Romans 7:8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.
Sin takes advantage of the law because it gives our selfish nature an opportunity to exert itself against God’s sovereignty. The word “seizing” is vivid and shows how sin looks for any opportunity for self to be master. Sin represents the deep inner drive every human has to be one’s own master. This can be see in pride, protectionism, lust, and many other ways. Paul lists some of the “acts of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21. The commandment sets the boundary. This boundary is God’s protection for us and helps us conform to his holy image. The power of sin within us sees this boundary not as protection but as a problem. The law becomes a burden to try to obey and live by. Without the law, sin runs free and is in total control. The law causes sin to show itself through the attitudes and actions that go against God’s will. We would not realize sin if there was no law to break.
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