The Goodness & Weakness of the Law (Romans 7:7-13, Psalm 19:7-14)
Rev. David Huffman, April 6, 2025Part of the Series On Romans series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
We died to sin in union with Christ, and we are set free. We walk in newness of life. We are raised up with Him and married to Him as a gentle, loving husband. The law beat us down, but now, by faith, we serve Him in a new way—by the power of the Holy Spirit. This raises another question—is the law inherently bad? No. The law is holy, righteous and good; it defines and reveals sin. Without it, we would not know the sins of lust, desire, envy, etc. We are blind to sin without the law. We don’t see sin as serious without the law; sin restrains the march of sin. What it forbids is most opposite of God and our good. The law provokes sin within us; Paul confessed that it stirred up all manner of covetousness. The law doesn’t make us sin; it exposes something already present in our hearts. The warnings that the law provides isn’t the problem—it protects us. The law pronounces condemnation. Before salvation, the law can give false confidence by focusing us on externals. Jesus taught that outward conformity is not the full measure of keeping the law. To those under conviction, the law exposes sin in our hearts. With Paul, he realized that sin came into his heart, and he died. What he thought brought life actually brought death, and his false confidence perished. This was a precursor to his salvation; he didn’t have what the martyr Stephen had. The law is holy, exposing the beautiful character of God, but not to make us miserable. It displays His life-giving goodness that he intends for us. We are indeed saved by works of the law, but only Christ’s works imputed to us. Only a Christian can delight in God’s law.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « Feeding on Christ | None | Deliverance Through Jesus Christ » |
Romans 7:7–13 (Listen)
7 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.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 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.
(ESV)
Psalm 19:7–14 (Listen)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(ESV)