Romans 7:9-10 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
If the law does not say that a certain action is wrong, then that action is not wrong and is not sin. The law defines sin. Once the law states a right or wrong action, our fallen nature and selfishness sees an opportunity to be master and wants to be our own god. We will break God’s law because we are our own master. The result will eventually lead to slavery to sin. As Paul wrote in Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is death. When the self exerts itself against God’s authority, the result is death. This is essentially what happened to Adam and Eve. The problem is not the law because the law is meant to be the guide to life. God gives the law for our protection and happiness. If we follow God’s will, we will experience a good life full of peace and joy. The psalmist talks about this in Psalm 119. The problem is sin that must be dealt with through the atonement of Jesus . Sin tricks us into thinking that if we do our own thing and follow our own desires, we will find happiness. If sin was not fun or fulfilling, people would not do it and give it to their lusts and desires. But following the way of sin always and eventually brings pain, sorrow, and eventually death.
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