Knowledge of Sin by Law

Romans 7:7-12   
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

The Law is not sin, it simply reveals we sin as we see what God commands and that we fail to do those things.  As it spells out specific sins, the law further invites us to do more against it because we cannot consistently do the right thing for the right reasons.  The law killed us by revealing our disobedience against a holy God.  It did not bring life, but death, because it could not change the heart to obey God, but only expose the wickedness filling this heart of stone.  So deceived, we are born dead to God as the law reveals.  That is why it is good, just, and holy.  Good because it exposes what is wrong.  Just because it shows we are wrong and He is right.  Holy because it shows God’s standards and our need.