Legalism does not make you more spiritual, it makes you more sinful.

Romans 7.7b-11 7b I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” 8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. Notice v.7 says the law has a legitimate purpose. It reveals sin. It defines sin e.g., I wouldn’t have known what coveting was if I didn’t know commandment #10 “Do not covet”. I may have thought coveting was a virtue rather than a vice if the law did not forbid it. So the law was needed to give us clear instruction. But, something sinister happens that the same time. Sin exploits the law. For example, I was walking up the stairs in Harris Hall at Marshall University and saw a sign which said “DO NOT TOUCH, WET PAINT.” What did I do? I reached out and touch it and it was wet. When the law forbids something it arrouses my interest and I want to do it even more. Sin is personified in Romans. Sin is a force, it is a principle. Sin is a law at work in the members of our body. Sin exploits, it seizes opportunities. Sin springs to life. Paul is not talking about sins (plural). He’s talking about sin (i.e., our sinful nature). The legalist misses that and focuses on a list of sins (plural). They say don’t do this or don’t do that. Don’t drink, don’t dance, don’t chew or go with girls that do. This just arouses more sin and creates more problems. Legalism does not make you more spiritual, it makes you more sinful. It puts you in bondage to the law of sin and death. Sin is a dynamic force that seizes the opportunity afforded by the commandment and produces in me ever kind of covetous desire. So the law not only reveals sin, it revs up sin! When the commandment comes sin springs to life and I die. What I thought would bring life actually brought death. That’s why we need to rely on the Spirit and not on flesh (or willpower). If we walk in the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of our sinful nature. We have been released from the law so that we can serve in the new way of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written code. God said “I’ll put my law on your hearts. And I’ll write them on your minds. I’ll take that heart of stone out of you and I’ll put a new heart in you that is sensitive and tender. And I’ll put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.