Paul discusses the law in 7:1-6. He says that Christians are set free from the law, and as the bride of Christ they live controlled by Christ’s love and grace. When Paul says this it sounds like the law is bad. In today’s passage by Paul asking, “Is the law sinful?” (7) he explains the relationship of the law and sin.
The law is God’s commandments. When used narrowly it refers to the 10 commandments of Moses written in Exodus 20. When used broadly it refers to the whole Old Testament. In other words it is the laws that tell us what we should and should not do. It is extremely important how Christians look at this law. That’s because if we don’t properly understand this the Gospel will become warped. Thus we will fall into being a legalistic. On the other hand, if we think the law isn’t necessary, then we will not be teaching the Gospel correctly. Therefore, today let’s look at 3 aspects of the law.
I. By the law we know sin (vs. 7)
First let’s look at the fact that the law was given so that we would know sin. Please look at verse 7.
After talking from verse 1, Paul is asked, “What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful?” (7) Paul answers, “Certainly not!” As he says in verse 12, “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.” God gave the law so that we would know sin. Without the law, we would not know sin. If the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (7, Exodus 20:17) then we would not have known about coveting. Paul mentions this commandment because it is different than all the other 10 commandments. The other 9 commandments can be seen if it is broken. However, this commandment is only in the heart so it can not be seen if it is broken or not. This sin is hidden in our hearts.
Paul thought before he believed in Christ that as a devout Pharisee that he was following the law faithfully. However, when he received this law, “You shall not covet.” (Exodus 20:17) it broke down his understanding of sin. He realized that he was a sinner. He didn’t expect that that what he thought in his heart would be seen. If a light was shown there, there is no one who could say that they were righteous. Everyone until they receive God’s commandments think that sin is breaking the law, and if you follow the law then you are a righteous person. We were the same. To follow the rules of society, to have a kind and warm heart, to think of others is a good person Recently on T.V. there is a commercial that says, “You can’t see a person’s thoughts, but you can see thoughtfulness”. When you are riding on a train and an elderly person comes and you give that person your seat, then you feel like a good person. When your helpfulness is seen, you think about how great a person you are. However, the problem is your thoughts that can’t be seen. If our thoughts were shown by a projector, we would be so shameful that we could never raise our heads. The law projects our thoughts and shows us how deep a sinner we are.
In reality, this is the reason why the law was given. Jesus in Matt. 5:21-28 taught this. Usually the Jews taught that the command “Do not kill” meant to actually physically kill a person. However, Jesus said that not just that was murder, but to be angry with your brother and call him “stupid” was committing murder too. Also adultery is the same. Not just being in an adulterous act, but to think lustfully about a girl is also adultery. In other words, Jesus was talking about the law and the problem of it originating in the heart. When you consider from that side, there is no one who hasn’t sinned. All man are lost and worthless. The law was given so that we would know that.
That is because salvation begins by recognizing your sin. Without a person correctly recognizing his sin, he can’t be saved. The law causes us to want to be saved by making us regret our sin, and making us anxious to not stay in our sin.
II. Sin that uses the law (vs. 8)
Therefore, the problem is not the law, but the sin that within us. Look at verse 8.
“Seizing the opportunity” means sin is always looking for a chance to shoot and kill us. The law itself is wonderful, “righteous and good”. (12). The sin that is within us uses the law to shoot and kill us. The law not only reveals sin; it also stimulates it. The natural human tendency is to desire the forbidden thing. For example, the law “You shall not covet” not only revealed this sin, but it “produced in me every kind of coveting.” (8)
When you look at the world today it is like Sodom and Gomorrah. “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.” (Ephesians 4:17) That is because the sin that we had from birth uses the commandments and produces “every kind of coveting”. (8) No matter how much morals you teach, nor how much you try in your own strength to follow the law, it just produces more and more of “every kind of coveting”. (8) The power of sin is that strong. From that stand point, teaching morals, commands, and the law have no power to change us.
Therefore, God doesn’t demand that we sinners follow the law in order to be saved. That’s because we can’t. We need only to believe in the salvation of God. God by his huge mercy, sent his only son Jesus Christ into this world to save us who are powerless and can’t follow the law. Jesus was put on the cross and atoned for our sin, and prepared the way for salvation from our sin. We need to only realize our sin, repent, and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savor from sin. If we do, God’s perfect righteousness will come upon us, we will be saved from all sin, and we will be set free from sin’s control. “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” (5:20) When we go to the foot of the cross, for the first time we will understand this meaning.
III. The law that leads to death (vs. 9-11)
The law itself “is holy, righteous, and good.” (12) However, by the giving of the law, sin used it and caused us to sin all the more, and as a result mankind dies. God’s commands were supposed to lead us to life, but instead led us to death. Paul was very zealous towards following the law of God. He was righteous in the law so he could not be accused. However, that was just because he didn’t understand the real meaning of what the law was really trying to say. When he understood the real meaning, he realized how deep a sinner he really was. His eyes were opened.
Today there are so many people who until they were converted that were like Paul. They think that they are good people, and are proud of their own righteousness and judge other people. Especially this is true about those who live by morals. This like the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray. He stood up and prayed in his heart, “God I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” (Luke 18:11-12)
This is what person who doesn’t understand sin is like. If he doesn’t really know that he is deep in sin, then he talks about other people complaining about this and that. A person that really understands sin, is like the tax collector. He wasn’t able to look towards heaven, and beat his breast praying, “”God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (13) Jesus said that this man went home justified before God, but the Pharisee did not. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)
The law has been given to us so that we would realize how weak, and how deeply sinful we are. It is to announce to us that before God’s judgment we are doomed. That is what is meant by “death”. (9,10,11) Only those who have died can live by Christ’s Gospel. While you are thinking that by your own strength, you don’t know Christ’s grace. We have nothing by sin. We are dead. Only those who know this are saved by Christ, are given God’s life, eternal life and can have a bright life. This is the Gospel.
What Japan needs now is the Gospel. It is like a house built upon a rock. When the rains and winds come, the house does not fall. That is because it is built on the rock. It is built on a solid foundation. God wants to give us a really bright life like this.
Last Sunday was Easter. The day before on Sat. I read Luke 23:39-43. In that passage Jesus was put on the cross with 2 criminals. These 2 criminals made completely different last choices. One criminal spoke negatively about Jesus and cursed and complained about him. However the other criminal believed that Jesus was the Son of God. He knew that it right that he was a sinner that he should die, but Jesus was without sin, and had an unjust trial. In the midst of this he asked if a sinner like him could be saved. Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) In the end he was able to receive eternal life and enter paradise. The important thing is to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
It is important to follow the law. However, by following the law you will not be saved. The more we follow the law, the more we will have guilt feelings for our sin. There is death.
Romans 3:21-23
We can not destroy the power of sin without the Cross of Christ. No matter how strong our will is, no matter how high our morals are, no matter how strong a law we have, the power of sin was destroyed by Jesus Christ being nailed and dieing on the cross. The cross of Jesus Christ is the only way to save us from sin and death. By believing in Jesus we are made righteous. This is the new hope that we are given.
No matter how much you want to move a ship that is on land, even if you have lots of men it is almost impossible to move it. However, if the tide comes in and the boat begins to float then even if a little child touches it, the ship will move. That is the work of God. Don’t try in your own strength to follow the law, but believe in Jesus Christ who perfectly followed the law, and atoned for our sin. Put all your burdens on him, and even though you don’t have enough strength you will be able to move the ship, and it will unfold into a surprisingly and marvelous life.