What should we say, then? Are the laws in Moses’ Teachings sinful? That’s unthinkable! In fact, I wouldn’t have recognized sin if those laws hadn’t shown it to me.
For example, I wouldn’t have known that some desires are sinful if Moses’ Teachings hadn’t said, “Never have wrong desires.” But sin took the opportunity provided by this commandment and made me have all kinds of wrong desires. Clearly, without laws sin is dead.
At one time I was alive without any laws. But when this commandment came, sin became alive and I died. I found that the commandment which was intended to bring me life actually brought me death.
Sin, taking the opportunity provided by this commandment, deceived me and then killed me.
So the laws in Moses’ Teachings are holy, and the commandment is holy, right, and good. Now, did something good cause my death? That’s unthinkable! Rather, my death was caused by sin so that sin would be recognized for what it is.
Through a commandment sin became more sinful than ever. (Romans 7:7-13 GW)
The idea of sin is often misunderstood as bad behavior. Sin can certainly result in bad behavior, but sin is deeper than that. It has a nature of its own, but distinctly personal.
So each person has a sin nature all their own. But it's stealthy in its existence. It only comes out when exposed by the light of God's goodness. So the commandments of God make sin visible.
Because God is pure goodness in nature—righteous, holy, true—His commandments are good. It's the exposure of the light of God's truth that causes a contrast to reveal the darkness of sin.
What may seem like a quirk of personality or character flaw is seen for what it is—sin—the nature that lurks in all of us. ©Word-Strong_2015