The Good Law and Sin

The Good Law and Sin

Romans 7:7-25

In 1973, singer/songwriter, Harry Chapin, released a new album called Short Stories. One of the signature tracks on the album was a song entitled, Mr. Tanner. It was based on Mr. Martin Tanner, a cleaner from Dayton, Ohio, who loved to sing. He sang all the time, and his customers, who always told him how good he was, finally convinced him to try singing professionally. Chapin’s song told the story of Mr. Tanner singing O Holy Night at a show in New York City, and then recounts the brutal review Mr. Tanner received following the concert.

Mr. Martin Tanner, baritone of Dayton, Ohio

Made his town hall debut last night

He came well prepared, but unfortunately his presentation

Was not up to contemporary professional standards

His voice lacks the range of tonal color

Necessary to make it consistently interesting

Full time consideration of another endeavor might be in order

He came home to Dayton and was questioned by his friends

Then he smiled and just said nothing and he never sang again

Except very late at night when the shop was dark and closed

He sang softly to himself as he sorted through the clothes

Mr. Tanner was inspired by Martin Tubridy, a real-life dreamer who took his shot. Chapin had read the stinging review in the New York Times and went on to write this song. Mr. Tanner had been one of the best singers in Dayton, Ohio, but when compared to the professionals in New York City, he was mediocre at best. The chorus of the song goes like this,

Music was his life, it was not his livelihood

And it made him feel so happy, it made him feel so good

And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul

And he did not know how well he sang, it just made him whole

I have always enjoyed songs that tell stories because I love stories. Mr. Tanner loved to sing, but when he was compared to the best of the best, he didn’t quite measure up and, consequently, he never sang in public again.

Why am I sharing this song with you? I think the song reveals a little bit of how we approach the Law. The Law is like the critics in the song. The Law does not care about emotions. It is not concerned with one’s feelings. It merely states things as they are, and many of us, when facing the critic of the Law, become like Mr. Tanner. We get depressed and discouraged. When we receive a critical review of our lives and are told that we don’t measure up to the best of the best, we are left silent, “never to sing again.” How do you respond to the Law? How do you respond when you hear that you don’t measure up? How do you feel when the critics honestly assess you?

Romans 7 is one of the most widely known and debated sections of Scripture in all of Romans. It is a story about what happens when someone receives a critical review from the Law; it’s about what happens when someone realizes they do not measure up to the Law’s standards. It is a story of sin, of desire, of pain, of longing, of despair, of hope. It is our story. When the critic of the Law honestly assesses your life and declares that you do not measure up, how will you respond?

The Good Law and the Bottom of Sin (Romans 7:7-13)

The Apostle Paul has made the argument that we are justified, or made right with God, by faith and not by works of the Law. No one is justified by the works of the Law. Paul says,

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4

He is anticipating the follow-up question–if we died to the law in order to belong to God through Jesus Christ, then is the law good? Remember the Law was their way of life. The Jewish people were taught their entire lives to obey and follow the Law.

Now, Paul states that they must die to the law so that they can belong to God through Jesus Christ and bear fruit for His name. This creates lots of questions, which Paul begins to answer by sharing a story.

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Romans 7:7–12

The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Is the Law sin? By no means! Paul emphatically explains that the Law is good, and then shares the story of how the Law helped him to understand the sin in his own heart.

The Good Law began to reveal the depth of his sin. When he heard, “You shall not covet,” which is one of the Ten Commandments, the sin in his heart started to produce the desire to covet. He says in verse 8, “But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.” The law was like a magnet drawing out the sin that was in the heart. He says, “For apart from the law, sin lies dead.” I believe he is saying that apart from the law, sin lies dormant. It was always there but did not show itself. It’s like when a person falls and needs an MRI to look at his back. But, while looking at their results, doctors see a dark spot of cancer. The cancer was always there; the MRI merely exposed it. The Law acts as an MRI, revealing what lies under the surface. But the Law does not merely expose sin, it excites it; it energizes it so that we have to deal with it.

The Good Law energized the sin of the heart, producing desires that were against the law. Paul says that when he heard, “Do not covet,” he started to see how he was coveting. So the Good Law does not produce sin, but it awakens it. The commandment leads to eternal life for those who obey, but it leads to eternal death for those who disobey. The Law is a good critic, giving an honest assessment of how we measure up to perfection.

Friend, if you are a non-Christian, do you consider yourself a good person? If yes, how do you know you are a good person? Think about it. We usually determine if we are good or not in comparison to others. Mr. Tanner was considered a good singer compared to other singers in Dayton, Ohio. But when compared to those in New York, he didn’t measure up. If you consider yourself a good person, is it because you are comparing yourself to those who may not be as good as you at the same thing? Have you ever compared yourself not to others but to the Law of God? How do you measure up to God’s perfect standard?

The Apostle Paul often measured himself in relation to others. In Phillipians, he wrote about the confidence he had in himself when compared to others.

If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Philippians 3:4b–6

Paul considered himself “good” compared to others. But, compared to the law, he was sinful beyond measure.

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. Romans 7:13

Sin might be shown to be sin and be sinful beyond measure. The Law is good because it helps us get to the bottom of sin. When we compare ourselves to God and His standard rather than comparing ourselves to others, it reveals how utterly sinful we really are.

Romans 7:7-13 is written in the past tense. Many scholars debate on who Paul was referring to in the previous section. Was he referring to himself? Was he speaking about Adam’s experience in the garden? Or Israel? Or even the experience of a typical Israelite? I believe that Paul was speaking biographically about his own experience. Even though many debate and speculate about who Paul was referring to, most agree that this passage is written about someone who is not yet a Christian.

Therefore Romans 7:7-13 helps to explain the process that needs to happen when someone becomes a Christian. To become a Christian, a follower of Jesus, you have to know the sinfulness of your sin. You need to know that you are sinful beyond measure. You need to know that the sin in you has produced death. You have missed the mark of perfection. When your life is put on stage, the critics will say that you do not measure up. If you are a non-Christian, what do you do with that? The proper response is not to ignore it. If you feel convicted this morning of your sinfulness, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. The level of our sinfulness, the depth of it, should bring us to a place of despair. When we realize that we are utterly sinful and have no hope to be made right, then and only then can we begin to understand the hope of the Gospel offered in Jesus Christ. Friend, I pray that you realize how utterly sinful you are and that that realization brings you to despair. But I also pray you won’t leave today feeling that way.

All Christians come to a place of despair when they see the sinfulness of their hearts and realize they are sinful beyond measure. Paul lived an outwardly righteous life. No one would have looked at his life as anything but above reproach and blameless. Yet, his heart was far from God. He trusted in his works to get him to God, and those works would never be enough. No matter what he did, his heart was full of sin. He didn’t need new actions, he needed a new heart. Maybe some here today look outwardly righteous and good, but their hearts are far from the Lord. Friend, let this passage convict you of your sin and drive you to despair, so that you may turn and see the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Good Law and the Battle of Sin (Romans 7:14-23)

In Romans 7:14, Paul shifts to the present tense, and this is where many debate who the “I” is that Paul refers to in verse 14 and following. Is he referring to himself as a Christian, or is he referring to himself as a non-Christian? If we all spent a month studying this text, it is likely that each one of us would be on both of these sides during that month. I have been on both of these sides just this week. Both have strong arguments, and both have “pebbles in their shoes” that don’t quite fit with their perspectives. I’m going to read the text and then lay out both views to illustrate that, regardless of which side you believe, the response is relatively the same.

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Romans 7:14–23

As we move through this text, remember that this is the story of someone’s soul. Maybe these words reveal the story of your soul. We don’t want to read this text merely to gain theological insight; we want to read so that we can know Christ better.

First, let me share the seven common reasons why some believe Paul is referring to the life of a Christian. First, he shifts to the present tense. If Romans 7:7-13 refers to the life of a non-Christian, then the shift to present tense would indicate the person has now become a Christian. Second, only Christians desire to intensely keep God’s Law as seen throughout the passage. Three, the “I” in verses 7-13 is distinctive from the “I” in verse 18, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” Four, only a Christian delights in the Law of God in his inner being. Five, deliverance of a sinful body, the body of flesh, in this life is looking forward to the future resurrection. Six, the consistent tension between good and evil throughout the text. Seventh, Christians live in the already but not yet. They are declared holy and righteous but have not yet obtained it since they are still in the tent of the body.

Many other scholars believe Paul is referring to a non-Christian in this passage. They list six reasons for this. First, the structure of the passage leads them to believe that Romans 7:7-25 is unpacking Romans 7:5, whereas Romans 8:1-17 is unpacking Romans 7:6. Second, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned at all in this section, but He is referred to nineteen times in the next chapter. Three, the phrases “sold under sin” and “captive to the law of sin” seem to be in tension with the freedom from sin one sees in Romans 6 and 8. Four, they would say the shift in present tense does not refer to present time, but rather to speaking in present time about when someone was unconverted. Paul was using a rhetorical device. Five, the desire to keep God’s law would have been possible for a pious Jew, like Paul himself, who was zealous but not according to knowledge (Romans 10). Six, verse 13 reveals how the law brought Paul death as an unbeliever.

Both of these are compelling perspectives rooted in Scripture. Again, even though each position interprets the “I” differently, both would agree that Christians will struggle with sin their whole lives. As long as you are in the flesh, you will feel a pull toward and will have to fight against sin. Both also agree that every Christian should grow in sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit throughout their lives. Good trees bear good fruit. Good trees will continue to bear more good fruit as they grow. They may disagree on the particulars of this passage, but they agree on the overall emphasis of the Scriptures in regard to what this passage teaches.

With that as a backdrop, I believe Paul is referring to a Christian in this text. He shares that Christians will continue to battle sin as they grow closer to Christ. I believe that Christians become more, not less, aware of their sinfulness as time goes on even though they may sin less. We are more aware and sensitive when we sin, but as we grow we sin less. As we get closer to Christ, we see our spots and blemishes more clearly.

When Paul says “to be sold under sin”, I believe he means that as long as he lives in this world in the body of his flesh, he will have to live with sin. As Peter says, our flesh will always be at war against our souls.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:11–12

We are citizens of heaven. We are merely living as exiles and sojourners now, and since we are not home yet, the passions of our flesh continue to wage war against us.

Sin still dwells within us, and that battle will rage until we leave this world and put on the imperishable.,

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:18–20

Paul says that nothing good dwells in him, and then he qualifies this by saying “in my flesh”. He knows that if he lives according to the flesh, he cannot follow the Law. Remember the Law is good, holy, and righteous, and when Paul doesn’t do what he wants to do, it is because sin dwells within him. When he desires to do what is right but chooses to sin instead of obey, he sees how sin continues to dwell within him.

It is interesting how the Apostle Paul describes himself throughout his letters as he progresses in the Christian life. One pastor notes,

We see this truth in the life of Paul as we trace his spiritual growth through Scripture. In 55 A.D., Paul wrote the book of 1 Corinthians and confided, “I am the least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9). As time moved on, Paul continued to grow and mature in the Lord, as he moved further down the path of sanctification. Five years later, in 61 A.D., while in his first Roman imprisonment, Paul wrote the book of Ephesians. At this time, he stated, “I am the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8). This reflects a heightened awareness of sin. First, he was the least of all the apostles. But then, as he grows and matures in the Lord, he declares that he is the least of all the saints. Sometime between the years 63-66 A.D., Paul writes 1 Timothy. He says, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all” (1 Timothy 1:15). He now says that he is the greatest among all the sinners.

Was Paul living a more sinful lifestyle once he followed Christ? By no means! He was merely becoming more humble and more sensitive to his sin. He was not sinless, but sinned less. So it should be for all of us. As we mature in Christ, we should sin less but, at the same time, we should become more aware of our sin.

As I have reflected on this passage this week, I have seen an example of this with my own words. In Isaiah 6, the prophet encounters God’s holiness and says,

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Isaiah 6:5

Before I was Christian, I used a lot of profanity. By God’s grace, I cannot remember the last time I have used profanity, but I am still aware of my unclean lips. Now, instead of profanity, it may be defensiveness when I make a mistake, crafty forms of self-justification in my apologies, or subtly praising something I did so others think well of me. The Spirit convicts me of that sin. By God’s grace, those moments are not frequent, but they are present. And I can say, along with Paul,

Can you relate? Are there times you want to speak up for the Gospel but say nothing because of fear? Are there times you want to confront a friend’s sin but say nothing because you are more worried about how you will be received than their soul? Are there times when you are quick to criticize someone even though you don’t have the full story? Maybe you judge someone for their dress or because they are not doing what you think they should be doing? It is all sin, and as we get closer to Jesus, we notice the acute presence of sin much more clearly.

Beloved, my fear for this passage is that many of you will read this text and be too comfortable in your sin. You will see this internal struggle and believe it gives you license to live in a way that is contrary to God. Even though I think this is the experience of a believer, I do not think it is or should be the daily experience of a believer. We will continue to sin, but we will continue to sin less. As we delight in the Lord and His law, spend time in His word, and fellowship with the saints, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 7 paves the way to Romans 8. We will all have Roman 7 days, but we should strive to live in
Romans 8.

If you are living in sin today, repent. This text helps us empathize with each other as we sin so we don’t throw stones at those seeking repentance. We all know the power of sin, but we are not called to live under it. We have been set free. Come to the light. Confess your sin and turn to God.

The Good Law and the Balance of Sin (Romans 7:24-25)

We must have balance when we look at sin. We have to recognize how dangerous it is and how utterly sinful we are, but we do not have to stay there. Look at how Paul balances the scales of his sin. After meditating on his own sinfulness, his coveting desires, his prideful spirit, his anger, Paul looks at himself and says,

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24

It is right and good to think of our bodies as bodies of death. It is right and good to think about the wretchedness of our sin, the wretchedness of our pride and arrogance, the wretchedness of our glory-seeking and our lust, the wretchedness of our greed and fear, the wretchedness of the sin that dwells within us. We can look at ourselves and see our wretchedness and say, “Wretched man that I am!”

But if we stayed there, we would be undone. Sin brings despair, and if we stay in our sin, we will despair of life. When we measure ourselves against God’s standards, we see our wretchedness. But when the critic of the Law brings us low, rightly telling us how short we fall, we cry out, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” This is when we rightly see ourselves for who we are: sinners who deserve death. It is here, and only here, that we turn to God and raise our voices to Him, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” We cannot deliver ourselves. We are sinful beyond measure. What are we to do? We can look at our sin and see how utterly sinful we are, and we balance that realization with the hope of the Gospel.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:25

Who can save us from this body of death? Jesus can. Who can deliver us from our wretchedness? Jesus can. He did not come for the healthy but for sinners. He did not come to call the righteous but to bring sinners to repentance. God sent Jesus to save sinners, and Jesus gave His life on the cross to pay the penalty of sin so that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord can be saved. We must believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, that His death brings life and His resurrection brings hope. We die to sin and live for righteousness. If we do not, we will despair when we consider our works and what we rightfully deserve.

When the Law speaks of our performance, the review is simple: we don’t measure up. But in the Gospel, we are not judged by our own performance but by the performance of Christ. His song was perfect. He never sinned because He did have a body of death. He only had life. He only had that which was good. Yet, He still died, and because He died as an innocent, righteous man, who was free of sin, God raised Him from the dead, so that we can be delivered from our sin.

Friends, it does not ultimately matter if Paul was referring to a Christian or a non-Christian, the response is the same. We cry out to God who can and will deliver us from the body of death by giving us life through His Spirit on the basis of the perfect performance of His Son. We can sing, not quietly or alone in despair, but boldly and with joy,

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long.

Let us sing both songs, the song of lament, that says, “Wretched man that I am! Who can deliver me from this body of death?” and the song of hope that says, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ Our Lord.” Beloved, we sing because God sings over us.

The LORD your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

As He sings over us, let us sing our song for Him and, like Mr. Tanner who

…………..sang from his heart and he sang from his soul

He did not know how well he sang, it just made him whole.

It doesn't matter how well you sing, because it is Christ who sings for you. It doesn’t ultimately matter how well you sing, it is only Christ who makes you whole.

Pastor Dave KiehnFebruary 26, 2024Comment