Romans 7:10-11 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. (11) For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
Paul is still speaking of the time before being released from the law [verse 6]. He was a law keeping Jew and is referring to the tenth commandment that prohibited coveting. After his conversion Paul understood that coveting was a thought sin that required no actual physical sin on his part. Since thought sins originate in the heart and the hearts of men are wicked, the tenth commandment leaves human beings no chance at the perfect obedience required to merit eternal life that many erroneously thought was possible. Therefore, the tenth commandment proved to be death to Paul. Paul is making it very clear that man has no chance through self-effort to achieve the righteousness required to stand before God. The law was intended to show the unrighteousness of men and drive them to the redemption that is in Christ by grace.
Focus on Christ #78
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4 comments:
Wayne,
I wonder if when you say "at the perfect obedience required to merit eternal life." if it actually shows rather that this is a proven fact that man does not have eternal life. I wonder that if Christ was slain from the foundation of the world if it wasn't always intended to be by grace alone through faith alone - never merited...
Remember, no flesh can be justified by the law. It existed purly to show us our sinfulness, our need for Christ.
Mark,
Yes, I agree. In my attempt to keep it brief, I did not properly explain that pre-conversion Paul, like many Jews, thought they could perfectly obey and earn righteousness. Verse 18 [coming soon] points out this was impossible as does Romans 2.
I think I will re-write that part to make it clearer. Thanks.
I got your message when I turned my cell phone on a couple of days ago. We had an out of town guest and were walking out the door for a little day trip. I will give you a call in the next day or two.
wayne
Revised on Monday Nov. 9th.
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