https://youtu.be/CWcInzTC4Bg
In our verse by verse study of Romans we are working on Rom 7:8; at the phrase translated in the NASB as "coveting of every kind" from "pas" (all or every kind), plus "epithymia" (coveting) "every category of coveting." "But the sin nature, having grasped the opportunity through the commandment (the 10th commandment), produced in me every category of coveting."
Paul explains that the old sin nature uses the prohibition of the 10th commandment to assert its authority over mankind by inciting disobedience to the 10th commandment.
All corruption (sin, human good, and evil) is based on this principle.
As a marriage counselor the Law says to mankind, Do not covet. But the first husband, the old sin nature says, always covet in every category. By prohibiting coveting the Law is a good marriage counselor for the unbeliever because it reveals the problem.
When the old sin nature as the first husband demands coveting it is an evil authority that rules through the tyranny of spiritual death. Every category of coveting refers back to the trends of the old sin nature, the first husband. Coveting or lust as the trend to sin includes covetousness, lasciviousness, lawlessness, perversion, criminality and murder.
Coveting is also a trend toward human good and evil including approbation lust, power lust and self denial, self justification and projection motivated by guilt complexes.
The old sin nature is genetically formed in the cell structure of the biological human body, including the brain so it lives in the physical body.
The old sin nature is aggressive and belligerent, but the Law commands us to cease and desist from coveting. Using the 10th commandment as an opportunity to flaunt its power over biological human life the old sin nature produces every category of lust in the biological human being.
Therefore, the old sin nature uses the 10th commandment to exercise its authority over biological human life through the function of coveting. 1Cor 15:56;
Rom 7:8; The sin nature as the first husband impregnates mankind with illicit desires. The 10th commandment of the Law says you will not have illicit desires. The old sin nature says you will have them.
This means that the Mosaic Law defines the relationship with the old sin nature as a bad marriage, a marriage that results in spiritual death from the moment of physical birth when human life begins.
"For apart from the Law sin was dead" - the explanatory use of the conjunctive particle "gar" (for), plus the adverb "choris" (apart from or without) is used as a preposition, followed by the genitive singular of "nomos" (Law). "For apart from Law."
Then the phrase "hamartia" (sin) "nekros" (dead) "sin dead"; Again "hamartia" (sin) in the singular referring to the old sin nature, the first husband from physical birth through the real imputation of Adam's original sin to the genetically formed old sin nature at physical birth.
There is an affinity between Adam's original sin and the sin nature. Adam's original sin of cognizance is the origin of the old sin nature and the basis for its genetic transmission that is the source of the corruption of the entire human race.
The word "is" is not in the original it is supplied in the English translations for readability. The next word in the Greek is the predicate nominative feminine singular from the adjective "nekros" (dead) that is used here in the sense of being unknown.
It does not literally mean death here, it means unknown or unaware. Death is used literally to describe physical death, but death is used figuratively for retroactive positional truth or divorce. Death is used for carnality, and in this case death used for ignorance. You are dead to what you do not know or are unaware of.
The principle is that a problem cannot be solved until you are aware that there is a problem. The sin nature was dead in the sense of being unknown or unrecognized as a problem.
The Mosaic Law and the 10th commandment reveal to mankind the problem of the old sin nature and spiritual death. Paul discovered that his spiritual death came from within him, not from any sin he was committing or had previously committed he was dead from birth because the old sin nature resided in his body from his physical birth.
Overt sin and the trend toward sin is the result of having the old sin nature. The old sin nature is the culprit not the Mosaic Law. The Law is not the problem but it does reveal the problem.
Expanded Translation Rom 7:8; "But the sin nature, having seized the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every category of covetousness. For apart from the law the sin nature is unknown (dead).
We see from this verse that Paul acquired the old sin nature at birth just like every other naturally born human being. Like everyone else, Paul, was ignorant of the marriage or the presence of the old sin nature until the Mosaic Law revealed it.
When the Law dispelled Paul's ignorance he became aware of the residence of the old sin nature and the resultant problem of spiritual death. You cannot solve a problem until you are aware of that problem.
The two real imputations at physical birth are unknown to all of us when we are born and for a long time thereafter and for some people never. Ignorance must be replaced with cognizance.
This cognizance can only occur in two ways: #1, the communication of the Mosaic Law to the unbeliever; #2, the communication of pertinent Bible doctrine to the believer under the teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit.
This is why the Mosaic Law is the marriage counselor of the first marriage and the Holy Spirit is the marriage counselor of the second marriage. Both marriage counselors are perfect because one marriage counselor is from God the other is God.
The Law is limited to counseling the first marriage because its content deals with the old sin nature, its function of covetousness and its trends toward sin, human good and evil.
The Law also presents the solution to the spiritual death that results from the first marriage to the old sin nature that is the Gospel of faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.