Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Rom. 7:9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Paul personifies his own life here to make the point, if there is no Law than there is no death, the Law judges us as sinners, and the penalty is death for transgression against the Law. If there is no Law than there is no transgression, moreover, there is no penalty for
transgressions, thus, there can be no death, just life.

Paul knew that all humans die because of sin passed on to them from Adam our first human father. Paul wrote this information in his early writings to the Romans; he was not stating that he had eternal life before the Law, but he make the vital point to the Romans that Law produce death in us. Paul next states that when the commandments came (remember in context; this would be thousands of years before Paul’s lived on earth). In other words, when Paul now understood the commandments; he was judged according to the Law of God; sin revived in him and he died. Paul could no longer believe he had earned life though his own goodness, or his own merit, the Law convicted him otherwise, as a sinner.

Many new Christians and some older ones feel that they are special in the sense of being better of greater Holiness, thus, being favored by God more than others. In other words, they deserve life from their personal good works; perhaps Paul experience this foolishness at some point in his own life. Nevertheless, the Law made sure he could not live in that fancy and lie any longer; he would have to deal with his true condition of his sinful flesh, as well, as we all do when coming to the truth in Christ Jesus.

Rom.7:10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death; Rom.7:11 for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

Paul found himself deceived by the very thing he loved with a zeal the Law. He now found that his emotions do not enter into the judgment of God’s law; the Law is not partial, nor is the God that gave us the Law. The law had no mercy as Paul himself had no mercy towards those he killed for seemingly violating God’s Law.
Yes, the Law now killed Paul with same mercy he has shown Christ Jesus disciples before become the Apostle Paul. Above all Paul knew the Law, and power it would hold over those walking in flesh rather than by God Spirit. He understood the deceptive heart found in all humans and the natural inclination for it to judges others to
death by Law.

Jer. 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? 3:10 As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one. Rom. 3:11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. 3:12 They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one."{Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20} 3:13 "Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit."{Psalm 5:9} "The poison of vipers is under their lips;"{Psalm 140:3} 3:14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."{Psalm 10:7}
3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood. 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their
ways. 3:17 The way of peace, they haven't known."{Isaiah 59:7-8} 3:18 "There is
no fear of God before their eyes."{Psalm 36:1} 3:19 Now we know that whatever
things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

Each Christian of the Roman congregation must understand the purpose of the Law or they too would be deceived as Paul himself had been deceived through self-righteousness into judging one another to death through God’s Law. Though Paul openly murder the disciples of Christ Jesus, those now in Christ Jesus could inwardly murder their own brothers if they practice the Law and came back under the power of its headship again.

Matt.5:21 "You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not
murder;'{Exodus 20:13} and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the
judgment.' 5:22 But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause{NU omits "without a cause".} shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca{"Raca" is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for "empty" and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.}!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.{or, Hell}