Read: Romans 7:7-13
Imagine that you are in London for a visit. While you are looking around the Buckingham Palace you suddenly start insulting the royal family. “The Queen sucks!” you yell, “down with the monarchy!” Can you imagine the uproar? Imagine the reaction of the people visiting or working there when you are insulting something very precious and important to them. It would be like going to Suncorp Stadium just to insult and bag out the Broncos or going to the MCG with a T Shirt that says “Cricket SUX!” on it. I can imagine that people would be upset.
When you think of how offensive some of those things are you get an idea about how shocking some of what Paul is writing would be to the Jews. The Jewish people held God’s law in incredibly high regard. They believed that it could provide salvation if followed correctly. After the exile, a period of national punishment for breaking the law, much of the nation was intensely serious about keeping every letter of the law in the hopes that God would restore their nation to its former glory. The law was incredibly precious to the people of Israel.
What Paul has been saying about the law would be taken as insulting the law itself! How could he say that the law has aroused sinful passions in him! (vs 5) Are you saying that the law itself is sinful or somehow responsible for your sin!? Paul anticipates this kind of reaction and explains himself here in this passage.
In response to the accusation that law is sinful Paul says that he would not even have known or understood what sin was except for the law telling Him. This is in fact the point of the whole section. The law reveals what sin is and what things are sinful and Paul (as well as all people) do exactly what is sinful because of their sinful nature. Their sinful nature and sinful desires are stirred up by the command not to sin. Just like a smoker thinks of smoking and is tempted at the sight of a no-smoking sign the sinner is tempted and enticed by a command not to sin. Our sinful desires see the command almost as a challenge to be defied.
This means that the sin is now a blatant, open rebellion against God and His commands. The full rebellious nature and evil of sin is revealed. Before we were acting against conscience (Romans 1:20, Romans 2:14-15) but now we are acting against the explicit commandment of God. The law shows just how horrible and evil our sin really is. That is why Paul says in verse 13: “so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.” The full, horrible extent of it is revealed and it becomes utterly sinful.
Paul is not saying the law itself is bad or sinful (as we will see tomorrow), rather, he is explaining how the law stirs up and invites sin even though it is good in itself. The law allows the opportunity for open, blatant rebellion against God.
Apart from Christ all of us have participated in this open rebellion against God. Apart from Him all of us have engaged in deeds that He has explicitly commanded us not to. Like the son or daughter who disobeys a direct command we have shown a complete contempt for God and His commands. We should always remember what it is that we have been saved from by God’s grace and praise Him for His mercy to a rebellious people.
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray for PlayPals at ChristLife tomorrow morning. Pray that many mums from the church and from the community would gather together to grow in community. Pray that this time would be a great encouragement for all and would provide opportunities to share the gospel with the community mums.
Although it is important to explain the law and the problem of sin when we are sharing the gospel we must also share without reserve the freedom and rescue that comes through Christ. He has totally freed us from the burden of the law through Christ.
1. Why do you think the Jews would have been upset by what Paul is saying about the law?
2. What would they think that this means about God?
3. How would you explain the role of the law to a non-Christian?
Intro: Have you ever wanted to do something just because someone told you not to?
Share: Something that you wanted to do because someone told you not to. What happened? What did you do?
Read: Romans 7:7-8. The same thing happened to Paul in this passage. When he read God’s word saying not to covet he coveted. What does it mean to covet? God’s word shows us just how much we sin and just how much we need His grace. How did God give us His grace? (Hint, Jesus…)
Pray Together: Thank God for His grace to us through Jesus. Thank Him that He forgives us for our sin. Pray that He would help us not to sin.
Intro: Have you ever wanted to do something just because someone told you not to?
Share: Something that you wanted to do because someone told you not to. What happened? What did you do?
Read: Romans 7:7-8. The same thing happened to Paul in this passage. When he read God’s word saying not to covet he coveted. What does it mean to covet? God’s word shows us just how much we sin and just how much we need His grace. How did God give us His grace? (Hint, Jesus…)
Pray Together: Thank God for His grace to us through Jesus. Thank Him that He forgives us for our sin. Pray that He would help us not to sin.
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