What is the meaning of Romans 7:7? What then shall we say? Paul invites us into reflection. After celebrating freedom from sin in Christ (Romans 6), he anticipates the reader’s objection: “If we’re not under law, have we dismissed it?” • This rhetorical question echoes similar transitions in Romans 3:5 and 6:1, signaling a new thought while connecting to the flow of the letter. • By asking aloud, Paul shows pastoral care—he doesn’t dodge hard questions but guides believers toward clarity. • The phrase reassures us that honest inquiry is welcome in the Christian walk, provided we let Scripture shape the answer. Is the law sin? The next call-and-response tightens the issue: could God’s own Torah be the culprit? • Psalm 19:7 declares, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul,” making it impossible for the law to be sinful in itself. • 1 Timothy 1:8 affirms, “We know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,” underscoring proper use rather than inherent fault. • Romans 3:31 already established that faith does not nullify but upholds the law. Paul is consistent—God’s moral standard remains holy. Certainly not! Paul’s emphatic answer shuts the door on any slander against God’s commandments. • The same phrase appears in Romans 6:2 where Paul rejects living in sin; both times he defends God’s character and gospel integrity. • The strength of the denial guards believers from antinomian drift, anchoring them to the truth that God’s revealed will is good. • By insisting on the law’s purity, Paul prepares the ground for explaining why we still wrestle with sin. Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. Paul now personalizes the doctrine: the law exposed his own heart. • Romans 3:20 explains that “through the law we become conscious of sin.” The mirror shows the grime we would otherwise ignore. • Galatians 3:19 says the law “was added on account of transgressions,” highlighting its diagnostic role. • Galatians 3:24 adds that the law is a tutor leading us to Christ; awareness of sin presses us toward the Savior. • Far from causing sin, the law defines it, awakening moral sensitivity and revealing our need for grace. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” Paul chooses the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17) because it addresses inward desire, proving sin is more than outward action. • Hebrews 4:12 describes the word of God as “living and active…judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Coveting fits that target. • James 1:14 traces sin’s origin to desires within; the command “Do not covet” shines light on that inner battleground. • By naming a subtle, internal trespass, Paul dismantles self-righteousness. Even those who avoid public scandal stand guilty when motives are measured. • The law therefore functions like a spiritual X-ray, exposing what human eyes miss. summary Romans 7:7 defends the holiness of God’s law while revealing its true purpose: not to save but to diagnose. The law is not sin; it’s the spotlight that exposes sin. By highlighting coveting, Paul shows that sin reaches into the deepest desires, leaving no room for self-justification. The law’s verdict drives us to the only sufficient remedy—Jesus Christ—who fulfills the law’s demands and frees us to walk in newness of life. |
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