Romans 7:5-8

⁵When our self-directed nature controlled us, desires that led us to sin were acting in our bodies. Those desires were increased because of our knowing God's laws PRS. As a result we did evil things IDM that caused us to be separated from God.

⁶But now we are freed {free} from having to obey all the Jewish rituals— it is as though we have died. The result is that now we are not controlled by those rituals {those rituals do not control us now}. So we serve God, not by having to obey those rituals, which is the old way, but in the new way, as God's Spirit helps us to serve him.

⁷Someone might object, saying, “◄The laws that God gave Moses must be evil if our sinful desires are increased because of our knowing those laws. MTY/Are not the laws that God gave Moses evil if they stir up our sinful desires?►” MTY, RHQ I would reply that they certainly are not evil, even though our sinful desires are increased. What I would reply is that I, for example, realized that what I was doing was sinful only because of what is written { Moses wrote} in those laws. For example, I realized that coveting is sinful only because he wrote in those laws PRS, “You must not covet.”

⁸And because of what that commandment stated, my sinful desire to have things that belong to others PRS caused me to covet in many ways. Our desire to sin is not stimulated MET when there is no law that prohibits our doing sinful things.