Grace Thoughts
Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 98)
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I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. Romans 7:9-10
We hope you are enjoying your study of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. You can read the last part of our study here. We will link you to free eBooks from previous studies at the end of this article.
We continue our study of Romans 7 beginning in verse 9.
Verse 9
I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
εγω δε εζων χωρις νομου ποτε ελθουσης δε της εντολης η αμαρτια ανεζησεν εγω δε απεθανον
εγω δε εζων χωρις νομου ποτε (egō de ezōn chōris nomou pote) “I was alive apart from the law once” … the word “once” (chōris) is a particle that gives us a sense of time in this context. The word means “formerly, former times, at one time or another.” It would be similar to our telling a story to our children — “there was once a little boy who lived in the woods” or “once upon a time” … Paul was writing about a former experience … “I was alive apart from the law at a former time” … at some former time, Paul was alive “apart from” (chōris – separate from) “the law” … the word nomou can be used for general laws or specific laws, like the Mosaic Law … the context of Paul’s usage of the word in Romans so far has been about Mosaic Law. When would Paul have been “alive apart from the law?” We’ll have to continue reading to see.
ελθουσης δε της εντολης η αμαρτια ανεζησεν (elthousēs de tēs entolēs hē hamartia anezēsen) “having come however the commandment the sin revived” … the word entolēs means “order, injunction, law, command” .. even as Paul said that he lived “apart from the law at a former time,” there came a time when the commandment “having come” — “the sin revived” .. the word anezēsen means “come to life again, regain life, live again” .. anezēsen is a verb in the aorist tense (indicative mood, active voice) .. this indicates a past event ..
The question still lingers before us. When was Paul “alive apart from the law”? We know it was in the past, “at a former time,” but when was that?
As we think through Paul’s life, several times come to mind. One time could have been when he was a little boy, before he knew about the Mosaic Law and sin. We might consider the “innocence” of childhood as a time that someone might be “alive apart from the law.” However, Paul wrote that “when the commandment came, sin revived.” How could sin come to life again if he was a young child and had not known anything about the Law and disobedience to it?
Let’s read on.
εγω δε απεθανον (egō de apethanon) “I then died” .. the word apethanon means “to wither, decay, die off, die away from” .. it carries the idea of separation ..
Another possible time in Paul’s life could have been prior to his meeting Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Paul was certainly full of himself, as he eloquently explained in Philippians 3:
… though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Philippians 3:4-6
We first meet Paul in Acts 8 where he was known as Saul. Saul consented to the stoning death of the deacon Stephen. That led to a time of great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. Who led that persecution? Saul (Paul) did — “he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison” (Acts 8:3).
Paul later testified before King Agrippa about his life before and after meeting Jesus Christ. He spoke about his “manner of life” from his youth. He talked about how he was a member of the strictest sect of the Hebrew religion (Pharisee). He spoke about receiving authority from the chief priests in Jerusalem to hunt down and arrest followers of Jesus. Paul said that when they were put to death, he cast his vote against them. He said that he “punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme” because he was “exceedingly enraged against them.” Paul said he persecuted followers of Jesus “even to foreign cities.” Then, Paul said this:
While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:12-18
We know from Acts 9 that the soldiers who journeyed with Paul stood speechless. They heard a voice, but didn’t see anyone. Saul arose from the ground, but found that he was blind. The soldiers and others with him took him into Damascus. Paul spent three days without sight, “and neither ate nor drank.” That would certainly have given Paul (Saul) time to consider his disobedience to God’s commandments.
It’s also possible that what Paul referred to in Romans 7 occurred even earlier than his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul was a scholar and had studied under the esteemed Rabbi Gamaliel. He was taught according to the strictness of the Mosaic Law. He was zealous toward God. The high priest and elders of Israel had put him in charge of putting an end to those who followed Jesus. However, Paul readily admitted to being a sinner. In fact, he called himself the “chief” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
In our last study we looked at Romans 7:7-8. Remember what he wrote in verse 7?
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’
That’s a clue to the time when Paul thought of himself as being “apart” from the commandment of God. It was the Law of God that showed Paul that he coveted and was therefore a sinner before God. It may be that Paul came to realize his “covetousness” during the three days he was blind after meeting Jesus or maybe the days following. It may be that he came to realize it before meeting Jesus.
Think of all the prestige and adulation that would have fallen on Saul of Tarsus in his position. The high priests and elders of Israel entrusted him with the work of ridding Judaism of those who believed in Jesus. Maybe Paul wanted even more. Maybe he wanted, like his teacher, to be a member of the honored Sanhedrin. We don’t know what Paul coveted, but coveted he did. Paul wrote that he would not have known sin except through the Law. Which specific commandment of the Law? Paul didn’t say, but there are many.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s. Deuteronomy 5:21
The sin of covetousness certainly flew in the face of the requirements to be a leader in Israel:
Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. Exodus 18:21
How did this discovery affect Paul?
Verse 10
And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
και ευρεθη μοι η εντολη η εις ζωην αυτη εις θανατον
και ευρεθη μοι η εντολη η εις ζωην αυτη εις θανατον (kai heurethē moi hē entolē hē eis zōēn hautē eis thanaton) “and proved to be me the commandment that was to life this to death”
A Pharisee was a teacher of the Law. Paul was a Pharisee. He was a scholar, trained from childhood by Jewish scholar Rabban Gamaliel — son of Simeon ben Hillel, and grandson of Hillel the Elder. Paul knew the Law inside and out, and believed that the Law brought life and great reward.
You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. Leviticus 18:5
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-10
And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ Ezekiel 20:11
However, Paul learned that the law that was to bring life, in fact brought death. How could that be? Was Paul saying the Words of God written in the Hebrew Bible were wrong? Not at all. Paul was sharing an insight into the Law that Jesus Christ had given him. As Paul had written earlier to another group of Christians —
Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:21-25
Fortunately, this is one of the first things I learned about the Law as a young Christian. The purpose of the Law was to bring me to Christ. It was the “tutor,” the “schoolmaster,” that showed me my sin and my need for the Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.
This is the lesson of Romans 7, as well as Galatians 3. The Law of God teaches us that we are sinners who are not able to save ourselves. We need a Savior and that Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came from Heaven to earth to demonstrate in the clearest way possible that God loves us great love and great grace.
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17
Paul is also the apostle who wrote an epistle after he’d written to the Galatians and Romans that said he along with everyone else was “dead in trespasses and sin” (Ephesians 2:1). He went on to write the Ephesians:
… in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Paul understood what it meant to be “dead” in trespasses and sin. How did he know that? Because of the Law of God. He knew, and we know, that we are sinners because the great “tutor” showed us our sinfulness and led us to the Only One Who could save us — Jesus Christ the Lord.
Whether Paul learned that as a child or a teenager or a young man, the important thing is that Paul learned it. That is a lesson everyone must learn if they are to know God and Life.
But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
Romans Resources
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1 Verses 1-15
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1 Verses 16-17
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1:18 – 25
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 1:25-32
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 2:1-29
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 3
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God”Chapter 4
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 5
Commentary on Romans “The Gospel of God” Chapter 6
Next Time
We will look at Romans 7:11-12 in the next part of our study of the Gospel of God.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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