Proverbs 11:6 - In Everything, Go Straight

Proverbs 11:6

The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the treacherous will be caught by [their own] greed. 

Message: In everything, go straight

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God.

What the Lord is Saying: I heard the other day that Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs. I have been on a march to study Proverbs 10-24 as every verse is a different Proverb. It is amazing to think about the fact that he wrote all of these and God in his purpose believes each is important. The last lesson I did had a big impact on me in regards to the idea of living in a righteous manner. It helped me see that each of these statements are goals. They can not be accomplished all of the time and I suppose that is a little freeing. I am not expected to be perfect. I follow these proverbs because it makes life better and it also makes the trials of life easier to go through. Going through them trusting God has to be good for me. 

I think about the people I like to read, the ones that have commentaries on these verses, written in the 1800s often, prior to computers. Those individuals must have soaked themselves in the reading of these verses. And the reading of God's word. For they all pull up references in their comments. They knew God's word. It was supremely valuable to them. 

This verse and the previous have the same idea as Matthew Henry (1662-1714) states of verses 5 and 6, "The ways of wickedness are dangerous. And sin will be its own punishment." The idea is so simple. Wickedness is dangerous and sinning has a punishment. Conversely, righteousness is good and rewarding as it is practiced. 

I also look today at "Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary" by Carl Friedrich Keil (1807-1888) – German Lutheran scholar, strong in Hebrew grammar and exegesis and Franz Delitzsch (1813-1890) – German Lutheran theologian, famous for Hebrew scholarship and interest in Jewish-Christian dialogue. For this verse they state:

6 The rectitude of the upright saveth them,

   And in their own covetousness are the faithless taken.

The integrity of those who go straight forward and straight through, without permitting themselves to turn aside on crooked ways, delivers them from the snares which are laid for them, the dangers they encounter; while, on the contrary, the faithless, though they mask their intentions ever so cunningly, are ensnared in their passionate covetousness: the mask is removed, they are convicted, and are caught and lost.

As in the last verse, the righteousness of a person will smooth his way and not permit them to walk crooked and be delivered from snares (trap that catches an animal) that are laid before them. This righteousness needs to transcend all of life, encompassing all of my choices and all that I do. I think of verses like, "A little leaven leavens the whole lump" (Galatians 5:9). Minor corruption or minor detours can have detrimental effects. And I Peter 5:8, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." There is a constant desire for Satan to lure God's people off their path. It is almost like we need to prepare ourselves always to be tempted to fall off course. 

I feel it is often sad how much we can criticize and critique and judge those that have gotten off track, that have fallen into sin. I have a family member that came forward to confess his sin and his going off track. It has been deemed an act of betrayal. To me at the heart of the sin was covetousness - wanting something others have and perhaps being scared that you would not get what you were hoping for. And now that one act has resulted in a spiral downward - impacting a wedding, ongoing relationship, and losing his job. It breaks my heart to watch the unraveling. And it is hard because the sin he committed he has not committed again. He has stopped. And yet, that sin has now resulted in a violent outburst that occurs at times. I just feel like his flesh is screaming out at times through those outbursts simply with a desire to be loved and accepted and wanted. 

So one hand we need to be careful, on the alert, on our guard at all times. But I really believe we need to always be forgiving and with a desire to heal and work past and improve. Yes, we can get off course and over time can even train ourselves in poor behavior. But we need to forgive. 

Prayer: Lord, I think you for these truths, to live righteously, and to realize that it is so easy to get off track. I see this in my life. Sometimes there is one need I don't get and because of that I start to veer off course - and fall into some of the sins that darken me because of anger and unmet expectations. Lord, continue to train me to choose wisely and to focus on righteousness throughout my life, in all my ways - reading, watching TV, what I view online, listen to and think about. Lord, I am susceptible to sin. I see it every day. And there are some things that cause more havoc in my life than other things. Help me. And help those around me. Help my family member that is spiraling down. Help him to rise up again and manage his life and find hope in his days. Give us hope Lord, not simply that things we don't want to happen won't happen, but center us on the hope of the riches you have in store for us. Let me hope that tomorrow is smooth and my roads are not crooked and the paths I walk on are straight. Center me on those things that honor and glorify You. Help me God and help those around me. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Deuteronomy 5:21 - Inner Cleanness

Deuteronomy 5:21 - You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. 

Message: Inner Cleanness

Time: This book chronicles farewell messages by Moses, the 120 year old leader of the Israelite, primarily intended for the lay person. It covers about one month, at the end of the forty-year period in the wilderness - 1405 BC. It is a renewal of the old covenant given at Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab.

What the Lord is Saying:

In these last several studies, I have been looking at offenses or crimes taken against other people. You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, and You shall not steal -- all of these are offenses toward the greater population, toward everyone in society. Then in the last lesson, it seems, at least by the wording, the commandments are more focused on our neighbor - not bearing false witness against your neighbor and then today, to not covet. I love what Jesus does as recorded in Matthew 15:10-20 as he mentions that it is from the heart, that defile man and out of the heart come evil thoughts. It is actually tough because we are so focused on what people can see. I often find that I am hiding sin often, doing it in secret, thinking it is only me that it is affecting. When the kids were younger, we read the book Shepherding a Child's Heart and this book focused on these type of thoughts, that out of the heart springs forth the child's heart and so we want to learn how to shape the heart. Clearly Jesus is wanting us to be aware that how we are on the inside and think impacts us and even those thoughts can be a breaking of the Law. 

Luke 6:45 - The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Matthew 12:34 - You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

Proverbs 4:23 - Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

There are many more references, but the idea is the reason we are who we are -- is because of our heart. In my reading and studying of scripture, I am training my thinking, my heart. 

In this commandment of covetousness, it needs to be clear that the issue is not to desire something or want something, but when that desire hurts another person then something is off. I see this in me often. There is something about me that actually finds pleasure when someone my age does poorly in life. I know it happens. I feel in competition with many of my peers and often I am not unhappy when they struggle. That is sin. That is this problem of coveting and thinking that I am the one that must come out ahead. Romans 12:15 says - Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. This is how I am commanded to live to rejoice with those who rejoice. Ultimately in this situation, what I desire is to come out ahead. This is where I really struggle with this commandment.

Covetousness is also wanting something and then wanting to belittle or move others out of the way so that I can get it. At the beginning of the pandemic, I watched people in the supermarket rush to get paper towels, out of the concern they would be scarce. The concern was not with other people. The concern was only self and making sure myself was under good care. I think this is covetousness. I have seen friends want their neighbor's wife for their own, even those that ended up getting the wife of a friend. Am I always wanting hard work to pay off for everyone. Not all the time. Often, I want the raise and promotion because I feel like I work harder than others. And for me to get the promotion means others cannot. Hopefully I am not pushing people out of the way to get what I want. 

I admit it is very hard to not compare and want and be happy with other's successes while at times ours are not present. As with all of these commandments, I am to recognize it and then work to put it to death. I also need to remember the way I am being trained, often to want things through marketing that I really do not need or should not have. As I mentioned, visiting Las Vegas, Nevada, recently, I was flooded with those temptations of sin luring me in to desire something I do not need. 

My goal instead is recorded in Psalm 119:11

Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.

Summary: To covet is to desire something that is not rightfully ours, to unlawfully desire something that another person has. I also see it as wanting good things to only happen to me. 

Promise: Sin is a matter of the heart. Repent for those thoughts and desires that you have that do not conform to God's law. 

Prayer: Lord, create in me a heart that more consistently and deeply loves the things that You love. Change my thinking Lord so that my mind is approaching life differently, rejoicing when others rejoice and weeping when they weep. Take me far away from this feeling in me often that I must be better than others. Thank you for showing me continually the person I am and the person You want me to be. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of July is about the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God. 

Bringing me to Christ

The Restraint of the Law - the law is given for lawless, unholy, disobedient people, to restrain us from acting on our sinful thoughts. Restraint and Guilt - the law is meant to restrain Christians and non-Christians alike; so that others may see Christ. The Law's Revelation of Sin - The Law reveals sin, at times making it more desirable, and show the sin which people commit and the complete standard it expects. The Law and Our Powerlessness - We are powerless over the Law and Sin revealed. It is in Christ that we receive forgiveness and the power to resist sin. The Law our Guardian - The law is not a tool of justifying me, but rather it is an instrument to bring me to Christ and show me my need for Him. 

Guiding our Lives

The Guidance of the Law - The Law is a guide in our lives for what pleases God and what it looks like to walk in holiness. The Antinomian Error - We were slaves to sin, but now we are slaves to obedience and righteousness. Judaizing Legalism - The error of Judaizing Legalism is the idea that obedience brings about God's acceptance of us for salvation. The Deadliest Form of Legalism - This legalism is that one would get too focused on external practices instead of focusing on the heart.

The Law is our Guide

The Centrality of Love - Love and the law go hand in hand. We do not belong to God unless we love our neighbor, and we cannot love our neighbor without knowing and doing God‘s law and loving him. Finding Guidance in the Law - God's Word, all if it, is a guide to my life and I am to meditate on it continually. 

Caring and Protecting Us

The One and Only God - I seek to trust and love God above all else today. Images and Idols - Pictures, statues, symbols, art, people are not bad; but be careful about placing too much emphasis on these things I see. Using God's Name Frivolously - Blasphemy or using God's name frivolously are examples of taking God's name in vain. Keeping the Lord's Day - It is vital that we are setting apart a day to gather for worship and fellowship, resting from our ordinary vocations. Honoring Father and Mother - Parents are to rear their children in faith, teaching them to respect authority and children are to follow. Murder, Self-Defense and Hatred - Murder is not unforgivable and yet like any other sin, even hatred, we need to avoid it. It has consequences in this life. Adultery - Breaking the covenant of marriage by replacing what God has commanded with our own choices. The Many Forms of Theft - Any time we take anything from another, a store, another person, our employer, or another owner of those goods or services, we are committing the crime of thievery. False Witness - say something about another person that is not true or accuse someone who has committed no crime. 

Mark 7:20-23 - Evil in Heart

Mark 7:20-23

20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

Message: Evil in Heart

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface: Jesus speaks to all the people, going beyond just the scribes, and declares clearly that when speaking of being clean, the key is what comes out of a person, not what is taken in. What is unneeded to the human body are thrown off and eliminated through waste. If the people want to know what defiles, it is what comes out of a person that matters most. Jesus is declaring this radical message over and over - the heart. We need to focus on the heart. 

Jesus is emphasizing that what comes into a man - be it drink or food, even eating with unclean hands is not what defiles a person, but rather that which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. There is a clear contrast here that he is emphasizing.The Pharisees and scribes questioned why the disciples were not maintaining the tradition of hand washing that was thought to render people clean. Ultimately, Christ explains that cleanliness is an interior matter. It is the state of one's heart that determines cleanliness for the heart is the origin of all uncleanness. Before any sinful deed can be committed, it is conceived in the heart. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts...All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man. 

God and man see people differently. This, to me, further emphasizes the radical nature in which Jesus came. I Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” This verse reminds me of the way God has always been and therefore God sees in a way that man does not see. Naturally, we look at the outward and our prisons are set up because people have committed outward violations. The civil law is set up like this. But, God and Jesus go beyond the outward to the inner. This must be a difficult thing for society to comprehend for everywhere we are trained in the idea of the outward, but everyone God trains us on what is on the inside that matters most. 

Here sins are listed to clearly show their inner origins: fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. The first six in this list are acts that are seen outside of the flesh while the second six are attitudes behind the acts. 

First on the list is fornications. It is interesting for there is such a great power of sexual sin and sexual temptation that has been present in every culture of man. It was a problem 2,000 years ago and it is a problem today. The internet in the last 25 years has seen the proliferation of this sin. This is a sin that seeks to become more and more private.

Second is thefts. To be a thief is obviously abhorrent in society. But, for me, the acts of being a thief are changing. We most definitely grade this sin, in that taking a dollar versus $100 is seen a way different. With the advent of movies in the home came forth the issue of piracy. Even the internet and youtube made piracy of music more prevalent to the point that they had to figure out a way to make money on listening to music and now it has become the norm to listen in this manner. 

Third is murders. For me, personally, Roe v Wade in 1973 was the biggest change that occurred over the issue of murder for society accepted that murder of the fetus was warranted based upon a woman's choice. In the nineties, doctor assisted suicide started to appear as we looked at the other end of the spectrum, the elderly. Again, sin began to be disguised as warranted behavior. Society still today does not view either of these as murder. 

Fourth is adulteries. Adultery is not a new thing. It is a sexual sin practice that has been present for thousands of years. As a person that loves to watch old movies, adultery in the movies has always been present. There was a notion that if one was wealthy then they more easily could afford a mistress. The woman as an object of the man's desires crept more and more into people's thoughts and was then culminated with pornography being viewed as entertainment. 

Fifth is coveting. Coveting is a internal desire seen outwardly. Consumerism has made coveting a normal practice. The desire to have what your neighbor possesses is viewed as competition and moves us to be a strong business person. 

Sixth is wickedness. This is all kinds of wicked behavior. Thus, anything not covered previously is covered here. 

This is what we see and now Jesus focuses on what is on the inside. Deceit means lying, not telling the truth, deceptiveness, false witness. Lying can be pretending to be something we are not. Lying shows up in church all the time as people want to pretend to others that they are religious in order to get acceptance from society. 

Sensuality shows up in our behavior and speech. It is a dirty mind. Once again, society has made having a dirty mind being completely acceptable. Its amazing to think of the TV sitcoms and their attitudes and behaviors that made having a dirty mind comedic.  

Envy is to look with hate or to look with anger. 

Slander is to have abusive speech such as blasphemy. I went and saw a movie yesterday, one I should have avoided for the slander or abusive language that occurred in the movie, all under the disguise of laughter and entertainment was incredible and the most haunting thing was to witness children in the movie laughing at themes most likely they did not understand at all, but only laughed because their parents also laughed beside them. 

Pride is the feeling of being superior to others. And then foolishness, to be unthinking or senseless.

The issue that I'm seeing more and more is the normalizing of these sins in society. We don't think of these in a serious light because we have such a thirst for entertainment that we excuse these behaviors because they have made us laugh or enjoy life. 

Summary - Jesus, in a way, concludes the utter defilement of the heart by naming a list of these sins and repeats the idea that evil comes from within. While we stare at the outward, it is what is on the inside that matters most.  

Promise: Sin and holiness are fundamentally issues of the heart. Although holiness can be faked before men, God is never fooled. 

Prayer: Lord, I want to walk in holiness. I thank you for forgiving me of my sins and I'm embarrassed of how prevalent these sins continue to be in my life. I should know better. Thank you for the reminder and continue to clean me up, not only so that my witness is better but so that I can have peace with myself in life. 

Proverbs 5:15-20 - Standing Firm Against Adultery

Proverbs 5:15-20
¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your springs be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be yours alone and not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.
¹⁹ As a loving hind and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be exhilarated always with her love.
²⁰ For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress and embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

Message: Rejoice in your wife

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

In the previous 14 verses of Proverbs 5, Solomon gives clear warnings to his pupil regarding committing adultery. Between the two warnings are the points that (1) it is not how it may appear, and (2) it will yield a hard life both today and for eternity. 

Solomon continues the conversation here in these verses, but here talks about how we are to live, with this adultery in mind. It is true there can be application to other idolatrous passions in our lives but it is clear that this is talking about adultery and cheating on our wife, or the woman that God has given us. And it really goes without saying that marriage is sacred and these are passions that are not meant to be stirred prior to marriage and so adultery is viewed even as a warning that is presented in Song of Solomon as "do not arouse or awaken love before its proper time."

Only enjoy your wife
Verses 15-17 are the clear direction from Solomon that, the pupil, or son, is to keep in mind that his relationship with his wife and more specifically, the sensual relationship with his wife, is for his eyes only and to only be enjoyed by him and he is not to seek out anyone else for this enjoyment. It is not a sin to notice beauty or a beautiful person but to seek out after that person for further gazing and interest is a sin. Society knows that sex and beauty pulls people in and so this temptation is present in our world all the more. 

I've heard verse 15 mentioned several times and it is a verse I have loved reading in the Bible. It speaks clearly and reminds me that God is very concerned about my relationship with my wife and the importance of that relationship. Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well.

Adam Clarke (1760 or 1762 - 1832) was a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar. He wrote on this passage: Be satisfied with thy own wife; and let the wife see that she reverence her husband; and not tempt him by inattention or unkindness to seek elsewhere what he has a right to expect, but cannot find, at home. These are tough words especially to the wife to not tempt the husband to seek out attention and kindness from other sources.

Verse 16 says, Should your springs be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets? Your springs or fountains are the lawful husband and wife relationship. The streams are their offspring. Children can be dispersed abroad when they are grown up and carrying on with other lawful relationships.

Not roving passions 
My passions are to be for my wife and my wife alone. They are not to be for anyone else. Again, this is hard as the world presents itself too many temptations. But, this is not their problem, but really my problem. My satisfaction is to only come from my wife and I am to be satisfied with her. Let them be yours alone. My passion is not for anyone else. If a person goes into a relationship with other women and their is offspring then it becomes unclear who's offspring is what. The harlot has many partners, so how can you be sure what is yours; and not for strangers with you.

Know (only) your wife
There is clearly an intimate union present between a husband and wife. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful wife; the Spirit of God is in her and she submits to me and satisfies me completely. This testifies more clearly to me God's graces. My wife is to be mine completely and it pains me to think of days when I have had the idea that she is not sufficient. At times, early in my life, non-married life, I trained my mind to think that I could engage in mind harlotry. Oh how this is contrary to God's perfect plan. I am to be patient and wait for the wife of my youth. When she came she was everything I could have dreamed of and more. 

The hind and does were prized and petted upon for their beauty and affectionate dispositions. They are not rough and tough creatures, but delicate and graceful and so they should be treated as such. The husband is to treat his wife with dignity and not simply an object for his desire. There is a union present there that is firm. Her bosom or breasts are to charm him and satisfy him, not for all days, but at all times. It is possible that sickness and illness may come to the wife. The important thing here is the body of the wife is for the husband and meant to be his charm. I often have thought of a mainstream song by Backstreet Boys which says she is my safest place to hind. The wife is my refuge and my safe place. I am to be exhilarated always with her love.  

It is clear that it makes no sense to be exhilarated with an adulteress and embrace the bosom of a foreigner. Why should we seek after something that isn't kin to us and made for me? It makes no sense. 

Promise: Rejoice in the wife of my wife. She is everything that I need.

Romans 7:8-11 - Sin's Perversion of the Law

Romans 7:8-11 - 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

Message: Sin's relationship with the Law

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:

Setting It Up
Is Law Sin? That was the next question found in verse 7. I would not have known sin if the Law had not said, "Don't ______." The law was more specific. Whether it is the Law or it is sin, the Believer has died to both of them. Justification took care of this. And now I am sanctified in Christ until I will be glorified for all eternity with Christ.

The law produced in me coveting of every kind. Sin is far reaching. And sin is comprehensive. Sin is multifaceted.  When I ask people questions about sin and whether they have broken a commandment, there are many ways a person can break one individual commandment.

These verses are a little tough and challenging. And I must admit, they do begin to confuse me a little. The phrase "apart from the law" previously was used by Paul to describe that the Law and God's declaring us righteous are not connected. So, doing the Law or doing what God commands is not connected to God declaring us righteous. Works don't have a bearing on receiving God's righteousness. That is an important separation.

Sin takes its opportunity
Sin here in verse 8 are not acts of sin, but our sin nature. Without the Law, the sin nature is relatively dormant. It is not dead for Paul has already shown us in Romans 2 that the conscious accuses man alternately. And this was before the Law. But, with the Law now, sin seizes the day. And so the nature of man and his sin nature sees the Law clearly now and has the opportune moment now to be a rebel from it.

The opportunity for more sin is taken and now sin is produced in every kind. This is what sin does. We open the door and suddenly we are sinning in ways that, at the onset, we weren't even considering.

But, the Law here isn't the problem. The problem is man and his selfish will.

Apart from the Law, sin is dead 
Romans 3:21
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 

Romans 3:28 

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

 

Yet now in Romans 7, as we talk about the sanctified life, the use of the phrase "apart from the Law" appears to be different. Verse 8 speaks to the fact that sin is dead apart from the law and verse 9 says I am alive apart from the Law. 

 

Romans 7:8 

But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead.

Romans 4:15 states, "where there is no law, there also is no violation."

What happened here in this progression is, earlier in verse 8, sin took the opportunity and suddenly sin of every kind was being committed. So, therefore, apart from the law sin is dead. But, really it feels dead, which is what the commentators state. It is not literally dead and not breathing, but it is dormant and feels dead.

Without the mirror I don't think I have a dirty face, but that doesn't mean my face isn't dirty. The mirror just exposes me. Without the mirror, I may feel the dirt, but looking into the mirror now makes me realize just how dirty I am.

Previously, I felt healthy
Romans 7:9 

I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died;

Without the Law, I feel fine. A-ha! See, this is why sin in the life of the non-believer is so dormant. They have no law in their life. They have no mirror. They feel alive and free from sin. It is not until they see the law, are exposed to it, that they understand the 10 commandments and then realize, "O, wow. I am a sinner." Without the Law, I feel like I am spiritual healthy. And people even with the Law nearby will do everything possible to make it seem like they don't really have anything bad in their life. This is the problem with the Christian. They don't want to be accountable. No one wants to be accountable. No one wants someone else to tell them to change or really anything to tell them to change. The cry of every person is "don't judge me." What each person is saying is, "Leave me alone. I decide what is sin in my life. No one else."

But sin makes me realize I'm dead
We are all about living and living life to the fullest. We are entertainment and recreation oriented in life. Everyone is working for the weekend, to borrow a Loverboy song from the 80's. Life is about having fun. We are become more and more better at improving life and lengthening life. Don't talk about death. And yet that is the result of sin and the gospel, the realization that I can't do it and I need Christ. That, without Christ I am dead. No one wants death and so they do everything to avoid it.

Thought to be life, really death
Romans 7:10

and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me;

Most people think the laws are there, so that, if we keep them we are safe. The keeping of the commandment brings life, but only if the commandment is kept perfectly and completely.

What is the response of people confronted with the 10 commandments

1. I formerly did that, but not any more so I'm okay
2. Everyone does it so you can't condemn me as well

People talk about having a perfect driving record with no accidents and no tickets. But, have they been perfect in their driving? Not a chance. They have sped and may have even hit someone, but its just not on their record. The problem is without anything on their record or a ticket they think they are fine.

Deception is the Key
Romans 7:11 states, "sin...deceived me." This is it. This is the key to all of life without Christ. And the key to so many religions. People have been deceived. People have been made to think they are alright and getting them to come out that state of deception is a work of God in their life.

This is an utterly sad state of mankind: deception. Something sounds like truth so it becomes truth. It is truly and completely unfortunate.

For Paul here, he felt deceived because the Law he thought would bring life, but in the end, it brought death. 

Promise: The secret to life is death.

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.