Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

¹³  Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be!  Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.”  Romans 7:7-13. 

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Today’s Scripture explains how our sinful passions are aroused by the Law to bear fruit for death.  And, this Law is not just obscure Jewish customs or rituals, but this Law, that arouses our sinful passions to bear fruit for death, includes the Ten Commandments such as the tenth commandment:  “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” 

So, don’t run back to the tutorship of the Law and cling to it, as if you are only released from obscure Jewish customs or rituals but are still under moral law including the Ten Commandments.  You can’t even handle just The Ten Commandments.  And, if you try to perfect yourself by The Ten Commandments, you are under a curse.  Galatians 3:1-12.    

Now, this Scripture for today repeated defends the goodness of the Law;  the problem is the sin within us.  “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.  Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be!  Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.”  Romans 7:12-13.  

We read the solution to this problem in yesterday’s Scripture.  We were made to die to the Law, so that we might be joined to Christ.  We were released from the Law, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.  Romans 7:5-6.

Here is what The Heidelberg Catechism states:

Question 115.  Why will God then have the ten commandments so strictly preached, since no man in this life can keep them?

Answer.  First, that all our lifetime we may learn more and more to know our sinful nature, and thus become the more earnest in seeking the remission of sin, and righteousness in Christ; likewise, that we constantly endeavor and pray to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit, that we may become more and more conformable to the image of God, till we arrive at the perfection proposed to us, in a life to come. 

Even though it may be easier to “seek the remission of sin, and righteousness in Christ” and to pray for grace, than it is to obey the Ten Commandments, ultimately we don’t even depend on our own ability to so seek and pray, we trust God and the doctrine of salvation (“TULIP”) summarized by Romans 8:28-29:  “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

In summary, we “walk by the Spirit” and trust the Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit according to Galatians Chapter 5.  We “learn more and more to know our sinful nature, and thus become the more earnest in seeking the remission of sin, and righteousness in Christ;  likewise, that we constantly endeavor and pray to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit” according to The Heidelberg Catechism.  But, above all, we trust God through our faith in Christ to provide everything that we need for our salvation and to cause everything to work together for our good for our salvation.