The Sinner Slain by the Law

For 1 was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. — Romans vii: 9.

The time to which Paul alludes in the text, is doubtless the lime when he was on the way from Jerusalem to Damascus — when he was struck to the earth, and remained three days without sight.

We will consider

I. The life which Paul lived.

II. The death which he died.

I. He lived what many regard as a very moral life. “My manner of life from my youih, which was first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews, which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the straitestsectof our religion, I lived a pharisee.” This was regarded very much to his credit.

He appears to have been very conscientious.

‘’ And Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience until this dny.”

He was also sincere. ‘^ I verily thought” he says, “that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.”

He was very zealous. “I am” he says, “verily a man who am a Jew — brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.”

‘’I profited in the Jew’s religion above many mine equals, being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of the fathers.”

If any man could assert a claim to heaven on the ground of his own righteousness, Paul could do it. “If any man have whereof to glory, I more — as touching the righteousness of the law, blameless.” So far as external conduct was concerned, he regarded himself, and was regarded by others as blameless.

But notwithstanding his zeal and activity in religion, he had no true knowledge of his own heart, and no right principle of action. He was alive without the law. The law of God reveals the great principles of right moral action. Of these, he was perfectly ignorant.

When he says that he was without the law, the meaning cannot be, that he had no Bible. He was doubtless better acquainted with the contents of the Bible than most of his brethren; for he was taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers. He’ had the best of advantages. But although he was acquainted with the letter of the law, and could probably repeat from memory much of the Bible; yet he was totally ignorant of the spirituality and extent of the law.

II. The death which he died.

Of course he did not mean that he died a natural death, for he was then alive.

The language implies that he found himself under sentence of death; for he snys, when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. He found himself under the curse of the law. “Cursed is every one who continucth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.”

Again — He found himself destitute of all spiritual life. “To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” The language which he so often uses in his epistles on this subject, he knew to be true from his own experience. “Dead in trespasses and sins.”

Again — All his self-righteous hopes were slain, and he felt that he was utterly lost.

liejlections.

1. Many think themselves to be Christians when they are not. They have not been under conviction of sin. They have not seen and felt that they were condemned, and that they were dead in trespasses and sins.

2. We see the importance of preaching the law. No sinner can see and feel his need of pardon and salvation, until he sees that he is lost — none are convicted of sin without a knowledge of the law — “By the law is the knowledge of sin.” “I had not known sin but by the law.” None can feel their need of Christ, till they feel that they are condemned. It is true that sinners may be greatly distressed, and have great fears of hell without conviction. Hence the need of preaching the law that sinners may see their need of pardon and salvation.

3. Sinners that are under conviction, realize that they are waxing worse and worse. Thus it was with

Paul while under conviction of sin. He doubtless, at that time, saw more of his heart than ever before. Had there been any good thing in his heart, he doubtless would have discovered it. But he does not say, when the commandment came, the good principle revived, and I lived; but sin revived, and I died.

And thus sinners now under conviction complain that they are waxing worse and worse. We need not contradict them, for it is true, whether they realize it or not.

4. Gospel preaching will distress sinners more and more, while unreconciled to God.

They often complain that ministers destroy all that they have been doing. Painful as it is, it must be done. Should a sinner find relief under any sermon, without a change of heart, he may know either that he has not understood the preacher, or that the preacher has not done his duty.

5. The sooner smners die in the sense of the text, the better.

Sinners under conviction sometimes say, it seems as if you would kill me. They must be killed. They must be slain by the law, before they will be m.ade alive by the gospel.