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Commentaries
English
Romans
  
12Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.13Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.


Paul, the expert of the law and former Pharisee, stood fearfully before the truth that the holy revelation of God in the old covenant did not do good to man, but instead it hardened his heart and excited him to do evil. Thus being so since prohibition creates objection, and what is admitted to be good and pure leads to death. Paul cried out: “No. This analysis is wrong. The good reveals the evil, and induces the sinner to search for a healing and strive to be saved. So God often allows people to plunge into sin; to act out their nature, so that they may see themselves and be alarmed at the consequences of their own crimes.

Prayer
O Lord, in your holiness and perfection my corruption and uncleanness appear. Forgive me my superficiality in godliness, and remove from our faces, with the sharpness of your law, every mask made by our hypocrisy that we may know and confess that there is no other way for us but to accept your death on your cross, and continue in this death forever, because your law condemns us and produces in us obdurate disobedience. O Lord, I submit myself to you that you may heal me, save me, and keep me in death to ego, and in life with you.
Question
How can the law, which is good for us, be a reason for evil and death?