron. Children do not understand the love behind the restraints given. Teenager seek to push the limits of restraint. Why? Because it’s in their nature to do so. And adults will even disregard speeding or parking laws. Why? Because it’s in their nature to consider themselves more important than the law, more important than others, and to reject imposed limits. We all have a little (or a lot) of that nature in us.

Those who have not been awakened to righteousness know that sin exists without realizing how despicable it really is… the sinfulness of sin, as Warren Wiersby calls it (The Wiersby Bible Commentary, p.427, c.2, pp.5, l.3). Wiersby asserts: “Many Christians do not realize the true nature of sin. We excuse our sins with words like “mistakes” or “weaknesses,” but God condemns our sins and tries to get us to see that they are ‘exceeding sinful.’ Until we realize how wicked sin really is, we will never want to oppose it and live in victory.”

So, the truths Paul exposes in this passage are:

1.     The law is holy, righteous or just, and good (v.12);

2.     It is not the law that is sinful, it is the sinner (vv. 7 – 8);

3.     The law reveals sin, which in turn arouses further sin, leading to the death of the conscience (vv. 9 – 11).

Can we understand just how terrible sin really is, using God’s holy and good law to bring about such an awful end result? It is “utterly sinful” (v.13), its essence is evil, and its effect upon people is wholly destructive. The law is not the problem… it’s the sinful nature of man. Thank God with me that through the law our consciences were pricked by the scalpel of righteousness, leading us to Christ – The Living Word – and to His abundant life. Without someone sharing The Word and The Law with me I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN of my pitiful state or of God’s wonderful redemption through Christ.