The Law Exposes the Real Murderer

Thinking about Romans 7:13.

Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

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. (Romans 7:13)

After emphasizing the holiness of the law, Paul asks whether the law or sin was responsible for bringing death.

Did the “Good” Law Bring Death?

The law was what Paul said was “holy, righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12).

So - does what is “good” (the law) bring death? Where the NKJV translates the opening phrase as “become death to me?” the ESV translates it as “bring death to me?”

Paul answers his own question in a strong, firm way - “Certainly not!” Sin - not the Law - was to blame for the death. It was sin, and not the Law, that produced the many evil desires (Romans 7:8).

The Law Exposed Sin as the Killer.

The only way that the nature of sin could be fully exposed was for it to work in the most holy and pure environment possible, and that was the Law. Paul was saying that “the law unmasks sin, gives it recognizable definition, [and] removes ambiguity from the sinful act.” - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 243

The Law was not the “killer” - Sin was. Sin used the Law, making the Law a sort of victim of sin in a similar way to Paul.

Sin was shown by Paul to be deceptive - it worked through “what is good” so as not to arouse suspicion until it was too late.

Law has done mankind a service in pointing out how horrific and powerful Sin the tyrant is. - McGuiggan, Romans, 210

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Paul has just answered why Christians should live holy, righteous lives rather than continuing in sin so that God’s grace may abound (Romans 6).

Here in Romans 7, Paul is explaining in great detail how Sin is so terrible - which would further emphasize the blessing of being set free from sin through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:5-7). Also, it would show the importance of being freed from the Law (Romans 7:1-4).

How do you escape this cruel, evil tyrant called “Sin?” Jesus Christ is your only hope (John 14:6).