“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.” (Romans 7:13)
What a tricky Scripture! Paul was talking about the Law by Moses. It was good and holy. (verse 12) But because it pointed out sin in us doesn’t make it the bearer of death. But it’s sin that works death and exposed by “that which is good,” the Law. And because of the commandment of the Law that pronounced my sin as sin, it revealed it as abundantly sinful.
Our tendency to categorize sin as a big sin or a little sin is not valid with God. All sin is abundantly sinful. All sin is death. As a child of God, we cannot afford to allow any sin into our lives. Yet we do sin. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1John 1:8) We sin because we are still in this earth suit. We sin because we live in this sinful world. We can’t avoid sin. It’s all around us. And the flesh is in us fighting the spirit man born again of God. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Galatians 5:17)
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” (Romans 5:20). The Law was given so that we’d know what offended God. And sin was found to abound. Can you imagine that what people were doing, now was found to be offensive to God and to bring death? But God is merciful. Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Grace, God’s divine favor, gift and benefit. He made a way for piety, for holiness and a way for people to come to Him. Ultimately sending Jesus His Son, to take our sin away, to take our death and giving us eternal life with Him. (John 3:16)
“Grace did much more abound.” And grace abounds much more, daily in our lives. We sin. Yet God’s grace has it covered. We fail. God’s grace has it covered. We’re weak. God’s grace has it covered. It’s all God’s work. We don’t work at it because our work would not be sufficient. The work of Jesus on the cross was sufficient. It covers all our sin, all our deficiencies, our failures and our weaknesses. “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2Corinthians 12:9) A side note here: We don’t know what Paul’s infirmity could have been. It may have been physical or of the soul (mind, will, emotions). But whatever it was, God’s grace was sufficient and covered it so no matter he could continue in God’s mission for him.
How rich is His grace? How far can it take us? How sufficient is it? “ And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-7) His grace works eternity in us, eternity with Him.
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