10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (Romans 7:10 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, 1. The natural end and use of the commandment or law of God, It was ordained unto life; that is, it was given for a rule of life, a promised eternal salvation to the perfect fulfilment of it. But no man since the fall, being able to perfect the law in his own person, can be justified by the law in the sight of God. However, the proper end for which the law was ordained, was to give life to them that should perfectly keep it.
Observe, 2. The contrary use which the apostle found the law to be of with reference to himself. What was ordained to life, he found to be unto death: that is, through his own corruption and transgression, the law became an occasion of death to him by binding him over to punishment and rendering him obnoxious to the wrath of God.
Thus the word of God, the sweet and saving word of God, that word which God had ordained to bring men to life and salvation, is found to some the savour of death to death; but the fault is not in the word, but in themselves.