The Law is not Sinful

Romans 7:7-11 - "What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ⁸ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. ⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death."

 The law is not sin. Sin is like this invisible ink they put on your hand at some places. You can not see it or anyone around you. In your mind there is nothing on your hand. Yet, when you bring it under the light, you will see the ink mark. Apart from the light it is unseen. The law does the same work as the light. Paul says, apart from the law sin was dead. This doesn't mean that there was no sin before the law, but it was dead to us for it had not yet been revealed to us through the law.

The law was intended to bring life. Yet, it brought death. The law can bring life or death. If obeyed it brings life. If disobeyed, it brings death. Yet, it is actually sin which brings death upon us. The law is our judge and jury. It is like our law system. If you are found breaking the law, you are penalized. Is it the judges fault? No, he only enforced the law. You brought the judgement on yourself. The law only showed the wrong that you did.

It is very crucial to understand what Christ did on the cross. He did not abolish the law, but sin. (Romans 7:4-6) Since, he abolished sin or the control of sin, we are set free from the law as something that brings death to us. It was not the law that bound us, but sin. The difference between the Old Testament and New Testament is not the law, but the control of sin in our lives. In the O.T. they were slaves  to sin, and they or the law were not able to free them or give them victory. In the N.T. because of Christ's work and the Holy Spirit's, we have a way of escape and are now slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6;16-18)

All the laws of the O.T. were there to guide and help them live righteous lives. Yet, it was inadequate because it did not rescue them from the root cause, sin itself. Yet, we can live righteous lives because of the sacrifice of Christ and His Spirit working in us. (Romans 8:2-4)