Peter Barnes | Romans 7:12-13
SERMON NOTES
SIN AS THE PLAGUE OF PLAGUES
(Romans 7:12-13)
– after the Great Plague of London in 1665, Ralph Venning wrote a book on sin based on Romans 7:13, and called it The Plague of Plagues.
1. The law is holy, righteous, and good.
– 7:12; the law reflects the character of God (cf. e.g. Deut.4:8)
– Robert Haldane: ‘Every commandment in the Decalogue tends to promote human happiness.’ But sinners blame the law!
2. The law does not bring death.
– 7:13; it is the ministry of death (2 Cor.3:7) but that is not the fault of the law (cf. Rom.7:7, 10)
– 1 John 5:3
3. The law shows that sin is exceedingly sinful.
– 7:13; Ralph Venning: ‘Sin is worse than affliction, than death, than Devil, than Hell.’
– Job: ‘I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes’ (Job 42:6); Abraham: ‘I am dust and ashes’ (Gen.18:27); Jacob: ‘I am not worthy of the least of all Your mercies’ (Gen. 32:10); David: ‘My sin is always before me’ (Ps.51:3); Isaiah: ‘I am a man of unclean lips’ (Isa.6:5); Peter: ‘I am a sinful man, O Lord’ (Luke 5:8).
– it works as in Luke 7:4-48; the law makes us know sin and be grateful for grace.