Some Needed Clarification

Tonight we dive into an area of Romans 7 that I would describe as some needed clarification.

Paul has been teaching on the freedom that is found in Christ… and a righteousness that is found in Christ. These two things were were unobtainable through the law.

Paul is trying to convince believers in his day that the law is NOT the way to salvation… but instead the way is found in Jesus Christ. This teaching is truly flying in the face of what the Jewish culture was used to.

AND… I find it ironic that God would use Paul to teach this message. Why is God’s selection of Paul interesting here?

Because before Paul knew Jesus… he was a steadfast follower of the law. Not only did he do all he could to uphold the law of God… he persecuted those who believed in the One who came to fulfill the law.

I want you to see how Paul describes himself before he knew Jesus.

Philippians 3:4–7 NIV

4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

In his days before knowing the Lord, Paul was toeing the line… he was doing all he could to earn a title of righteousness… to do all he could to be righteous. But then, he met the One who is righteous… and he laid down what he once saw as gains… so that he could know Jesus… the very One he was persecuting.

So for Paul to teach grace over law was a BIG DEAL! It was a complete 180 from where he had previously been.

Paul knew what the law demanded… Paul knew what “righteousness” required… but he didn’t know true righteousness until he met Jesus. Paul then received righteousness by grace… not law.

So does all of this mean that God’s law… was a bad thing?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. What was God’s intent in giving His people the law? His intent was to steer them away from sin.

The law of God gives definition to sin. God’s law helps us to know what is acceptable and unacceptable to God.

The people of God did not have the example of the Son… so they followed the law at that time.

But when Christ came on the scene, He came to fulfil the law that God’s people would now follow Him.

But with all of this talk regarding the law, Paul hits the pause button to offer some clarification regarding it.

Romans 7:7–13 NIV

7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 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 actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 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 to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

Paul wants all readers to know right out of the box that the law itself is NOT sinful. The law was NOT intended to be a bad thing. So Paul works to offer some clarification regarding the law.

First, The Law Defines Sin

The law of God is what brings definition to sin… it tells us what sin is and what is acceptable to God. Look at verse 7 again… Paul states he would not know what sin is if not for the law.

So as we dive into this… let’s first define the word… sin. What is sin?

Sin Defined:

Lawlessness or transgressions of God’s will, either by omitting to do what God’s law requires or by doing what it forbids.

1 John 3:4 NIV

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

The transgressions can happen in multiple ways:

By thought

1 John 3:15 NIV

15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

By word

Matthew 5:22 NIV

22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

By deed

Romans 1:32 NIV

32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Sin is the universal problem that Jesus came to the earth to be an answer for. Sin is a very real issue that leads people away from God and brings CERTAIN death and destruction.

Knowing what sin is… the law then makes clear to us what God considers to be sinful living verses righteous living.

The law was given to provide spiritual boundaries or guardrails to keep us away from sin.

Consider the laws of this land for a moment… some of the more simple laws.

Way do we have a law that states what side of the road you are to drive on?

Why do we have a law that states how fast you can drive on streets and highways?

Why do we have laws that state I cannot walk into your home and take whatever I want?

Why do we have laws that state I cannot shoot my guns wherever I want to in town?

These examples might seem silly and obvious… but church without these laws, lives would be lost. People would be hurt. Chaos would erupt.

So we have defined things we can and cannot do as citizens of this nation. The law brings that definition.

God’s law was given that we might know what sin is… and stay completely away from it. Sin brings CERTAIN death and destruction. God did not create us for that. Instead, He created us for life to the full.

And here’s the reality we need to understand. Once a person has broken God’s law, we cannot regain a righteous standing in the eyes of God on our own. Why? Because the consequence for our sin is death. It’s a price we could not pay… a debt we could not satisfy. THAT IS WHY GOD WANTED HIS PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM SIN!

But this is also why the enemy works so hard to get or tempt people to sin. And this is the second thing that Paul points out in our passage in Romans.

Second, The Enemy Tempts to Break the God’s Law

Look at Romans 7:8 again...

Romans 7:8 NIV

8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.

The enemy has been tempting God’s people to sin since the dawn of creation.

In the beginning… there was ONE command. That command is found in Genesis 2:15-17

Genesis 2:15–17 NIV

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Adam was given the freedom to eat from ANY tree in the garden but one. Adam was truly living in the goodness of God.

All that had been created was declared by God to be GOOD. All Adam had known at this point was… GOOD!

When the serpent, who was the enemy, came on the scene… He didn’t tempt Eve to eat just from just any tree… he tempted her to eat from the tree God said they were not to eat from.

This might sound like a captain obvious statement here… but hear me out. Satan will not tempt you to follow God’s commands… he tempts you to break God’s commands. Why? Because as Jesus made clear in John 10:10

John 10:10 NIV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Satan wants nothing but destruction for God’s people.

Where the law was meant to lead to life, sin was the path that lead to death. The enemy tempted Eve into believing that God was withholding something good from them. He used God’s word against the Lord and both Adam and Eve took the bait.

And church… we still have a tendency to lean this way even to this day… to take the bait.

Silly example but hear me out. How many people know the speed limit… but break it just a little bit to make better time?

Keep it under five over and the authorities will leave you alone. That may be true… but you are still breaking the law of the land.

Listen, when it comes to any law… there is no fudging the law or bending the law… it is either followed… or broken.

The enemy will tempt you to break God’s law all day long. He will try to lead you from the Lord.

BUT Jesus has come to lead us back to the Father. He died the death meant for us… He paid the price we could not pay. He took the wages of our sin and nailed it to the cross. In return, He offers us life to the full… we take on HIS righteousness in place of our spiritual brokenness.

AND… Jesus will never lead us to do something that breaks the heart of God. Jesus will never lead us to sin!

The law is no longer our focus as our way to righteousness… Jesus is. And as we follow Him, we can be assured that Jesus will lead us in the ways of God… not the ways of sin.

The Bottom Line...

Romans 7:12 NIV

12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

The law was NEVER a bad thing… it was a necessary thing God gave us. It brought clarity to what sin is and is not.

The hard reality regarding the law was… it also made clear what the penalty was for breaking it. Why would sin come with such a steep penalty?

Because sin is rebelling against God.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden… they trusted the lie of the serpent over the truth of God’s word. God warned them of the consequence for this type of rebellion. From that day on… the world has been wrestling with the sin problem.

But, thanks be to God… He sent His Son to take on the penalty for our sin.

Jesus fulfilled the demands of the law through His death on the cross for all who call on His name for salvation.

The law remains the law… but it’s price has been paid. Sin remains sin and it’s consequence is still a very real thing.

But for those who are in Christ… for those who follow Jesus… their sins are now under the blood. Forgiveness has come to those who know Jesus.