Romans 7: 7-12 - Outline and Summary

 

Brief Summary:

Paul shows that the Law, far from being sinful, made sin known to Paul and made him realize that he was spiritually dead. The Law is holy, righteous, and good.

(Romans 7:7-12)

 

Detailed Summary:

•        Throughout the Roman letter (particularly in the previous section), Paul has written a number of things about the Law of Moses that, on the surface, seem to portray the Law as something bad or evil - Something in opposition to, or holding us back from that which is good:

–      Romans 3:20b - Through the law we become conscious of sin.

–      Romans 4:15 - [The] law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.

–      Romans 5:20a - The law was added so that the trespass might increase.

–      Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

–      Romans 7:4 - So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to [Christ].

–      Romans 7:5 - For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.

–      Romans 7:6 - But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

 

•        In light of what Paul has written about the Mosaic Law, Paul anticipates an objection:

–      Romans 7:7a - What shall we say, then? Is the law sin?

 

•        The apostle then answers with an emphatic NO!

–      Romans 7:7b - Certainly not!

 

•        Paul then shows why the Law is not sin:

–       The Law made sin known to Paul:

•         Romans 7:7b - Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet.”

 

–       The Law , through making sin known to Paul, made him realize that he was spiritually dead:

•         Romans 7: 8-11 - But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.  I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.  For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.

 

–       Therefore Paul concludes that the Law is holy, righteous, and good

•         Romans 7: 12 - So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.