Romans 7:10-13

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. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

In v10, Paul says that the law was given to bring life, to show mankind how to live before the holy and righteous Creator God of the universe; it was not given to kill. But because of sin, it didn’t bring life; it only brought death. So, ironically, in v11, Paul says that sin used the law in order to bring mankind under the law’s condemnation, death.

If a person is convicted for murder and given the death penalty, do you blame the law for convicting him? No! Paul is saying in v12-13 that we must not blame God or His law for our sinful state of condemnation under the law, for the law is simply a reflection of His character. V12 confirms that the law is “holy, righteous, and good.” God’s character is holy, righteous and good.

First the law is holy in the sense that it reflects the magnificent purity of the character of God. God’s character produced the law. Isaiah 6:3 “God is holy, holy, holy. He is the Lord God Almighty.” The law is holy, because it is a reflection of His character. Second, the law is just, or righteous. The law of God never makes unfair demands on people. It is equitable, never unjust. Third, the law is good. It is designed with our welfare in mind, beneficent in its outlook and aim. Paul has already said that in v10: “Its purpose was to bring life, not death.” The purpose of the law was good for us, yet it was weakened by our sinful nature.

So Paul asks in v13, “Did that which is good become my downfall and bring death to me? Did the law fail? Is the law to blame for my sin?” By no means! Of course not! God forbid! No. Galatians 3:21 “Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.” The law could not produce righteousness. Nevertheless, Paul concludes that the law still accomplished its purpose: it reveals the truth of our sinful state so that we might turn to Christ for justification by faith. The law doesn’t kill; sin kills. The law shows us that sin is utterly sinful, because it uses something good and holy, the law, to kill, to produce more sin. Don’t boil a baby goat in its mother’s milk. A mother’s milk is good; it is for life. And so it’s doubly sinful to use it for death.

Let’s summarize: In Romans 7:7-13, Paul affirms the goodness of the law, so that we will not blame it for our condemnation. Sin, taking advantage of the law, is to blame for our condemnation. As an example, Paul selected a commandment that relates solely to a person’s motivation. Coveting isn’t an external act; it’s something that happens internally. Paul was saying, “When I realized that the law of God had to do not just with my acts but with my attitudes (which is just what Christ taught), I realized that all my self-righteous actions were worthless because I was filled with vile desires.” That’s sincere and true conviction of sin.

Many people have only a superficial conviction of sin. They might admit to being sinners, but it doesn’t affect them. They aren’t hurt by their sinful behavior. Sin is dead to them in the sense that it doesn’t overwhelm them. Only when the law of God floods our hearts and shows us what sin really is will we be pierced to the heart. The very sinfulness of sin is seen by the fact that it uses something so good, the law of God, as a weapon against us. God shows His sovereignty in overruling sin and using it for good. Because of sin’s taking hold of the law, the sinner must be freed from the law—freed from the law’s condemnation, and the sinner must be freed from bondage to sin itself. And these freedoms cannot come from the law, because the law condemns on account of sin. Christ alone grants freedom from sin and the condemnation of the law. He has fulfilled the law and paid its price for those who having faith in Him.