Romans 7:13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death
to me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to
be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the
commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
Paul wrote this passage in a letter to a group of Christians in Rome,
some Jewish who knew the Law and some Gentiles who were less or not at all
familiar. He already established that everyone is guilty before God in Romans
1-3. All have sinned and everyone who judges there neighbor essentially judges
themselves (Rom 2:2-3). In other words, we can’t say that we aren’t sinners,
and we can’t say that we are better than our neighbor. We are guilty of
breaking the Perfect Law of a Holy God. Paul goes on to tell the most wonderful
news. There is a way to become righteous, without any condemnation from the
Holy Judge. Faith in Jesus brings justification (legal declaration of
righteousness) for sinners. This means that Jesus took the penalty we deserve.
Following the law perfectly is no longer the only way to have God be TOTALLY
free to come dwell among us in peace. Jesus is the way! No one has any room to
boast, except in Jesus! Instead of falling in line with the first man who
sinned, we can escape death, and inherit eternal life.
Now death that comes from sin; that is the topic at hand in Romans
7:13. Did the demands and commands of God’s law cause us to die? No. Sin did.
Think about this. Can you remember anyone ever telling you NOT to do something, then you just HAVE do it? That is the same principle as SIN in your flesh (the unredeemed part of a person). If you did it after being told not to IT IS YOUR FAULT! It is not the fault of the person who told you not to. You did it, not them. That is what Paul is teaching about the Law. Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t covet. These commands awaken sin in the flesh. But IF we have surrendered in faith to Jesus and received the Holy Spirit, we have a greater power than ourselves to combat sin. On your own you have NO power to overcome sin and become like Christ. In your flesh, nothing good dwells – See Romans 7:18. The Greek word translated “dwells” referred to a base camp for military operations. Our natural self is just a base camp for sinful attitudes, desires, and behaviors. At least that’s what Paul says. Oh how wonderful to know Jesus. Through His life, death, and resurrection he is able to take our place, and set us free from the body of this death (Rom 7:25)!
Think about this. Can you remember anyone ever telling you NOT to do something, then you just HAVE do it? That is the same principle as SIN in your flesh (the unredeemed part of a person). If you did it after being told not to IT IS YOUR FAULT! It is not the fault of the person who told you not to. You did it, not them. That is what Paul is teaching about the Law. Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t covet. These commands awaken sin in the flesh. But IF we have surrendered in faith to Jesus and received the Holy Spirit, we have a greater power than ourselves to combat sin. On your own you have NO power to overcome sin and become like Christ. In your flesh, nothing good dwells – See Romans 7:18. The Greek word translated “dwells” referred to a base camp for military operations. Our natural self is just a base camp for sinful attitudes, desires, and behaviors. At least that’s what Paul says. Oh how wonderful to know Jesus. Through His life, death, and resurrection he is able to take our place, and set us free from the body of this death (Rom 7:25)!
Are you struggling to overcome a sin? Remember, you are not able to overcome the condemnation that comes from struggling to be approved through God's perfect Law, but Jesus
is. Trust wholly in Him!
Romans 8:10 says “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because
of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”
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