From the MLJ Archive

Romans 7:10-11

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. (ESV)

We may understand that sin is deceiving, but just how does it deceive us? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on Romans 7:10-11 and further dissects just how powerful and persuasive sin can be in a Christian’s life. Paul has confirmed in his letter to the Romans that no man can find life by the law, and instead, we actually find death! This is because sin is death and the law shows us the sin in our lives. Paul is careful to clarify that the law is good as long as a man uses it lawfully. However, despite our best efforts, sin uses the law and condemns us. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains four ways in which sin deceives us: it makes us feel that God is against us, it makes us feel that the law is unreasonable in its demands for us, it praises us and makes us think highly of ourselves, and it even deceives us about sin itself. In order to be vigilant as a Christian, we need to ensure that we are not easily persuaded by the powerfulness and deceitfulness of sin.