Question 113

What doth the tenth commandment require of us?

That even the smallest inclination or thought, contrary to any of God’s commands, never rise in our hearts; but that at all times we hate all sin with our whole hearts, and delight in all righteousness.^a

1. a. Romans 7:7ff

   Romans 7:7–25

   ^7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. ^7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. ^7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. ^7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. ^7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. ^7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. ^7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. ^7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. ^7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. ^7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. ^7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. ^7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. ^7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ^7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. ^7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. ^7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: ^7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ^7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? ^7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

   ^7:7 What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, "Do not covet." ^7:8 But sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from the law, sin is dead. ^7:9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ^7:10 So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death. ^7:11 For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death. ^7:12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good. ^7:13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But in order that sin might be exposed as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. ^7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ^7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. ^7:16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. ^7:17 In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. ^7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ^7:19 For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. ^7:20 And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. ^7:21 So this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ^7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law. ^7:23 But I see another law at work in my body, warring against the law of my mind and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me. ^7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ^7:25 Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

   King James VersionBerean Standard Bible