Attention Value Shoppers

Last week we looked at (Rom7:1-6) and that the law had dominion over those under the law, but we are dead to the law and alive in Christ. Paul used the illustration of a marriage in which the husband dies (the law) and the wife then is free to be bound to another (in our case Christ).

Paul is ready for the Jewish objectors. He is ready to answer them without even being asked any questions. That is what he does in this section and the rest of Chapter-7.

This morning the intentions are to look at the following.

The passage and our observations (Rom7:7-13)

The law reveals sin (Rom7:7)

The law arouses sin (Rom7:8-9)

The law kills (Rom7:10-11)

The law shows the sinfulness of sin (Rom7:12-13)

Conclusion- Is the law worth it, is it a good value?

The passage and our observations

Simply Christians studying God’s Word do that, we look, ponder, contemplate, learn from God’s word for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

Romans 7:7–8 NASB95

7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.

Romans 7:9–10 NASB95

9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;

Romans 7:11–12 NASB95

11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Romans 7:13 NASB95

13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

What general observations do you make of this passage?

What is the focal point of this passage?

Who is Paul talking to? Be careful on this, you may need to look back further for answer.

How did Paul come to know sin (v.7)?

Apart from the law, what is dead (v.8)?

When the law/commandment came, what became alive (v.9)?

What was to give life actually gave death (v.10)?

What did the sin do (v.11)?

If law, commandment and righteousness are good (v.12); what did Paul drive home to make his point (v.13)?

So, let me ask a question after looking at this passage, is the law good, is the law necessary? Is the law a good value?

The Law is necessary to make us aware of sin

The law is good, it is holy, it is righteous, and was meant to bring life, but because of awareness made us sinners and responsible for our sin.

Is it a good value, NO, certainly not, it costs a great deal, your very life, soul. Where grace offers you a free gift, forgiveness and eternal life.

Law reveals sin

What does the word “reveal” mean?

(V) make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others.

The law comes the knowledge of sin (Rom3:20, 4:1; Jm1:22-25).

Romans 3:20 NASB95

20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

The law shut up everyone under sin (Gal3:22-25).

Galatians 3:22–23 NASB95

22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

Galatians 3:24–25 NASB95

24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Paul did not use the obvious, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, he used coveting. This one is an inner attitude vs. an outward action. It is so insidious that most people never even recognize it in their own lives, but God’s law reveals it.

Another good illustration, example is the rich young ruler in (Mk10:17-27) you can read that on your own, make a note of that one in your notes.

Law Arouses Sin

What does arouse mean?

Arouse (V): to awaken, to stimulate into action, to excite

Romans 7:8–9 NLT

8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life,

As you may know, remember, Paul was a devout Jew, a firm keeper of the law. and, in reality the strength of sin is the law.

The strength of sin is the law (1Cor15:56)

1 Corinthians 15:56 NASB95

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

“We have a sinful nature, the law is bound to arouse that nature the way a magnet draws steel” - W. Wiersbe.

Think about this, when you are told not to do something, often times what is the first thing you want to do? That is sinful nature.

Legalism does not make people more spiritual it makes them more sinful. Why? Because the law arouses sin in our nature.

An interesting word is found in some versions, it is the word “proclivity” meaning a tendency to choose or do something regularly; in other words to not just sin, but to dwell in sin, let a sinful behaviour continue in your life.

Look how Isaiah viewed things about sin (Isa6:5)

Isaiah 6:5 NASB95

5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Isaiah had seen the glory of the Lord. He understood, just as we as Christians should too and not for a proclivity to sin, but to righteousness.

The Law kills

Something was was supposed to bring life, brought death (Rom7:10-11)

Romans 7:10–11 GNB

10 and I died. And the commandment which was meant to bring life, in my case brought death. 11 Sin found its chance, and by means of the commandment it deceived me and killed me.

Law could not make you righteous (Gal3:21).

Galatians 3:21 NKJV

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

The Law cannot give life, it can only show that the sinner is guilty and condemned outside of Christ. This why we need to remember.

The letter of the Law kills (2Cor3:6)

2 Corinthians 3:6 NASB95

6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Consider back in the garden, there was only one thing given, one thing that would give life

Genesis 2:17 NASB95

17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Don’t eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Again, the command given was given to give life, but it actually brought death.

We want to make sure to follow Jesus not some teacher. A teacher can give information, the Spirit and give illumination and help us to grasp, understand spiritual truths for application.

We discipline a child after we have made the child aware of the wrong doing. They are made aware and face the consequences. We too are made aware of what we have done wrong and either we accept God’s gift, or we suffer the consequences.

Law shows sinfulness of sin

Sin is sinful, sin is grievous, sin is hated by God. Sin must be dealt with or God will deal with it.

Law comes from Holy, just, good, righteous God, so the law itself must be good.

Romans 7:12–13 NKJV

12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

If we are honest even unsaved people know about sin. That there is such a thing as sin. What they don’t know or they ignore is the sinfulness of sin.

Hold on, even Christians can forget the sinfulness, the severity, the grievousness of sin.

Is there an unholy commandment among God’s laws? NO! (Lev19:2)

Leviticus 19:2 NASB95

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

Is there an unrighteous commandment? NO! (Dan9:14)

For God is righteous!

Daniel 9:14 NASB95

14 “Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.

Is there an evil commandment? - NO (Mk10:18

Mark 10:18 NASB95

18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

For God is good.

“Until we realize how wicked sin really is, we will never want to oppose it and live in victory” -Bible Exposition Commentary.

The Law brings death to me (summary)

According to Warren Wiersbe, he says it so eloquently.

Paul’s argument here is tremendous.

The law is not sinful - it is holy, just and good

The law reveals sin arouses sin, and then uses sin to slay us.

Conclusion. See how sinful sin is when it can use something good like the law to produce such a tragic result. Sin is indeed “Exceedingly sinful.” The problem is not with the law, the problem is with my sinful nature.

Though we may battle sin because of our flesh, our spirit has victory in Christ Jesus. We may not be perfect, but are being perfected in Christ Jesus. We may have a sinful nature, but we are born again so we can walk in the newness of life.

So, is grace over the law? Is grace a good value. If you understand the purpose of the law, then grace is of great value.