Holy Law; Deceptive Sin

November 8th, 2024
by Joe McDonald

Nov 8, 2024

Dr. D. Lance Waldie

Romans 7:9-12 I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died. 10 This commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Since Paul was born a Hebrew of Hebrews (cf. Phil. 3:4-6), it is hard to imagine that there was ever a time in his life when he was “alive apart from the Law” (v. 9). Moreover, “alive apart from the Law” is a strange way to describe one’s self-righteousness if Paul is speaking of his pre-conversion experience. In fact, there is no evidence of a spiritual crisis like this in Paul prior to his encounter with the risen Christ in Acts 9. So what does “I” refer to in Romans 7:9?

Some surmise that Paul is speaking from Adam’s standpoint, since he represents humanity (5:12-14). Adam was originally naked and innocent, then a command came to him, then a transgression, then death. Likewise, Paul was born a naked, innocent child, he learned about God’s Law, he transgressed God’s Law, and the wages of his sin is death (6:23). Paul’s reports that sin sprang to life in him and seized the occasion afforded by the commandment are parallel to sin being in Eden prior to Adam but having no chance to attack him until God’s prohibition came. Also, Paul’s complaint that sin deceived him recalls Eve’s complaint that the devil deceived her. Clearly, defiance to God’s command brought death to both Paul and Adam.

Moreover, “I” might refer to Israel (cf. Micah 7:8-10). In solidarity both with Adam and Israel, Paul is identifying himself with the history of his own people Israel. Their experience is, in a real sense, his also. What happened when God gave the Law to Israel at Sinai has also affected Paul. So, Paul’s use of this first-person singular pronoun “I” in 7:9 is applicable for every human being—from Adam to his entire offspring, up to the modern day.

Now after Paul came face-to-face with his true inability to keep God’s Law, the “commandment came,” and so Paul saw himself as falling short of God’s perfection. It was then that he came to life because it was then that he could see the Law for what it was, an unattainable reflection of God Himself. On that day, Paul died to sin by realizing that all his religious accomplishments were nothing more than rubbish (Phil. 3:7-8). His self-righteousness was not what gave him eternal life; instead, it would be the cause of his eternal death.

Paul repeats in v. 11 what he said in v. 8, that sin “seized the opportunity through the commandment…” In v. 8, the result was that it produced all kinds of coveting in him. In v. 11, he says that sin “deceived” him and killed him through the command. One is again reminded of Eden where Satan used God’s command and twisted it to deceive (Gen. 3:13) bringing death to all of humanity (Gen. 5). So, contrary to the idea that the Law actually brings life, it actually deceives and kills! But lest anyone be led to believe that the Law is evil, Paul reiterates that the Law is “holy…righteous and good” (v. 12; cf. Ps. 19:7-11; Gal. 3:19-22). The Law was given to drive men to faith in Christ, who fulfilled its demands on behalf of sinners who trust in His righteousness instead of their own. The Law is a perfect reflection of God’s holiness (cf. vv. 14, 16, 22) and the standard for believers to please Him. In theory, one might perfectly keep the Law, but only Christ ever did. Now through faith in Christ we have union with God.

Food for Thought

Many Christians were at one time skeptics about Christ and the Bible. Their testimonies reveal that prior to conversion they scoffed and laughed at the claims of Scripture and the Law. But once they miraculously came to believe, what they once scoffed at they now adore. This is what it means to be alive apart from the law. Once God opens our eyes, we have eternal life!