Vs 1 - Paul knows
that his audience were men who knew the law of God. They grew up with it. They knew the priesthood, sacrifices and
rituals that go with it. They also knew
that the law had authority over a person as long as they live.
Vs 2 – Paul uses
the example of marriage. In Paul’s day,
a couple were bound together in marriage until one of the two died.
Vs 3 - Then after
that they were free to marry another otherwise it was considered adultery. In Paul’s day a person who married another when
their original spouse was alive was considered an adulterer. Adultery is so devastating because it is more
than sexual it is an issue of trust.
Trust has been broken. Death is
the only bond that breaks a marriage vow.
Vs 4 – When a
person comes to Christ they die to the law and they belong to Him who was
raised from the dead. Jesus put the
power and effects of the law to death on the Christ and He rose to bring a new
life and era based on grace and love. The results of this new life are fruitfulness
to God.
Vv 5 – When we
were controlled by sin and the passions it creates. The law which was at work in our bodies
brought only one thing and that was sinful death.
Vs 6 – By becoming
a disciple of Jesus Christ we died to that which once bound us and now we are
free or released from the law of sin and death.
We can serve in a new way God through the Holy Spirit. The way of the Spirit is not of any written
code.
Vs 7 – Paul then
answers his critics and detractors by answering a question they had. Is the law sin? Paul says of course not. The law revealed what sin was. We would not have known about coveting if not
for the law when it said, do not say do not covet.
Vs 8 – But sin
like any living force seized upon an opportunity and produced in Paul every
kind of covetous desire. When you know
what is wrong, it produces a desire to do it, to prove you are not a
prude. Paul says, “For apart from the
law sin dead.”
Vs 9 – Paul says
that once he was alive apart from the law but when the commandments came sin
became alive. Mankind then knew what was
wrong and sin sprang to life and mankind died.
Some would then argue then, why did God bring the law? Sin was always present but it needed to be
revealed for the sinister thing is was, so it could be dealt with once and for
all.
Vs 10 – The
paradox of the law was that even though is was intended to bring life because
of human weakness and sin, it actually brought death.
Vs 11 – Sin seized
the moment afforded to it by the commandments. It deceived Paul and through the
commandments put him to death. Sin
blinds us to our real soul condition and robs us of a clear vision of our true
condition. Sin deceives, blind and leads
us to death.
Vs 12 – Paul then
reveals three things about the law.
First, it is holy. Next, the
commandments themselves are holy. They
were given by a holy God to His holy people.
The commandments
are righteous and are designed to bring righteous living. Lastly, the law is good. The law was given by a good God to create a
good and godly people.
Vs 13 – Paul then
answers another question his critics presented.
Was that which is good become death to me? Sin needs to be recognized as sin. It cannot be excused, ignored or pandered
with. It will kill, rob and
destroy. It takes what is good and
produces death. The commandment showed
what sin was and proved that is was utterly sinful.
Vs 14 – Paul then
begins what is known as the great internal debate. The law is spiritual. Mankind is however unspiritual and a slave to
sin. We are dead in our trespasses and
sin until we come to Christ.
Vs 15 – Paul says,
we do not understand what we do. What we
want to do we cannot, will not or do not do.
We do what we hate.
Vs 16 – If we do
what we do not want to do, we have to agree that the law is good. The law shows us that we are sinners
incapable of doing good, even if we wanted too.
Vs 17 – A paradox
of life is that it is not us but sin living in us that causes us to do bad
things. This however is not an excuse
but the cause of sinful thoughts, words and actions.
Vs 18 – There is
nothing good that dwells in us. Our
sinful nature prevents that. Man is
under the delusion that we are getting better but in reality we are not. We have a desire to do good, but it is
impossible for us to do as long as sin rules our hearts.
Vs 19 – Whatever
we do is not good even though we have a desire to do good. Evil desires, and thoughts is what we do and
we keep on doing.
Vs 20 – It is not
us who are doing these things but sin and evil that dwell in us. Paul is not excusing anyone he is just
explaining that mankind is slaves to sin and the evil that dwells in us.
Vs 21 –The law
Paul finds working in him is this, when he wants to good the reality is that
sin is right there with him. This is the
same thing Cain faced when God told Him that sin was standing at the door of
his heart and it was looking to master him but he could master it. Cain’s greatest fault was that he allowed sin
to perpetuate through him and be passed onto man. That was a defining moment in the history of
man.
Vs 22 – Paul says
that he desired in his inner man to do what God wanted. He saw the value and the beauty of the law.
Vs 23 – But he saw
something else working in his members.
This created a war between what he wanted to do in his mind and
heart. He was a prisoner and slave to
the law that was working in his members even though in his mind and heart he
wanted to do God’s law and will.
Vs 24 – Paul saw
the he was a wretched man. In that
moment he saw what he was. He then cried
out, “Who can save me from this body of death?”
That is a question every person has to answer.
Vs 25 – Paul
however does leave himself, his audience or us in a hopeless or helpless
position. “Thank God”, he says for Jesus
Christ our Lord. He has rescued us from
sin, it’s slavery and death it brings.
He has helped us to pass from death unto life. Jesus is God’s answer and man’s remedy for
sin. Paul is a slave to God’s law in His
mind but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Fortunately for Paul and us, who the Son sets
free, is free indeed.
