February 24, 2002 Lesson 24

7:11 who is to blame? Sin or Law?

for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

- Where is the problem? With the law that is outside man or with what is inside us, the sin nature?

- For what does the law, the commandment do? It promotes more transgressions, it stimulates sin, not at all what Paul expected.

7:12 The Characteristics of the Law

So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

- The Law is holy but it can't make me holy, it can never sanctify!

- The Law is righteous/just but it can never justify me! [3:20]

- The Law is good but it can never make me good!

- What is he saying? There is no fault in the Law itself, the problem is elsewhere!

7:13 The Monkey wrench is found here!

Is the law which is good the culprit, dooming Paul and all the rest of us to death?

The law didn't originate sin but it showed us sin in all of its ugliness, that is when it is operative in our life.

- Lit. in order that sin might be revealed [its true character] by effecting [working towards a goal] my death through [dia = means] the good [the commandment]

* Paul’s point is that it was the sin in me that produced death, the separation not the commandment! The good, the commandment, is the stimulator of the sin nature!

- Lit. that [i[na] through the commandment [the] sin might become utterly sinful.

- Point Paul is making here is that the commandment (law) is used to reveal to us the true nature, the extent of the sinfulness of the sin nature and its progeny.

7:14-25 Total Inability of the Law to Sanctify; reason = power of old nature

#1. The Law cannot change you 7:14

#2. The Law cannot enable you to do good/right. 7:15-21

#3. The Law cannot set you free; 7:21-25

2 important principles taught here:

- #1 The sin nature cannot be overcome by human power and ability. v.14-17

- #2 The sin nature can produce nothing good! v.18-21