How Sin and the Law Work for Our Good
In Romans 7:7-12 the apostle Paul helps us to see how the law works to our advantage in relation to helping us to see the sin in our lives. Here is what he writes: “7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” I find this so incredibly interesting. Paul is saying that law itself is not sin; rather it is holy. The purpose of God’s law is to reveal our sin nature. The law’s commandments not to do something reveal in us a sinful desire to do what we are told not to do. Sin, by taking advantage of the commandments of the law, produces in us all manner of evil desires. The purpose for the law was never to bring righteousness; “no flesh is justified by the deeds of the law”. Only Christ can bring righteousness. However, the law is good in that it reveals to us our sin and our need for Christ’s righteousness. This is how sin and the law work for our good. Pretty interesting isn’t it?