Thoughts on the Epistle to the Romans (122) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

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.
Romans 7:8.9

Thoughts on the Epistle to the Romans (122)
In verse 7 Paul has already begun to write in the first person. It should not be assumed, however, that he is writing mainly about himself.

It will indeed be the case that after his conversion Paul suffered from some of the painful experiences described in this chapter for some days (cf. Acts 9, 9). But he will hardly have said of himself that he was once "alive without the law" (cf. Philippians 3, 5).

The transition from "we" in verses 5 and 6 to "I" in verses 7 - 25 is founded on the fact that the apostle has passed on from the doctrine to practical experience. The Christians in Rome were able to connect their own experiences with this "I".

Apart from the law sin was "dead". Sin is here seen as a personified power. So long as a person did nothing that his natural conscience forbade, he was not aware of the evil power dwelling within him, nor of the terrible end to which it was driving him.

The commandments and prohibitions of the law were the cause of "sin reviving" and leading to countless transgressions through our lusts.

The consequence is: "I died". This does not mean dying with Christ; it is rather the feelings of one who, on the basis of the law, must acknowledge that "I must die, because I have transgressed God's law."

(to be continued next Sunday)

Today's reading: Deuteronomy ch. 7