Sinful Beyond Measure

“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

Something difficult for all humanity is the ability to see the world in all of its complexities. We wish that all the good guys wore white hats and the bad guys wore black hats, like they do in the movies. This way we could see goodness for what it is and know clearly who possesses it. And in a similar fashion, we could see badness for what it is and clearly see who possesses it. Yet, as Alexander Solszinidtzen reminded the world,

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

This inability to grasp such complexities is why it’s often difficult for us to understand how God can bring good out of sinful actions meant for death and destruction (Romans 8:28-30). It may also be the reason we find it difficult to see how that which is good and holy and just (the law) can be called a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:6-8).

Here Paul attempts to explain the case regarding the complexity that exists in understanding how the law (which is good) is used by sin (which is bad) to bring death to us.

Before sin is discovered by the law, there is a sense in which it exists disguised as good, even regarded as such. But when the law makes sin known for what it is by expressing the commandment  clearly (i.e., thou shalt not covet), sin is discovered for what it really is and takes on its real name and identity (i.e., normal human desire is revealed as concupiscence). With the spotlight shined on it, we see it as it really is—sinful beyond measure—a transgression of the law that is worthy of death.

This is why Paul says it was sin producing death in me through what is good.