The Great Illusion (Romans 7:9-10)

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


We many times try to silence the accusations of the law as we keep on applying new poultices of self-made piety, thereby hoping to heal the wounds of the law.  But the accusations of the law only became more persistent.  Then, as Luther wrote, "the law cast him to the ground and he finally learned that he could no longer kick against the goad.  Now he lay wholly helpless but saved by grace alone."


Romans 7:10, "The very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me."


The world is under the illusion that there is life in the law, supposing that the commandment holds promise of life. It claims the law as the way of salvation.  However there is a different objective.  This objective is to convict us of sin.  The law strips away all hope of obtaining salvation through our own righteousness.  And so the law becomes our 'custodian' leading to Christ, 'that we might be justified by faith.'  (Galatians 3:24)


Taken From:  Romans (C.O. Rosenius)


As you can see, Rosenius and Paul are showing us that the purpose of the law is to strip away everything... so that we might receive everything in Christ.  To often we believe the great illusion that we have life underneath the law and through the law.  We can so easily puff ourselves up believing that we are actually capable of fulfilling the law or we believe that the law contains the needed power/inspiration to live our best life now.  This is the great illusion; the belief that we will actually catch the carrot on the stick.  


As we continue the Blogging With Carl Series we will begin to see that the blessed solution for us is Christ.  Jesus is the prized carrot on the stick and we don't pursue Him, rather He comes to us as gift.  Grace and Peace to you this week.


PM