Time Well Spent with Cornelius F. Warren featuring Elder Sam Fisher

Join Cornelius F. Warren and Samuel E. Fisher, Sr. as they teach through Paul's epistle to the Romans. In our text, verses 11-12, Paul is defending himself against critics who alleged that he taught that the law is sin. Paul has been teaching that if you try to gain right standing with God by keeping the law, you are doomed to fail. The law was not given to make us right before God. To the contrary, “through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3: 20). “The Law brings about wrath” (Romans 4: 15). “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase” (Romans 5: 20). And so Paul shows that through our union with Christ, we died to the law in order that we might bear fruit for God. We have been released from the law so that now “we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter” (Romans 7: 6).

Paul knew that critics would react to this teaching by accusing him of saying that the law is sin. His response is, “May it never be!” (Romans 7: 7). The problem is not with the law. Rather, the problem is our sin. When you mix God’s holy law with our sin, it produces negative results, much like mixing two incompatible chemicals.

Verses 11 & 12 wrap up Paul’s argument that the law is not the problem; rather, sin is the problem. As we saw last lesson, Paul personifies sin as an active force. The law reveals sin, the law rouses sin and the law ruins the sinner with its deceit and the law reflects the sinfulness of sin. It reveals sin, rouses sin, ruins the sinner, and reflects the sinfulness of sin. God’s law reveals the holiness of His commandments and the utter sinfulness of sin so that we will hate our sin.

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