law and sin

Good morning (or evening) sisters and brothers,
Paul has been talking about how the law used to bind us but now we are free in Christ. Today he anticipates a question: "Is the Law sin?" He firmly says it is not. In fact he recognizes God's law as holy and good. At the same time he also recognizes that the power of sin uses the law (like it uses most good things) to tempt us and capture us. The example he uses is coveting. He says he wouldn't even know what coveting was if it wasn't against the law. Once the law tells him that, sin leads him to desire all kinds of things that belong to others. Maybe you've had the same experience with kids: you tell them not to do something and it makes them want to do it so much more. The problem isn't that your rule is bad, but part of us wants to do things just because they are off limits. Of course the freedom we have in Christ can tempt us too, but that's a discussion for another day.
God bless,
Sam

Romans 7:7-14

7What then should 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. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8But sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. 9I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived 10and I died, and the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. 13Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working 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.

14For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin.