We Need a Savior
Three Ways the Law Shines a Light On Our Sin
Aaron Lee | Romans 7:7-13 | FCBCW Youth Worship | February 16, 2025
Introduction
Were the 10 commandments meant to condemn us? To look at this another way, what was the heart of God in giving the 10 commandments? Is God an evil dictator? Some might say that God is not good. That God is mean because he just gives us a bunch of rules to obey. They say that if God were good, he would let us live free. Have you ever heard a child say: “My parents give me so many rules – they’re so mean to me.” Is this claim true of God’s character? How is it possible that the psalmist can say he delights in the law of the Lord?
There was once a story about a rich young ruler. He came to Jesus and asked him what he must do to be saved. Jesus said he needed to obey the Ten Commandments. The man said he has obeyed since his youth. Jesus said he still lacked one thing: “go sell all that you have and give to the poor and follow me.” What was Jesus doing here?
Context
Paul’s audience were Jews and Gentiles, and they had division. They were not unified. One big issue was concerning the law. The law refers to the Ten Commandments, the Old Testament rules and regulations, the way that God wanted his people to live. Some were saying that the Ten Commandments were the ultimate cause of condemnation – but that’s not true. Paul makes it clear that God’s Ten Commandments are good, and it’s our own sin that produces death.
Big Idea
The law shines a light on our sin and our need for a savior.
Sermon Preview
Paul takes one of the Ten Commandments – “you shall not covet” – and shows how sin is sneaky with it. We’re going to see three ways the law shines a light on our sin:
Definitions
Desires
Death
1. Definitions
The first way the law shines a light on our sin is by defining our sin. It gives definitions to our sins:
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7)
Explanation
The law helps to define our sin – exposing sins hidden in our hearts. The law defines our sin. It reveals it. It gives shape to it. Paul is not saying that he never coveted before. Rather, he is saying that the law revealed it to him. The law opened his eyes to his sin. Because the law pointed out that coveting is sin, he knows he is wrong. The law draws a line in the sand, and Paul knows he has crossed the line. He is out of bounds. He has disobeyed. It’s interesting that Paul highlights covetousness out of the Ten Commandments. Out of all of the Ten Commandments, it’s one that seems to be most hidden in our hearts. So while it might not be so apparent to others, God knows, and his law shines straight upon the sin.
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is a really good example. Paul might have even had this in mind as he was sharing his own testimony. In the Garden, God gave very clear boundaries. He told Adam and Eve specifically not to eat the fruit from the tree. So there was no getting around it when they ate. They tried to shift the blame. But the bottom line is that they broke the law. And the law shines a light on our sin by saying it is sin.
Application
So, will you see your sin? Some might consider sin to be subjective, and some might not even agree that we have the categories of “right” and “wrong.” The world tries to find ways to hide our sins. We camouflage our sins with the words that we choose. We use euphemisms like “adult entertainment” or “termination of pregnancy.” My kids like to say “it was an accident” when they did things on purpose. Christians can even soften the blow of our sin. We say things like “I made a mistake” or “I wasn’t thinking straight.” The reality is that sin is sin.
Let me give you an example from my own life. I call this story: Cover VS Confess. Earlier in my marriage, I had a bad habit of not being completely honest with my wife about how I feel. If I were to get angry, I would hide it by saying that I was just tired. If I was being judgmental and critical, I would say that I was just being honest and clear. I hope to think that I’ve gotten better of seeing my sin and not trying to cover it, but at least confess that my feelings might be wrong.
In order to see your sin, you have to read your Bible. You have to know what God says so he can shine a light on your heart. In Galatians 3:19, Paul defines sin as transgression. It means to go beyond a boundary or limit. When God has given you his word, you will not be able to say that you did not know what God wanted. You cannot say you did not know the rules. You cannot say you did not have the time to read. We find ourselves on the other side, in need of a Savior who was pierced for our transgressions to bridge the gap back to God.
2. Desires
The second way the law shines a light on our sin is by revealing our sinful desires. First the law gave us definitions, and now the law shows us our sinful desires:
But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. (Romans 7:8)
Explanation
Sin takes the opportunity provided by the law to stir up desires and lead us into disobedience. When Paul says produced, he doesn’t mean the sin just came out of nowhere. Sin took the ingredients and made you a meal to indulge and enjoy. It’s in this sense that sin produced, brought about, worked. The word “provoke” is a good way to understand it. Sin sees the commandment, and it pokes at you. It nudges you. It eggs you on. It took the opportunity, it seized the moment to overtake and overpower you. When Paul says that sin lies dead, he does not mean that it does not exist. He means that it lies dormant. It’s hidden or concealed until it wants to take action. Like cancer cells that you cannot see. Like a lion waiting to pounce on its prey.
Think about Adam and Eve in the garden again. When Satan entered the scene in the form of a snake, he embodied exactly what Paul is presenting. Satan as a snake might have been in the garden for a while before he first spoke to Adam and Eve. But when God gave them a rule, the Devil saw a way in. He’s cunning. He’s crafty. He asked them, “Did God really say don’t eat the fruit from the tree? You won’t really die. You’ll live.” Sin made an idol of independence. They wanted what God had explicitly forbidden. This is covetousness. And Satan stirred what was already there: a propensity towards sin and the depravity of their hearts. Their disobedience was driven by their own desires.
Application
So, will you slay your sin? Now when I say slay, I mean kill. Like how a knight will slay the dragon. Like how David slayed Goliath. You take it out. You take it down. The example of coveting is actually very useful here. There are several ways to deal with coveting. One way is to just get what you want. Another way is to just be content with substitutes. And the Christian way is to be content in Christ. Philippians 4:13 is a famous passage in the Bible: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” The actual context is that Paul is talking about contentment. Paul says that there is a secret to being content, and the secret is Jesus. Christ is the one who strengthens him to be content in any situation. Paul also says that this is a secret that must be learned. You have to experience Jesus to see him as satisfying.
Let me give you an example from my own life. I call this story: Eyes on Christ. I actually struggle with body image issues. I think some of it has to do with me being Asian American and just not seeing a lot of representation when I was growing up. But that’s not the point or an excuse. One way for me to deal with coveting a better body would be to actually work on getting a better body. Another way would be to be content with substitutes, maybe looking for approval in how I dress or in my skills instead. But the Christian way would be to be content in Christ – to be satisfied with how he has made me and to know that my worth is not in my looks, but in my Lord. So instead of looking at myself, I need to learn to look at my Savior.
At the end of the day, it comes down to trusting in God’s plans and his promises. You can apply this to any situation and circumstance. I think there is a supernatural element to this. You have to pray that God would change your heart to have this attitude. When you find yourself coveting, pray specific prayers from Scripture that say Jesus is better. Instead of focusing on the temporal, look to the eternal.
3. Death
The third and final way the law shines a light on our sin is exposing how it leads to death. First the law gave us definitions, then the law revealed our desires, and now the law exposes how sin leads to death:
I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. (Romans 7:9-11)
Explanation
The law exposes our disobedience that leads to death and shows our shared need for redemption. We were all created to enjoy fellowship with God. To be alive together with him. But when God gives us his standards, and we see what it requires to have a relationship with him, our sin deceives us. We say that we don’t need God. We say that we know better. And the law that God gave us so that we could have life proves to be death. It finds us out and we fall short. We feel distant from our creator. We become discontent with the one who gives us all good things. We die in a spiritual sense with separation from God, severing our relationship with him – and we die in a physical sense with the rotting and wasting away of our bodies, back to the dirt where God made us first.
Let’s go back to the Garden again one last time. When God asked Adam what happened, he blamed the woman – and he blamed God for giving her to him. Eve blamed the snake. God would put a curse on the cunning and crafty serpent – and Adam and Eve would be cursed and face the consequences of their sin. They would be separated from God, cast out of the Garden, and they would die. It was not God’s command that cursed them. It was not the fact that God said don’t eat the fruit that caused them to fail. The law served to show them their flaws. Adam and Eve, both created in the image of God, and both falling short of God’s glory. Adam and Eve, you and me, we’re sinners all the same. We can relate to the need for redemption. I think we are meant to sympathize with their story.
Application
So, will you sympathize with sinners? I’m not saying we justify sin. I’m not saying we excuse sin. I’m not saying we are tolerant towards sin. I’m saying we are sympathetic towards sinners, knowing that death is a common enemy of us all. Remember Paul’s audience. Paul was speaking to Jews and Gentiles, and they had division. They were not unified. The biggest uniter of us all is that we are all going to die. And death is due to our sin. We all have the same sinful hearts. You might not murder, but Jesus said you murder when you harbor hatred in your hearts toward each other. You might not commit adultery, but Jesus said you commit adultery when you look at another with lust in your heart.
Let me give you an example from my own life. I call this story: The Sympathetic Parent. Before I had kids, I would say “I would never let my kids do that.” The reality is that parenting is hard. We all fall short of being good parents in the way that our Heavenly Father is good to us. And so now I find it better to actively encourage parents instead of being prideful. I think it’s good to generally be sympathetic towards people. To have a humble disposition. As a teacher, I think it’s good that I learn to sympathize with my students. As a father, I think it’s good that I learn to sympathize with my children. As a husband, it’s good that I learn to sympathize with the weaknesses of my wife.
Hebrews 4:14-16 says that Jesus is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sin. What a savior we have who tells us he understands. He doesn’t give us an excuse, but he gives us an escape. He gives us his life.
The Gospel
Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)
Paul uses the phrase sinful beyond measure to say that his sin is exceedingly sinful. Even something so seemingly small as having a covetous heart is abhorrently sinful. On a physical, practical level, a covetous heart doesn’t hurt anyone. But it is a heart that offends a holy God. It’s a heart that says I am not satisfied with what I have. It is a heart that says I am not content with what God has given me. It is a heart that says God is not good. I’m not exaggerating here. And until you see that your sin is sinful beyond measure – you will never see your need for a Savior who gives mercy beyond measure:
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16)
This mercy was given to us at the cross of Christ. God has been patient for sinners to come to him with repentance. Do not delay. Admit, believe, confess. Come.
Conclusion
Let’s go back to the beginning again for our conclusion. I asked you: Were the 10 commandments meant to condemn us? The answer is no. The commandments were not meant to condemn, but to convict. God’s law is a light. It exposes our sin as the actual enemy. And through the light of the law, we are led to life in Christ.
So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (Romans 7:12)
The commandments and God’s heart behind them are holy, righteous, and good. A child might say something like my parents give me so many rules – they’re so mean to me. But that’s usually not the case. Parents give rules out of kindness and out of love. The psalmist can say he delights in the law of the Lord because it reveals God’s character to be that of a loving Heavenly Father who is holy and righteous and good.
Let’s look more closely at that story of the rich young ruler:
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:21-22)
Jesus loved that rich young ruler. He loved him so much that he had to show him his sin. Jesus gave him a command to give his money away and follow him. The man couldn’t do it. He coveted money more than Christ. We all have something that we need to surrender over to Jesus. Learn to let go. Don’t be like the rich young ruler, running away from the light just because he exposes your sin. Follow the light beam and let it lead you to the Savior.
Sin will deceive you and it will kill you. God’s Word does the exact opposite. Instead of deception and death, you get truth and life. The laws serve to show us that God is love. Our God is not a dictator. Our God is a deliverer. The law reveals our sin, but Jesus provides redemption—if you recognize your sin and need for a Savior, you can find life through Him. Whenever you feel lost in the dark, enslaved to your sin, the Bible is a beacon. Scripture will help see the truth. And the truth will set you free.
The Law is a Light
The law is a light that will shine in the dark
Exposing the sin that hides deep in our hearts
It shows us our need for a savior, a friend
To lead us, forgive us, and free us from death
The law is a lamp that you hold in your hand
To help as a guide so you walk righteous paths
It pierces the night and will cause you to see
The road you are taking, the way to belief
The law is the love of the lord on display
That shows us his character — his holy ways
It’s fulfilled in Jesus our king and our lord
The lion, the lamb, and the light of the world
References
Romans: Reformed Expository Commentary by Daniel M. Doriani
The ESV Study Bible by Crossway
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary on Romans by Donny Ray Mathis II
Reflection Questions
Have you ever felt that God’s rules were too restrictive? Why or why not?
How do you typically react when you realize you’ve sinned? Do you try to cover it up or confess it? Why do you think that is?
Can you identify a moment in your life when God’s Word shone a light on a sin you had been unaware of?
What are some desires or cravings in your life that you have found difficult to control? How does the law help expose those desires?
How can you learn to be content in Christ rather than seeking to satisfy your desires through worldly means?
Can you think of an area in your life where you need to “slay” sinful desires, and what would that look like practically?
In what ways have you experienced the “death” that sin brings—whether physically, spiritually, or emotionally?
Are there people in your life that you fail to sympathize with?
Reflecting on Jesus’ interaction with the rich young ruler, is there sin in your life that you are holding onto instead of following Christ fully?
What does it look like to live in the light of God's Word daily?