Paul uses the example of “till death do we part,” of marriage to explain the law. He says that if you remarry after your spouse dies, you don’t break the your vow of marriage. Similarly, under Christ, we are in a new arrangement, we are no longer bound by the previous commitment. We are not married to sin, but to the grace of God. 

Paul then gets into the law again asking if it creates sin. The law says, “Thou shall not covet, “ it is the 10th Commandment. The old Testament defined coveting as wanting your neighbor’s field, servants, animals or spouse. That is the letter of the law, but the heart of the law, the spirit of the law was that God wanted to provide the people of Israel, his people, with their own land, with their own animals, and with their own spouses. When we look at our neighbors and compare our lives to theirs, we are easily dissatisfied and motivated to lie, cheat, kill and steal to take what they have for ourselves. In other words, keeping up with the Joneses leads to sinning against them. Paul really highlights his struggle between our flesh and spirit.

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24

We have to wait until chapter eight to find relief.