Romans Chapter 7 Vs. 8

 

The Law and Sin

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. Rom 7:8

Sin, taking occasion... Sin is here pictured as a self-acting spirit which at one time controlled Paul and worked in him all manner of concupiscence or sinful lusts. It used the coming of the commandment as an occasion to assert its control over his life not letting him obey the law. Sin was not active before the law came for it had no reason to assert its power until then. But as soon as the commandment came forbidding certain things, sin came to life and by its lusts made him break the law so that he would have to pay the death penalty (Rom. 7:8-9).

manner of concupiscence... Concupiscence means lust, or a desire for things that are forbidden. Sometimes the forbidden is the very thing the flesh lusts for.

Sin uses the specific requirements of the law as a base of operation from which to launch its evil work. Confronted by God’s law, the sinner’s rebellious nature finds the forbidden thing more attractive, not because it is inherently attractive, but because it furnishes an opportunity to assert one’s self will.

sin was dead... Meaning not lifeless or nonexistent, but dormant. When the law comes, sin becomes fully active and overwhelms the sinner.

Paul knew sin as a principle and specifically, covetousness as an expression of it, and that knowledge came through the Law. Paul described how it worked. The indwelling principle of sin, seizing the opportunity (lit., “taking a start point” [aphormēn, a base for military operations or for an expedition]) afforded by the commandment (cf. Rom. 7:11), produced in me every kind of covetous desire. The Law is not the cause of the act of sin; the principle or nature of sin within an individual is. But the Law’s specific commandments stimulate the sin principle into acts that violate the commandments and give those acts the character of transgression (Rom. 4:15; cf. 3:20; 5:13, 5:20). As Paul concluded, Apart from Law, sin is dead. This does not mean that sin has no existence without the Law (cf. Rom. 5:13), but that without the Law sin is less active, for the Law arouses “sinful passions” (Rom. 7:5).

It is significant that, beginning with Rom. 7:7 and continuing through this chapter, the Apostle Paul turned to the first person singular, presenting his personal experience. Up to this point he had used the third person, the second person, and even the first person plural. But now he described his own experience, allowing the Holy Spirit to apply the truth to his readers.