Romans 7:11 – The deluding reading of the law

For Sin, getting an incentive through the precept, deludes me, and through it, kills me.

What Paul points out in these verses is that “sin” finds an incentive in the commandment. She misunderstands the words “you shall not covet …” and thereby misleads her. So it is not the text itself that is misleading, but its incorrect interpretation.

We must remember that under the new covenant that will be made with Israel, the law will not be discarded. Certainly Israel will no longer be “weighed down by the law”, but the law will be “written in their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). It will be discovered (for the covering is removed; 2 Cor. 3:16) that the “you shall …” and “you shall not …” are not burdens but promises! GOD does not ask anything of Israel in this, but promises what He will do.

“The old covenant” (= the letter; Rom. 7: 6) fails and is deadly, because the “thou shalt” and “thou shalt not…” is taught to man as a requirement. While they are promises. Humans are put to work by demands. But when GOD promises, then we have everything to expect from Him. Then we lift our heads because He never disappoints!

Delen: