The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 7:13-25)‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through the book of Romans – “The Romans Road to Righteousness.”

 

The Roman’s Road to Righteousness (Chapter 7:13-25)

This week we will continue reading chapter 7, verses 13-25 as we consider the fact that Law cannot save from Sin…

When you are saved by Jesus Christ, you come to the conviction that not only do you have trouble controlling the outside – you have even worse trouble controlling the inside. All the unsaved who come to Jesus Christ come this way. They see the reality and depth of their “sin” – not only that they do wrong things but that there is an inner corruption in their nature as well.

 

Here the Apostle Paul opens with this question and an answer that is quite apropos and fitting:

Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful – Romans 7:13

So again Paul answers such a question with an emphatic – "Certainly not!"

In an analysis of a crime, is the “law” to blame? No! The “law” simply reveals the crime. The “law” wasn't made into something deadly – “sin” is deadly! Just because man can't live up to the “law” doesn't mean it is bad – it means man is bad. Man's true character is exposed when compared to the “law” of God. Man is so evil that instead of realizing the “holy” purpose of God's “law,” they push against it and are deceived – that is the wretchedness of “sin.” Conversely, the “law” was given to produce blessing – the fullness of life! That is Paul’s point.

 

Now Paul draws a poignant description of a Christian in conflict with himself. The conflict is very real, it is very intense and it is very strong. In fact, Paul uses the word “I” some 46 times in this portion of Scripture! 

 

It is a rare passage in the Bible because it does something that rarely happens – a series of three laments. This section represents a trilogy of repetitious, desperate, sorrowful cries expressed in three different ways. This is the cry of a broken heart and a distressed soul that is in great conflict. Paul loves God's moral “law” and deep down in his inner most being wants to obey it but is pulled away from its fulfillment by the “sin” that is in his “members.” This is Paul’s personal experience of a Christian soul in conflict with “sin” – it is a life-long battle! It is a great warfare that rages in the heart.

 

Each of these three laments begins with this statement of the condition:

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin – Romans 7:14

IMPORTANT NOTE: Paul says “the law is spiritual” and “I am carnal” – sarkinos. In other words, he is human – physical. Notice he does NOT say “I am in the flesh.” Look back again at chapter 7:

For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death – Romans 7:5 

We “were“ in the “flesh” as unbelievers – in our unregenerate and unredeemed condition. Again, Paul says here “For when we were in the flesh” – not “are” in the “flesh.”  But he does say ““I am carnal” – fleshy…

 

Paul’s First Lament: The Description of his Condition ~

Every Christian knows that even though he is a “new creation” in Jesus Christ and the dominion of “sin” is broken and no longer has mastery over him, “sin” is still a major problem. Paul understood this to be true in his own life:

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do – Romans 7:15

Here we see a Christian having conflict with “sin” even though his new self is “holy.” In this verse the word “For” tells us Paul is not introducing a new subject. He’s continuing the same subject from the prior passage – the goodness and virtue of God’s perfect “law” – it shows us our “sin.”  The problem isn’t with the “law” – the problem is with us. That is why it's so important to understand what we learned in chapter 6 – the believer is a “new creation” in Jesus Christ!

 

But… There's still going to be a major conflict…

If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me – Romans 7:16-17

This tells us there is a battle taking place here within a Christian because the deepest part of Paul – his soul – wants to do what is right. But something keeps him from doing so. Is that true of an unsaved person? Does the lost person really long to do what is right?

No… Not according to Jeremiah:

The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? – Jeremiah 17:9

However, the Christian has in his heart the sense of the moral excellence of God's “law.” The more mature that Christian is, the more profoundly committed to the direction of the Holy Spirit of God in his life. The deeper his love is for the Lord Jesus Christ, the deeper is his sense of God's “holiness” and the greater the longing to fulfill His “law.”

 

Paul’s Second Lament: The Proof of his Condition ~

Paul then again expands on this same idea. Something deep inside him wants to do what is right. But his “flesh” – “nothing good” – continues to get in the way:

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice – Romans 7:18-19

Again, I believe this is the testimony of a regenerated – born again – man. We do not see unredeemed, ungodly people who do not know Jesus Christ have such perception of God’s “holy law.”  Here in verses 18 & 19 Paul says “I will to do” God’s “law.” We do not see such a delight in an unregenerate person’s heart. 

So the heart, the soul & the mind deep within the Christian longs to do what is “good” – But there is an “evil” principle that causes this to not be so easily accomplished… The “flesh!” 

Paul’s Third Lament: The Source of his Condition ~

Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man – Romans 7:20-22

The conflict, tension and battle that “dwells” within Paul causes him to say “I delight in the law of God“ in his “inward man“ – the born-again Paul! However, there is “another law” taking place in Paul’s “members” that is “warring against” – bringing him into – “captivity to the law of sin”:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? – Romans 7:23-24

Do you know what kind of a Christian Paul is describing here? This is an example of the most mature and humble Christian who sees so clearly the contrast of his “flesh” against the “holiness” of God’s divine standard. And the more mature he becomes, the greater will be the sensitivity of his own “sin” and failures. This is Paul far along in his Apostleship, mature in the Lord, walking in the dynamics of spiritual life as well as having experienced the mighty power, wisdom and knowledge of God. And the more he knows and experiences, the more he hates the “sin” that he sees in his life! 

 

The carnal, fleshly, legalistic, self-righteous “Christian” lives under the disillusion that everything he's doing is really quite spiritual. On the other hand, a person with Paul’s kind of brokenness – agonizing in the depths of his own soul because he can't do everything written in the “law” of God – is a truly “spiritual” person. This was the Apostle Paul!

 

So… Is there any hope? Yes!

 

Our Holy Hope & Present Practice:

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin – Romans 7:25

In other words, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit. We are a “new creation” and we possess the divine nature of God. But, we also groan within ourselves waiting for the final redemption of our physical body. We're still longing for that day when we are fully freed and eternally redeemed in body as well as soul. So, the battle isn't going to be over until Jesus Christ gives us immortality and incorruption. Full deliverance awaits our Glorification – a “new” glorified physical body. This is complete assurance!

 

REMEMBER: The “heart” and “mind” are used interchangeably in the Scriptures – representing the soul. The redeemed will “serve the law of God” with the “mind” but our “flesh” – carnal “members” – will “serve the law of sin.” Sadly, the unredeemed can only serve Satan and self!   

 

However, that’s not to say the Christian can't experience victory now… That truth is found later in chapter 8…

 

In closing:

 

You and I need constant exposure to the divine “holy” standard of God so that we can see the “sin” in our life and confess it so that we may experience the full blessing that belongs to His children. So when Jesus Christ saved you – “sin” was evident and you cried out to Him. And as we live in Jesus Christ every day, we must see our “sin” so that we can confess it and seek His forgiveness. 

 

The fine exegetical commentator Charles Cranfield wrote this poignant statement:

"The more seriously a Christian strives to live from grace and to submit to the discipline of the Gospel, the more sensitive he becomes to the fact that even his very best acts and activities are disfigured by the egotism which is still powerful within him, and no less evil because it is often more subtly disguised than formerly."

King David uttered these powerful words in this regard:

Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You – Psalm 119:11

David may have been indicating that he too must keep exposing himself to God’s “Law” so that he would see the “sin” in his own life, repent and turn away from it…

 

As we study the Word of God, let It always be setting the standard for our lives. And as we see the standard of God's “holiness” and the beauty of God's “law” lifted up, may we find ourselves falling short and crying out in repentant contrition to Him – Praise the Lord! 

Please continue reading verses 13-25 of the seventh chapter of Romans.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

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