Peter gives us a warning about the writings of Paul.....and for a very good reason. Paul's writings are HARD to understand.
Let's look at Romans Chapter 7:
Rom.7
[7] What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Right from the start what does Paul ask us to consider? Are the laws of God bad? And what does he tell us? NO!!! He then goes on to say....if it were not for the laws of God he would not have known that it was wrong to covet.
Now readers....do you believe Paul stopped reading at this one law of do not covet? Of course not! Paul was a student of God's word. He knew ALL of God's laws. So NO....he did not stop at "Do not covet.". Let's continue with chap. 7;
[8] But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Above Paul tells us that because of the knowledge of God's laws, this knowledge made him aware of all manner of lustful desires. For before Paul knew God's laws....sin was dead to him. He didn't know that what he was doing was wrong in the eyes of the Lord. Let's continue.....
[9] For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Above Paul tells us that we was alive without God's laws. Now what do you think he meant? He meant the same thing and felt the same way we all did before knowing that certain actions were wrong in the eyes of God. We thought we were alive and living it up. Doing what we wanted, when we wanted and not having to give account to anyone.
But what happened when Paul became aware of God's laws? What happened when the "...commandment came..."? Sin was made know to him. When he read that it was wrong to covet....that old Paul...the one that was living it up had to die. The LAW did NOT die. The old man....the man that was living it up had to die. Paul did NOT die to the law. God's laws made Paul aware that what he was doing was wrong and that old Paul is the one that died. Let's read more....
[10] And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Readers....please take note to what Paul says above. Let's read it closely again;
"And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death."
Paul tells us that God's laws were ordained to LIFE. Now what life could Paul be speaking of? He was already alive! The life that the laws would give, if kept, was ETERNAL LIFE! That is what God's laws give to those that keep them. We have proof of this throughout the entire bible. Keeping God's laws could give not only eternal life....but doing as God commands could also give physical life. Consider the days of Noah. Consider the punishment of Sodom. Consider the nation of Israel.
And of course we know what Jesus tells us gives life eternal; Keeping God's commandments. Let's prove this with scripture;
Rev.22
[14] Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Keeping the laws and commandments of God allows entrance into His kingdom. Now let's continue to what else happened to Paul when God's commandments were made known to him;
"...I found to be unto death."
And what was it that died? Again.....Paul already told us. It was that old Paul that died. Once Paul became aware of God's laws and the knowledge of sin...that old Paul...the one, just like us, that was living it up had to die. Paul could not go on serving 2 masters. Either he had to serve God or serve sin. Paul chose to serve God and obey His laws. Let's continue....
[12] Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Again Paul tells us that God's laws are HOLY, JUST and GOOD! How could it be that such laws were nailed to Christ's cross? How could these laws that Paul says, were ordained to give life, no longer be needed or kept?
[13] Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Paul presents us with another question. He asks... Could that which was good, speaking of God's laws, cause him to die? Could keeping God's laws cause Paul to die? Again he tells us NO! But what was it that caused death in Paul? Knowing what sin was and that he could not continue therein caused him to die. Not only that...but now having the knowledge of God's laws made sin appear even MORE sinful.
Readers.....Paul did NOT die to the law. We are NOT dead to God's laws. The knowledge of God's laws brings about death to the old Paul....to the old US.
God's laws are ordained to life....life ETERNAL!
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His writings are about perspective.
He says that much of his life, he knew not law. And when it came to him, his life as he knew it was over. For in the life he has previously had, the law showed him he could not live that life anymore.
Ie. the law brought him rules. and he realised all his wrongs.
He is also saying (before verse seven) that the law made him rebellious. Because it was as rules without real reason in his mind.
He says that when Jesus died, then men could 'marry' a new kind of life. No longer bogged down in law, using law to cover bad morals. No longer finding loopholes to see what one could get away with. But there was a new life in Jesus. Whereby people lived by faith, and love, and hope, rather than by strict law.
Then he says something like 'I bet you're all thinking, what's the point of law then? Surely the law is sinful then~ No certainly not. It had a good function. Without it, I wouldn't have even known what 'coveting' was.
He is saying here that the law itself was good. But sin made a certain 'forbidden fruit' out of it. Like whenever your parents say 'dont do that', and you want to do what you know you aren't meant to. And even if you don't give in and do it, you still 'desire to do it'. Y'know?
He was saying, that the very commandments that are meant to give him freedom, and life, ended up being a tool to enslave him, and tempt him towards the things that bring him death.
He goes on to say that he then partook in the things that he knew he shouldn't do. He indulged in things he despised. And the temptation was strong. So for this kind of reason, then God's commandments are necessary. Because he himself in his own mind, couldn't even stay away from what he knew already was wrong!
He finished off this chapter like 'Thankfully Jesus set right things in this world; where I want to do what is right, but temptation influences me to ignore my desire for doing what is right'.
This whole verse isn't about spiritual death vs literal death, it's about Paul's perspective changing as Jesus' teachings influenced him, and about the new kind of belief that Jesus' gave him.
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