Romans 7:7 - Knowing Sin

Romans 7:7 - What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Message: Knowing sin

Time:Another source cites this book as being written around 56-58 BC. Because Paul himself was a Roman citizen, he had a unique passion for those in the assembly of believers in Rome. Since he had not, to this point, visited the church in Rome, this letter also served as his introduction to them.

What the Lord is Saying:

Not again
Part of me wishes Paul would not have transitioned to this verse next. In the last several verses I have studied we are free from sin, free from the standards of the Law, even though we, through Christ, fulfill the Law and we are walking in newness of Life that the Spirit lives in us. I am on my way to live the new life in Christ.

Verse 7 states, "What shall we say then? Is the Law sin?" What? Is the Law sin? Haven't we covered this enough? I realize that I don't sin because sin is dead or sin has been crucified. In Adam I am a sinner and my life as a sinner results in death. Sin is breaking the Law. And the Law has no hold on me because Christ has conquered it by dying on the cross for me and this means something because, as a man, He lived a perfect life. 

Yet he circles back to sin and defining it and I really should be thankful for this for he is really setting up man to have no excuse. And the Jew has no excuse. No wonder Martin Luther read and studied this and was changed. The Catholic church was really, at times, speaking and preaching a different message and Luther read this and was amazed by it. It s a reminder of the importance of reading God's word.

Knowing Sin
Verse 7 emphasizes something big, "I would not have known sin if the Law had not said, "You shall not covet." Thank goodness for the Law. I have preached on this verse a few times. In fact, it was the first message that I ever preached. And the illustration I used for this verse was to say that when I was in college, I was driving to Baylor, going down the highway. I was driving southeast on highway 84, just past Lubbock. I can't remember if I got to Snyder yet. I'm driving in my Monte Carlo, sensitive to the speed limit. Recently, they had changed the speed limit to 65 on highways. All of a sudden a police officer's lights flash and I am pulled over to the side of the road. The officer stops me and says, "Do you know how fast you were going?" Yes Sir. "65." He said, "What is the speed limit?" I said it is 65. That new law is now in effect and I'm going the speed limit. He said that that Law is only for interstates, highway 84 is not an interstate. Say what? I didn't know the law. I thought I knew it, but then I realized I didn't.

That was my illustration for not knowing sin. I thought I was fine, but then the Law came around and "Blamm!!" I am broke it. I wouldn't have known anything if the law had not said something.

Covet
I don't think Paul randomly chose a Law here. Paul just isn't the random sort of person. He could have cited any of the major 10 commandments. The first deal with our relationship with God. And the next 5 deal with our relationship with man. Coveting I think is somewhat unique. To this point, the commandments have primarily been external things we can see, like not keeping the sabbath, worshiping idols, murder, lying. But, here is the reminder of coveting or wanting something on the inside. Law of society are always in place for catching people in improper actions. But, this is a thought action. This is a desire.

1. Coveting is a desire. People can't be convicted in society for what they think. 
2. Coveting is a strong desire. It makes us do thing that we will regret. It pushes us to do evil. 
3. Coveting wants more. It isn't satisfied with what I have and it wants more or even it thinks I don't have enough of what I do have. 
4. Coveting wants what I can't have. The object is really forbidden. I can't have my neighbors wife. I have a wife. 
5. Coveting makes me responsible. Only I know what I want. I have personal responsibility to stay true to what I have. 
6. Coveting is specific. Lust is a general desire. Greed is wanting more money. Coveting is wanting the Corvette. Coveting is wanting that woman. Coveting is wanting that house. 
7. Coveting doesn't care about others. Coveting doesn't care about hurting others. 
8. Coveting is hidden. I will conceal what I want. I will hide this from everyone else. It is dark and secret. 
9. Coveting will destroy me. 

The Bible tells me to be giving. Coveting is getting. The Bible tells me to think of others. Coveting is thinking of me. I am to worship God. Coveting wants people to worship me and what I have.

It's not bad to want. I want to be holy. Can i be truly and completely holy? Nope. But it is good to want this.

Promise: God shows us the wrong way, not just the right way.