Romans: Exposed by the Law

Romans 7:7-13

For generations, the people of Israel followed the Mosaic law. This law was the foundation for their community life and honoring God, including commandments such as "don’t commit murder," "don’t steal from one another," "don’t covet your neighbor’s wife," and "worship no other god but the Lord God." 

While these were moral expectations, the law was never meant to be the way to connect with God. Everyone knew that even if they hadn't actually committed murder, they might have had the desire to do so. Even if they hadn’t stolen from someone, they might have secretly wanted what others had. The law served as a reminder that, on our best days, we're still not good enough for God. Because of this, God’s people made sacrifices for their sins, looking forward to the Perfect Sacrifice that was to come. 

The believer’s identification with Jesus' work of grace through faith frees us from the law and empowers us to live. Paul describes it like this:

Romans 7:6
But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.  

Those receiving this letter might have wondered: Since we have been released from the law, which held us captive, and the law was the old way of the written code, is the law evil? Paul anticipates this question with his following explanation in Romans 7:7-12. 

Romans 7:7a
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! 

Now Paul follows up with a specific example.

Romans 7:7b-8
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. 

Indeed, people desired what others possessed before the law was given. But before the law, they did not fully recognize the sin of coveting for what it was. Apart from the law, “sin lies dead,” but when God gave the law, the commandments became connected to the Creator. Now, the law stirs up a rebellion against the law’s Author. Sin produces “all kinds of covetousness.” Humanity shakes an angry fist at God and declares, “I will do whatever I want whenever I want to do it!” Outside of the law, sin was spiritually dead. However, with the law, sin remains spiritually alive in rebellion against the Creator and his instructions for his creation. 

We can view it this way: the law triggers sin within our human nature because when we try to follow rules and regulations, legalism results in more sin and deeper spiritual issues. Remember that Jesus elevated the awareness of sin to a spiritual level. He taught (my paraphrase), “Don’t pat yourself on the back when you haven’t committed adultery, when you know lust lives in your heart. Don’t be proud that you haven’t murdered anyone when hatred exists in your heart” (Matt. 5:21-30). 

The account of the rich young ruler in Mark 10 offers insight into what Paul is emphasizing. A wealthy man approached Jesus and asked how he could attain eternal life. The man appeared morally upright outwardly, but had never confronted his inner rebellion, so Jesus used the law to expose his heart. To address the question about gaining eternal life, Jesus replied,

Mark 10:19
“You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”

The man said, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” Jesus felt compassion for him and said, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). Yet that was the one thing the rich young ruler couldn’t do. He had everything he needed, but the sin of covetousness, not visible from the outside, was deeply rooted in his heart. Instead of admitting his sin, he rejected the Savior and walked away sorrowful. 

Paul might have been referring to the rich young ruler when he said:

Romans 7:9-12
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. 

The law is by no means sinful or evil. It is the “holy and righteous and good” standard. The law does not cause us to reject God (Rom. 7:13a). It is my sinful nature that produces death. The law reveals how sinful my human nature truly is (Rom. 7:13b)!

One more example to wrap up.

Have you ever gotten stuck behind a school bus? Every five to ten feet, the bus stops, and that little stop sign pops out, which proclaims the law, and it is there for good reason. I know that stopping is the only safe and right thing to do, but…after a while, I resent every halt along the road. “Not again! Can’t all the kids get off at one stop? Or better yet, make them walk home like I used to do—barefoot in the snow…uphill both ways!” I hope you can relate to this because I’d feel awful if I were the only person who gets annoyed following behind a school bus!

The law allows for sin to “be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure” (Rom. 7:13). One writer said it this way, “This is the damnable thing about human sin; it can take a holy commandment of God and work that which is evil through the commandment.”

So true. Paul highlights how our sinful nature can distort a sacred command to do evil. Paul says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24). 

We will learn the answer to that question next time.

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Romans 7:7-13. Think about how your disobedience is a form of rebellion against God.

Talking to God: Is there an area in your life where you're justifying sin because it doesn't "look bad" on the outside?

Zoom Call: We’re excited to invite you to a special Zoom call on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM as we come together to reflect on what we’ve learned in our study of John and take a midpoint review of the book of Romans. The link to join the call will be found in the October 6 Daily Devotion email.

Have questions? Please send your questions to our team. We're happy to help as we study God's Word together. Submit your question below, and we'll respond soon. Please let us know if you would like to learn more about a relationship with Jesus or if you are seeking spiritual guidance.