Romans 7:14-25 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Romans 7:14-25

• Tommy Lasorda the former Los Angeles Dodgers manager describes his battle with bad habits. He wrote,
  • I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, stared at it and said, “Who’s stronger, you or me?” The answer was me. I stopped smoking. Then I took a vodka martini and said to it, “Who’s stronger, you or me?” Again the answer was me. I quit drinking. Then I went on a diet. I looked at a big plate of linguine with clam sauce and said, “Who’s stronger, you or me?” And a little clam looked up at me and answered, “I am.” I can’t beat linguine.
• Let’s go to Romans 7. We will be picking up where we left off last week with verse 14. In our text, Paul describes his personal struggle with sin. This is a dramatic testimony. We have little difficulty believing that we struggle with sin or that others in the Bible struggled, but Paul somehow seems above it all. We sometimes imagine Paul as the perfect Christian. But this is a misconception. As Paul has already told,
  • For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
• All includes everybody. It even includes Paul. Paul’s struggle was a deeply personal struggle with sin and with his own flesh. Like us, it was a war a struggle within.
• Romans 7:14-20
• 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold as a slave under sin. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me.
  • Who is Paul talking about?
    • Himself
  • When in his life is Paul speaking about?
    • This is all presented in the present tense…should we take that this is Paul the Christian struggling with this in his life at the moment he wrote these words.
• Romans 7:14-15
• 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold as a slave under sin. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate.
  • How is the law spiritual?
    • It is from God
  • How is Paul unspiritual?
    • A better translation for ”unspiritual” is from the NASB which says but I am of flesh.  Paul recognizes that his spirit has been redeemed but his fleshly body has not yet been redeemed therefore is a struggle to do what is right.
  • Have you ever been there…you know what you want to do, the good and right thing but you end up doing what you hate (a sin)?
    • Notice the inner attitude expressed in two words “want” & “hate”.
      • What does Paul want to do?
        • The good 
      • What does hate to do?
        • Disobey God, sin   
• Romans 7:16-17
• 16 Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me.
  • Can Paul agree the law is good and still not keep it?
    • In his  spirit and  mind yes this is  from God it is good and how I should live
  • How can Paul as a Christian say it is the sin living in him?
    • Paul’s inner self does not want to do it…he says it stems from the sin that lives in him…this is not an excuse but rather an explanation of what is happening.
  • So the question where does this sin live exactly?
• Romans 7:18
• 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.
  • Where is this sin living that that there is no good?
    • In the sinful nature…the Greek just says “Flesh” the fleshly body of Paul
  • Does Paul have the desire to do what is good?
    • YES…
    • So what is the problem?
      • Paul says he can’t…will power is lacking…Sin living in His flesh is a problem. The desires of the  flesh Satan can use to tempt us…
• Romans 7:19-22
• 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this law: When I want to do what is good, evil is present with me. 22 For in my inner self I delight in God’s law,
  • Do you find this law at work at times in you?
    • I want to do…evil shows up and causes trouble. Even though  I delight and agree  with the  Lord  His word and laws are good.
    • Notice where does Paul delight in God’s law? The inner person…what is that? The mind, the soul or spirit… this part has been redeemed
  • Paul wants to do what’s right, but is unable to do it. Why?
• Romans 7:23
• 23 but I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.
  • Who is the struggle between according to Paul?
    • The law of his mind (the inner person) and the law of sin which resides in his flesh.  
  • When would Paul be a prisoner to the law of sin?
    • When he gives into it…So this is not a constant state.
• Romans 7:24-25
• 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.
  • How does Paul view himself in this situation?
    • Paul understands the depth of his sin. He understands his depravity and calls himself “a wretched man.” But Paul also knows there is hope.
  • Who rescues Paul? Who will rescue this body subject to death?
    • Jesus Christ
  • What does He give us to be victorious over the law of sin?
    • The Holy Spirit is there to help us and give us moral strength. Which Paul will talk about in chapter 8.
  • When will the Lord take care of this body that is subject to death?
    • When He comes again…giving us a Body like His
• TAKE AWAY
  • We are in a spiritual battle and one of the battlefields is within us
  • When we sin we can repent and confess and be forgiven
  • Our goal is not to live in sin, but to live in righteousness
  • “Before I came to Christ, I practiced sin and committed acts of righteousness. Now, I practice righteousness and commit acts of sin.”  John Smithson
  • Remember Jesus comes to our rescue