As a Pharisee, Paul upheld the law to the nth degree. He had no power over sin until he had the revelation of Jesus Christ---the Damascus road experience. When he became aware of the power of the law, by comparison to the grace of God in Christ, then he understood....just as we should now that we have experienced the grace of God in salvation.
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I responded to an altar call when I was young and set out on the christian path. What I didn't know then was, I tried to attain heaven EXACTLY as Paul the Pharisee did. Do you understand that? I was in earnest not to commit sin in order to attain heaven. Again I couldn't at that age relate it to law keeping or much more, for i understood little. But i was determined to live a pure and holy life for God.
The first thing I noticed was I became sin conscious. On the outside I could appear to be the perfect christian, but in the inside I started to become heavy and depressed because I knew on the inside I could not be sinless. My personality became affected, I wasn't such a nice person anymore because of the inner turmoil. I had no peace, whereas before I became a christian I did have peace. Sin grew in me at a rapid rate. In a sense I was dying.
Now I know of grace I can look back at that time and see clearly concerning it. How should i describe that tine of my life when I in reality tried to attain heaven as a Pharisee? How could I now rooted in the christian faith describe it?
I hadn't known sin before the law came to me. I hadn't known lust before the commandment/ law came to me. But through knowledge of the law or commandment all manner of concupiscence was aroused in me.
I had felt alive before the law came to me, but when it did come sin( consciousness) sprang to life in me and i died. The commandment that was ordained( in my view) to give me life( if i obeyed it) instead brought death( for i could not keep it)
Sin through the law had slew me
However I know there wad nothing wrong with Gods good and holy laws, the problem was my sin
Like I say, at the time I did not know this/ I could not have reasoned or seen that was what happened. But now as a christian looking back on my past when I tried to attain heaven as a Pharisee i can see it.
You simply don't understand, few do.