Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death to me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good… I. AS TO THE SIN ITSELF. It is a sin which is inward in the heart, not outward in the life (ver. 17). A sin which gives being to all other sins, and gives strength for the performance. A sin which dwelleth in us (ver. 17), is ever present with us (ver. 21), an inherent, deceitful, tyrannical evil (vers. 11, 20, 23), is ever presenting occasion of sinning, and pushing on the soul to acts of sin. What can this be but the sin of our nature, or that perverse propensity to sin which is derived as a punishment of the first man's first offence! 1. It is a plague which has infected the whole man. The understanding, what is it but the seat of darkness, misapprehension, and error? (Romans 3:11). What is the will bat enmity and rebellion against God (John 5:40)? The affections, which are as wings to raise the soul to God and heavenly things, are turned quite downwards, being set on things on the earth. Conscience itself is become defiled by this sinful sin, so that it neither witnesses, reproves, or judges, according to God's direction, but becomes first easy, then remiss, next hardened and feared. Yea, our very memories are drawn over to the corrupt part; like leaky vessels, whatever is good and pure they let out, and keep in little but what is filthy and evil. Yea, these very bodies of ours are become vile bodies, through sin that dwelleth in us; subject to diseases and corruptions, and are tempters of the soul to sin, and servants of it in all outward acts of sinning (ver. 5). 2. It is the cause of all those sins which are in the life (James 1:14). This is the fountain, particular sins are but the streams. 3. This sin of our nature is, virtually, all sin. Sin in the gross, in all the seeds of it; the combustible matter which only waits for outward occasions and temptations to blow it into a flame; it is a body which hath many members, and it is working in order to make provision for them all. 4. It is more durable and abiding than all other sins, therefore more exceedingly sinful. It may change its course in a natural man, but it never loses its power. 5. It is exceeding sinful sin, because it is ever encompassing and warring against the soul, in whom it dwells. It envenoms every action, every thought and duty, which proceed from the regenerate themselves. 6. It is an hereditary evil; all men are defiled with it, therefore all are concerned in it (1 Corinthians 15:22). II. HOW, OR BY WHAT MEANS, THE EXCEEDING SINFULNESS OF THIS SIN APPEARS. "That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." 1. By the commandment, therefore, we are in understand the whole moral law which the Spirit of God has given on purpose, and which He ever makes use of to convince of sin. 2. How sin is made by the commandment to appear exceeding sinful? (1) The law or commandment shows the soul that it is against God; it is a depravation of His whole image, a contrariety to His whole will, opposite to His justice, holiness, and truth, and enmity to all His purposes of grace and mercy. That law which condemns sin in the act, much more condemns it in the principle. (2) It shows the soul that death which God has threatened against it (Ephesians 2:3). That is the dismal peal which it rings in the sinner's ears. (3) Another way in which the law convinces of the exceeding fulness of this, and of all other sins, is by burdening the conscience with a sense of it. It brings God's word and man's sin together (Psalm 51:3). But think not that the law does this of itself. The law is but the instrument or means of conviction, the Spirit is the great efficient (John 16:10). The law is the glass wherein sin is seen, the Spirit holds it up to the sinner, and causes him to see his own face in it. The law is the hammer, but it is the Spirit that works by it. III. WHY IS IT THAT GOD SUFFERS THE MOTIONS OF SIN, IN SUCH WHOM HE KNOWS TO BE HIS OWN, TO BE SO EXCEEDING VIOLENT AND DREADFUL? In general it is that the sin of our nature might always appear sin. 1. Therefore such a fight as this sets and keeps open a spring of repentance towards God always. The sin of our nature is what we are to be humbled for, and to repent of, every day we live (Ezekiel 16:61). 2. Another use of the prevalency of corrupt nature in the saints is to divorce them from their own righteousness, and to slay carnal confidence in them all their life long. 3. It is to show the suitableness of Christ as the believer's surety, and to stir us up unto more earnest believing every day. 4. These workings of sin are of use to make us very watchful in our Christian walk. Where there is godly mourning there will be godly fear; both are where there is a due apprehension of the sinfulness of that sin that dwelleth in us.Uses: 1. Is there so much sin in us? Let this silence all murmurings against God under the burden of our afflictions. 2. Is the sin of our nature so exceeding sinful? Then let the youngest lay it to heart. 3. Does sin by the law become exceeding sinful? Then the law is a blessing as well as the gospel. The one shows what the disease is, the other directs to the only remedy. 4. See the wisdom of God in making the greatest contraries work together for His people's good. Even the working of sin in the regenerate is a means of quickening their trust upon Christ and their life in Him. (John Hill.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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