R&I NV — Confused as to what Paul is trying to say in Romans
5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
The Law and Sin
7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”[b] 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
So, I am having trouble figuring out where sin comes from.
Is sin a separate being that controls me? “For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.” – But event apart from the law people have been dying since Adam.
Does God create sin by issuing commandments? “but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died”
Its clear that Paul thinks two people exist. Those with the code/law/commandments and those who do not have them.
“6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”
For Jews, not doing as God commanded was a sin. But now with Paul, if they believe his claims, will now stop sinning because they believe the right things and live by the spirit. But not sinning had meant doing as God commanded. What does it mean now for Jews?
So looking at those “apart from the law” it seems like a mixed bag.
Paul describes that everyone should know God exists but since they didn’t glorify him, God gave them over to their sinful desires. They even “they invent ways of doing evil“. However, there are some gentiles who do as the law commands because its “written on their hearts’.
Who did the writing on their hearts? God?
God does promise to write his law on future generations hearts.
Does law mean all 613 commandments? Are there natural Jews out there?
Why is Paul lying here?
For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”[b] 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.
It is clear coveting existed apart from the law. According to Paul, people who did not glorified sinned! And according to Paul, people who had God’s law written on their heart avoided coveting. People have always coveted, with or without the law prohibiting coveting existed.
Is this really a case of lying or just some really stupid nonsense?
My conclusion about Romans is that Paul is full of shit.
The whole notion of Objective morality hinges on some lawgiver giving us objective morals. As far as we can tell the Jews say that their Lawgiver gave them the laws they were commanded to follow. Objective Laws. To not do as God commanded is evil and the Jews say so much in their holy book. Read Deuteronomy.
Paul is trying to vilify the fact that Jews do as God commanded. Where as God defines evil as Not doing as he commanded.
Paul says doing as God commanded makes no one righteous, when clearly doing as God commanded was the plan since Moses said “ 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”
So you have two options.
Moses Do as God commanded = good and not doing as god commanded = evil (if you’re a jew, if not don’t worry about it God has no covenant with you). Pretty straight forward.
Paul believe my claims and magically sin doesn’t count against you. I mean, you won’t know this until you die, but we all die, even Jews die. So really, just believe me. And BTW…
11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
And
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Roger Mills
Article URL : https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%203&version=NIV