Romans 7:7-25

c. But the law is to be exculpated from blame , Romans 7:7-25 .

The new Church is freed from law as a woman from an oppressive husband, and the apostle is about to picture the bliss of that emancipation when he is interrupted by two questions, and compelled to postpone that picture to the next chapter. Those questions and their answers (7-12 and 13-25) occupy the remainder of this entire chapter.

The Jew, made jealous for the law by Romans 7:5, demands: “ Is the law sin?” No, the apostle answers; the law is the detection of sin, and is good, and sin the only murderer, 7-12.

But, then, is this law, maintained by you to be good, the cause of death? No, but sin, defeating every effort of the awakened self to be holy, becomes a body of death, 13-25.

These two paragraphs, therefore, are entirely occupied in showing how the man in the flesh and under law (Romans 7:5) is dealt with by the law.