“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” ~Romans 7:7-12.
What a marvelous thing it is to grasp an understanding of the Law of God. In many places, the Law of God is rejoiced over, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). But how can something that Paul claims brings forth death, be the very thing that the Psalmist praises? Because it is holy! It is from God Himself to us. And though sin living in us, attaches to the Law to bring death in us (because disobedience to the law justifies our death), we see the Law is there to lead us to a greater beauty: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who alone is our salvation.
In the Old Testament, Israel was chosen by God to be His people. And this meant their entire lives revolved around a theocratic society which was installed, maintained, and empowered by God through judges, prophets, priests, and kings. There were 3 particular laws of God Israel had to obey: 1)Moral Law, 2) Social Law, which encompasses judicial, economic, and political laws 3) and Ceremonial Law, which dealt specifically with the worship in the temple and clean and unclean observances. The latter two deals specifically with Israel and these specific requirements are not commanded to present-day Gentile believers. However, the one law that is to be obeyed forever and by all people is the law Paul speaks about, which is the moral Law of God.
According to Paul’s explanation, “apart from the law, sin lies dead.” So, when the law is brought forth, sin rises to the top. Now we must remember an important fact: The Law itself is not sinful because it is from God, and anything that proceeds from God is holy because He is holy. Contrary to popular belief, the Bible is not an instruction manual or a book of wise living tips. It is not written to show us popular leadership characteristics, good business management advice, or how to live our best life now. Though we can see role models throughout the Bible who give us an accurate view of living by faith, the scriptures should not be read with a “What’s in it for me” mindset. In other words, don’t approach the Bible to see what you can get out of it for yourself; approach it to know God and to understand His Holiness. God has given us His Law for a divine purpose, and part of that purpose brings death in us. We will examine deeper into how something holy produces death in us instead of holiness.
Paul said “if it had not been for the law, I would have not known sin.” This verse clearly explains that God’s Law gives us a particular knowledge. A knowledge that cannot be gained through any other writings, but Holy Scripture. The knowledge that we get from God’s Law is the knowledge of our own sin. The depth of the knowledge of our sin, relies on hearing that Law. The Law of God does not necessarily come out and say, “you’re a sinner.” The Law clearly lays out God’s “do’s and don’t’s” for life and it condemns to death anyone who doesn’t keep it perfectly. And upon reading God’s Law, all human beings should immediately be aware that they stand guilty before a Holy God. It is no different than a criminal hearing the judge read his verdict and sending him to prison. That criminal knows he is found out, and there is no escaping the surety of his imprisonment. God’s Law similarly reveals the criminal intent of your heart towards your Creator. The origin of our sinful nature can be clearly seen in scripture. Through Adam, all have sinned (Romans 5:12), and therefore from the moment we were conceived in our mother’s womb we were destined for hell. This reality stems from the sin which lives in us and is our nature. We are not destined to hell because we disobey God’s Law; we are destined to hell because we were born! (Ps. 51:5). And when the Law of God comes, it does not bring life to us, it brings the surety of our death. Galatians 5:10 says, “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law and do them.” The moment you hear God’s Law, the sin that lay dormant in you for so long has now had a great light shine upon it. There is no hiding it, you are a temple of sin and death. Jesus said, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment” (Matt 22:37-38). If you have not loved God to this caliber, at every single moment of your existence in this life, then you are under the curse of God’s Law because you do not abide completely in the first commandment. Through this commandment, you should now be aware that you are an idolater.
Yet, it is not the commandment that is sinful, but the commandment is holy. It is we who are sinful. When we approach the Law of God we are to approach it as a blinding light of glory, ready to be exposed for what truly lives inside of us. Jesus Christ said, “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (Matt 15:18-19). Your words on a daily basis reflect what is in your heart, the real heart. And even if you never spoke a word, the sin is still like a rotting corpse on the inside of you. And knowing the Law of God will reveal these defilements. If you say that you are without sin, you deceive yourself and the truth is not in you (1 John 1:8). The Law of God rips us completely open to the truth of what is inside of our hearts, and no one who says “sin does not live in my heart” tells the truth. And you cannot rely on your good obedience to outweigh your sin before the throne of God, because as we have already seen “cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law and do them.”
Therefore, the Law has served its purpose. It has condemned you and not given you eternal life before God. No one can come to God’s throne and say, “I have done marvelous deeds for you. May I enter into heaven?” The answer will be “No.” Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23). No one can come before the throne of God with their good works and expect redemption through them. The curse of death is already upon you because the Law of God has been spoken to you. That holy and fearful sight of God’s Law which the Israelites didn’t bare to look towards themselves, but sent Moses to go for them, is that same Law that should strike fear in your own heart. “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood afar off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” (Exodus 20:18-19). And so Moses spoke to the people as a prophet of God. But the very words Moses delivered them, they could not bear it still. For the Law of Moses was not a law unto the saving of their souls, but the very same Law which we are speaking about now and brings forth death in all of us. This Law is a curse if not kept completely, and you can be assured that no amount of good works or even following of the Law will save you from your sins, because the Law does not have the power to kill the sinful indulgences of your flesh.
The Law always places you squarely at the feet of God’s wrath, showing that you are His enemy and not His friend (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:1-3). What can you do to appease His wrath against you? What can you do to turn His eternal punishment away from you and have peace? In order to be reconciled to God, two things must happen; 1) Your past, present, and future sins must be atoned for. The penalty of sin is death, therefore, the penalty must be paid in full. 2) You must present yourself as a righteous person before God. Even after your sins are atoned for, you must still live righteously before God. We will discuss a little later, the grace of God in fulfilling these two requirements. But first, let the Word of God lead us to understand God’s Law and what it fully is supposed to be for us.
Romans 3:19-20 says, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” So, therefore, anyone who tries to please God with their own hands, even if you are out feeding orphans and helping widows, you will not be justified by God in your actions. Your hands are still unclean. The Law of God is here to “stop our mouths” and hold us accountable to God. It is to give us the knowledge of our sin. And ultimately it is to show us our absolute desperate need for a Savior. And the final and most holy aspect of the Law of God, is to reveal to us our One and Only hope, Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:23-26 says, “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” The Law is our “guardian,” who holds us fast until we come to FAITH in CHRIST! Who is this Christ? What has He truly done for us in that He alone is able to release us from the curse of the Law? Simply put, He satisfied both of the requirements of God in His life, death, burial, and resurrection from the dead.
In His life, He has lived perfectly and righteously to the will of God. Jesus said, “And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29). Where we fall short of pleasing God, Jesus has come and pleased the Father in all things and at all times. In His death, He has satisfied God’s wrath for our punishment. He has taken the entire cup of God’s wrath and drank it completely. And our sins are atoned for because He died in our place. Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” And Jesus prayed “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). The contents of that cup are God’s wrath upon all mankind, and Jesus drank it obediently so that we would not have to drink. The drink that Jesus gives us to drink is the cup of His blood in the Lord’s Supper. “Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28). In His burial, we find the purpose of baptism that we are with Him in burial to our old self. Romans 6:3 asks, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” Through the work of baptism we die to our old self and are made one with Christ. Without this baptism into the covenant of grace, then our flesh and sin still live and the cross of Christ would be meaningless to us. In His resurrection, we are born again unto the newness of life, and this is a new creation done in us by the work of God! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). And also Romans 6:4 says, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” And now through His life, we also live.
The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ reconciles us to God through what is called “imputation.” God imputed our penalty of sin upon Christ, and Christ’s righteousness was imputed unto us; Christ takes our sin, and we take His righteousness. Romans 5:19 says, “For as by the one man’s disobedience [Adam] the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience [Christ] the many will be made righteous.” So, this righteousness is not a righteousness that we ever do, but a righteousness that is given to us by God through Jesus Christ.” And these last verses sum up the entire completion of the Law of God: “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14), and “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13). Finally, the curse of God’s Law upon us is nailed to the cross, and hangs on a tree. God put Jesus, His only Son, on the cross that the curse would no longer fall upon us. And we are dead to our sin and alive unto God, through Christ alone. May nothing be added to it or taken from it! Now that we live in Christ, we are free to serve Him, giving all affection to Him and giving no provision to live according to our flesh. Therefore, with all the wonderful glory of Christ and His salvation for us, REPENT and turn away from your sins, and look to Him alone for your reconciliation to God. It is by faith in Christ that you can be saved, because “blessed are those who believe without seeing” (John 20:29). Repent and walk no longer in the sin that you once loved and that the Law reveals in you, and turn to the grace of God in Christ Jesus. May the Holy Spirit regenerate your soul and give you a new life in Christ. Amen.
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