What does the Bible say about the law and sin?

In Romans 7:9, the Apostle Paul explains the impact of the law on the human conscience, stating, 'I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.' The law provides a knowledge of sin, acting as a diagnostic that reveals our failures to conform to God's righteous standards. Before understanding the law's spiritual and inward demands, individuals may feel alive in their own righteousness, but the arrival of the law confronts them with their sinfulness and the reality of death it brings.

The law serves as a mirror, reflecting our sinful nature and showing that we are incapable of achieving righteousness through our own efforts. This devastating realization is crucial for spiritual awakening; recognizing that, without the law, one can mistakenly walk through life thinking they are alive and righteous. However, upon the law's entrance, a person becomes acutely aware of the sin that resides within, leading to spiritual death as it exposes the heart's true condition before a holy God.