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Is The Law Sinful?

by Roland Crim
12/14/18
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What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the 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. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Romans 7:7-12 NIV

Just as the Romans did in the first century, we today often reach illogical conclusions based on our lack of comprehension. Because sin is present because of the law does not mean that the law is sinful. What the law does is to make us aware of the sin. Our willingness to give in to the temptation, that is the sin. If we were not aware of the law, we may not commit the wrongful act, as the deceiver would not have had the preconceived idea present in our mind. Just as Paul had produced in him many ways of coveting, so we have within us many desires of the flesh, which when put into action result in sin, causing displeasure from the Lord. The law had intended to bring life through awareness of wrongful deeds, yet, instead it brings death as we succumb to the desires of the flesh. We must be thankful though that our eternal destiny is not the same as our earthly body’s destiny. Through Christ Jesus we have the promise of eternal life in the presence of the glory of the Father and the Son. The law and the commandments are holy. We of our own will cannot live up to them and thus our earthly bodies shall perish. Praise be to God that our souls may rest in His presence through His Son, Jesus Christ.