Read Romans 7:7-13
Where there is no law, there is no sin, because people cannot know that their actions are sinful unless a law forbids those actions. God’s law makes people realize that they are sinners doomed to die, yet if offers no help. Sin is real, and it is dangerous. Imagine a sunny day at the beach. You plunge into the surf; then you notice a sign on the pier: “No swimming. Sharks.” Your day is ruined. Is it the sign’s fault? Are you angry with the people who put it up? The law is like the sign. It is essential, and we are grateful for it: but it doesn’t get rid of the sharks.
Sin deceives people by misusing the law. The law was holy, expressing God’s nature and will for people. In the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), the serpent deceived Eve, changing her focus from the freedom she had to the one restriction God had made. Ever since then, we have all been rebels. Sin looks good to us precisely because God has said it is wrong. Instead of paying attention to His warnings, we use them as a “to do” list. When we are tempted to rebel, we need to look at the law from a wider perspective: in the light of God’s grace and mercy. If we focus on His great love for us, we will understand that he only restricts us from actions and attitudes that ultimately harm us.