When the commandment came, sin revived in Paul and he died — his old Adam was awakened, exposed, and put to death.
In Romans 7:9, Paul writes, "For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Les Feldick teaches that before the law truly confronted him, Paul's old Adam was dead — not functioning — because Paul never understood what the law actually said. When the commandment arrived, it stirred up his old sin nature and broke him, causing old Adam to die as Paul recognized he was the chief of sinners.
Romans 7:9 — Paul plainly describes the moment the commandment came: sin revived and he died.
Romans 7:8 — Shows how sin, taking occasion by the commandment, produced all manner of concupiscence — the awakening Les calls old Adam.
In Romans 7:7-9, Paul explains his own encounter with the law. He writes, "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." He then says, "But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead." Then comes the key verse: "For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." The passage records two things that happened when the commandment came: sin revived, and Paul died.
Les Feldick repeatedly connects the word "sin" in Romans 7 with "old Adam" — the Adamic sin nature inherited from Adam's fall. He explains that before the commandment came, Paul was "alive without the law" in the sense that he was a religious Pharisee who knew the letter of the law but never understood what it said. "Old Adam was dead" — not functioning in the spiritual realm — because Paul was not paying attention to the law [Clip 0, Clip 2]. By Paul's day, the law had been watered down with man-made rules, so the law he thought he knew was not the pure Law of Moses [Clip 7]. When the commandment came, however, it took occasion through old Adam and "wrought in me all manner of concupiscence" — evil, immoral thinking. Les compares this to a person with everything "veneered" and under control until the law comes and "smashes old Adam," causing him to erupt [Clip 0, Clip 3]. On the road to Damascus, Paul was confronted by the ascended Lord and the law finally meant what it said — he realized he was the biggest lawbreaker of all. That is when old Adam died, not physically, but in the sense that Paul was stripped of his religious confidence [Clip 1].
Les says Paul knew the law from his mother's knee and from Gamaliel, but he never understood what it said — it went right over his head, just as it does for many people who read the Bible today. Because Saul was part and parcel of that Judaistic society, he thought he knew the Ten Commandments forwards and backwards, but they were just so many words to him. His old Adam was dead — not functioning in the spirit realm — because he was not paying attention to the law. By the time Paul came on the scene, Judaism had also been watered down with man-made rules and regulations, so the law he thought he knew was not the pure Law of Moses.
Les emphasizes that Paul did not die physically. When the law finally got hold of Saul — especially on the road to Damascus — he realized he was nothing and that he was the biggest lawbreaker of all. In that sense, "old Adam had to die." Les says the whole theme of Romans is dealing with that old sin nature that constantly makes man rebel against the very tenets of God.
Les explains that coveting is fitting because by and large every other commandment is broken after coveting first. People curse, swear, and use foul language because they covet attention — they think they are drawing attention to themselves. No matter how you look at it, you cannot break one of the Ten Commandments unless, of course, you covet first. That is why Paul uses "Thou shalt not covet" as the primary example of the law.
Les equates "sin" in Romans 7 with "old Adam" — the inherited Adamic sin nature. He explains that it is the production center of evil thoughts and actions; Paul says he is "carnal, sold under sin," which Les reads as sold under the old Adamic nature. Les also points out that when Adam sinned, he plunged the whole human race into that condition, and consequently Christ had to die in order to bring fallen mankind back to Himself.
Old Adam Dead Without the Law
Les explains that before the commandment came, old Adam was dead — not functioning — and that the commandment stirred up all manner of evil thinking in Paul.
Paul's "I Died" Is Old Adam Dying
Les says Paul did not die physically; when the law confronted him, he recognized he was the biggest lawbreaker, and old Adam died.
Paul Knew the Law But Never Understood It
Les points out that Saul learned the law from childhood and from Gamaliel, yet it went over his head — he thought he knew it but never heard it.
The Law Smashes Old Adam
Les describes how the law shatters a person's veneer of self-control and causes old Adam to erupt in all his pent-up wickedness.
What Does It Mean to Be "All Things to All Men"? — 1 Corinthians 9
This thing had been so watered down with man-made ideas, that the law of Paul's and Christ's day was a whole set of six hundred and some rules and regulations. Now that was the law that the Jews really attained to, was the law that the rabbis had kind of put together, studying the various aspects of the Old Testament. Alright so Paul says, "...
Paul Sold Under the Old Adamic Nature
Les reads Paul's confession "I am carnal, sold under sin" as being sold under the old Adamic nature inherited from Adam.
Sin Is Old Adam, the Production Center
Les teaches that the real problem is not individual acts of sin but the production center of those thoughts and sins — old Adam.
Judaism Was Watered Down by Paul's Day
Les explains that by the time Paul appeared, the law had been diluted with man-made rules, which is why Saul could think he knew it without comprehending it.
Romans 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.
Paul identifies the specific commandment that stirred up his desires.
Romans 7:8: But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
The commandment gave sin an occasion to produce all manner of concupiscence, which Les calls old Adam being awakened.
Romans 7:9: For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
This is the key verse answering the question: the commandment caused sin to revive and Paul to die.
According to Romans 7:9, when the commandment came, sin revived and Paul died. Les Feldick explains that the law stirred up his old Adam nature, and Paul realized he was a lawbreaker — old Adam died.
No. Les says Paul did not die physically. When he writes "I died," he means his old Adam — the sin nature — was exposed and put to death by the law's real effect on him.
Les says Paul was a religious Pharisee who knew the law outwardly but never understood its real meaning. It went over his head, so his old Adam was not functioning in the spiritual realm — the law had not yet confronted him.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 7:5-14 Explained