Legalistic Bondage (Part 2)

Once we have seen sin for the deadly poison that it is we can make a choice as Paul did. It is important to point out that Paul first made the wrong choice. This is a man that was living as a Pharisee at one point, and was an enemy of the church, a persecutor of the brethren, and responsible for the death of many martyrs. Paul states to us his bad choice here and how it made it, hoping to warn us away from the very same peril in our lives. 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. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Romans 7:10-12

What does Paul mean the very commandment that promised life proved really to be his death? The answer lies in Proverbs. My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; Proverbs 7:1-2. You see the Word here stated that if the commandments were kept that the keeper of said commandments would live. Sin, evil, and Satan seized the opportunity to twist the word of God and deceive Paul, as well as countless others down through the generations. Keep the commandments and live seems so simple, but the deception comes in the fact that no amount of law keeping can ever atone for our past law breaking. God’s laws and commandments are holy, righteous, and good. However even the best of us are not.

My dear brethren I urge us to not be deceived into thinking that we can keep the commandments and live. Jesus was the only one who could and did do that, the rest of us though needs to face the music. Paul is warning us here of his legalistic folly, let us hear the warning, and heed it.

Heavenly Father,
May you open me further still to your truths. May I never tread in legalism, but may I hear the voices of those that have gone before me clearly, and may I alwasy follow the leading of your Holy Spirit.