SHOWERS

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

In our last post, Paul pointed out that the law was holy and pure.  It is not the cause of our sin; rather it identifies our sin and pronounces judgment against it, which results in a sentence of eternal death.  The truth is that our sin springs from our fallen and carnal nature. 

Now that he has proved that point, Paul begins to do a closer comparison between the law and the nature of man.  In so doing, he will make it even more clear that sin and evil come from us, not the law. 

In the remainder of this chapter, Paul will argue that the law, even though it is holy and pure, is not capable of producing justification or peace within our lives.  He will describe the fruitless struggles and difficulties encountered by anyone who has a sinful nature and yet seeks to secure his or her salvation by the law. 

GENERAL SUMMARY:  The law is not merely a system of external rites and ceremonies.  It is spiritual; it requires purity of the heart, mind and life; it demands conformity in both the inward and outward man.

However, human beings possess a fallen nature and therefore, at our very core, we are carnal.  These two factors (the spiritual law and the carnal nature of man) are in constant opposition to each other.  This makes it impossible to find justification or peace through the law.  

DIGGING DEEPER:  For we know:  We are already aware; we recognize the following as a true principle of the law.

The law is spiritual:  The law is spiritual and holy in nature, because it comes from the Spirit of God.  Since it is divine, it can never be the cause of sin or death.

God’s law reaches into the deepest depths of our hearts.  It searches every nook and cranny of our minds, seeking out our hidden thoughts, dispositions, desires and motivations.  It reproves and condemns everything that is inwardly and outwardly contrary to God’s truth and his commands.

There can be no doubt that the law requires not just external conformity to God’s commands, but inward conformity as well.  It requires us to serve God in spirit and in truth, with all our hearts and minds. 

John 4:24 – God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

The spiritual nature of the law stands in opposition to the carnal nature of our flesh. 

But I am of the flesh:  Scholars adamantly disagree on Paul’s use of the phrase ‘I am of the flesh’.  There are basically two positions/interpretations to choose from.

One says that Paul is referring to his state BEFORE his conversion to Christianity, or in other words, when he was still an unrepentant sinner.  The other claims that Paul is referring to his state AFTER his conversion to Christianity, or in other words, after he has been born again. 

In this particular case, we are not going to spend time examining both positions.  Frankly, there isn’t a lot of benefit to an in-depth examination of both sides.  Plus, there is a real possibility of getting bogged down in minute details and losing sight of the main truth Paul is giving us.  So, for the purposes of our study, we will assume the latter position – that Paul is referring to himself as a Christian who still struggles with his fallen human nature.   

At this point, we are going to establish some basic truths regarding this position (that Paul is speaking from the perspective of a Christian).

First, Paul uses himself as an example throughout today’s passage, so we can (and will) often substitute ‘Christian’ in places where he references himself. 

Second, we are well aware that each of us was born with a fallen nature which we inherited from our forefather, Adam.  However, after our salvation experience, each of us became a new creation in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17). 

Now we have two forces at work in our lives: 

• We have the old man which is also called the ‘flesh’.  This refers to our inherent human nature, which is tainted by sin. 
• We have the new man which is also called the spirit.  This refers to the part of our being which the Spirit of God has renewed and purified from corruption.

Ephesians 4:22-24 - …to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

So, we find that as Christians, both the old man and the new man are part of our lives.  These two forces are locked in an ongoing battle for our hearts and minds.  It is this inward struggle that Paul is speaking of in today’s post.

Now let’s circle back to our text.  Paul says that he is of the flesh or fleshly (your translation may say carnal).  In other words, he has worldly appetites, sinful desires and lusts.  There is a part of his nature that urgently wants to gratify all the selfish, evil cravings of his senses.  

In other words, even though he has accepted Christ and been made a new creature, he still battles against his fallen nature which continues to desire whatever is sinful.  These corrupt passions still had a strong and distressing influence on his heart and mind. 

Paul does not mean that he is completely under their influence (as is the case with an unbeliever), but his sinful nature still prompts him to indulge in his lusts.

The main point he is making here is that whatever is fleshly/carnal is the opposite of what is spiritual.   

Sold under sin:   The word ‘sold’ implies a person who is sold into slavery.  This was an example well understood by the Roman church because in their culture, slaves of all kinds were bought and sold on a daily basis.  

If we look at history, we find there are actually two ways in which a person could become a slave. 

In ancient times, there were circumstances in which a person would willingly sell themselves into slavery.  For example, people who had insurmountable debt would voluntarily enter into slavery in order to avoid prison time or simply in order to survive.  The reasons why they did it aren’t important; Paul is simply making the point that they willingly sought out slavery with full knowledge of what they were doing.

In the same way, sinners knowingly and willingly sell themselves into the bondage of sin.  Like wicked King Ahaz, they desire and even strive to do what is evil:

I Kings 21:20 – Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?”  He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Other people were forced into slavery against their will.  For example, when an army defeated a foe, it was common for the victors to either kill their opponents, or sell them into slavery.  These slaves were forced to do the bidding of their new masters whether they wanted to or not.  Freedom could only be found in death. 

In the same way, Christians sometimes find themselves captives of sin.  They are never a willing servant but rather an unwilling prisoner of their own corrupt nature.  (Fortunately, one day death will fully separate our renewed spirits from our sinful flesh.)

Romans 7:15 – For I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul now describes the struggle common to every Christian – the battle between the flesh and the spirit.

Paul tells us that as a result of this struggle, he does not do what he wants to do (live a holy life pleasing to God in every way).  Instead, his fallen nature prompts him to do what he hates (sin/break the commands of God or imperfectly do what is right).

DIGGING DEEPER:  For I do not understand my own actions:   Again, we find an instance where scholars do not agree on the meaning of this phrase.  Here are the most common interpretations:

• Some commentators believe that Paul means the effects of sin were so sudden, they caught him unaware and he sinned before he even had a chance to understand what he was doing.
• Other scholars believe Paul is saying that he did not have a full or complete knowledge of the depth of evil within his heart.
• Still others believe Paul is saying that he does not approve or acknowledge his sin as the product of his new nature; they are alien to him and he detests them.
• Yet another interpretation says that in obeying the impulses of his carnal nature, Paul is forced into slavery and unable to serve his renewed life.  

For I do not do what I want:  As a Christian, Paul wants to live a pure and holy life.  His desire is to embrace righteousness and do what pleases God at all times.  But the corruption of his nature rears up like an uncontrollable beast, relentlessly and strongly urging him to choose the path of sin. 

This is not to say that Christians never do the righteous and good things they want to do.  Paul’s point is that there are times when we fail; we do not succeed in doing the righteous thing 100% of the time. 

He is also saying that there are times when we will/desire or strive for a particular level of righteousness (to be holy as God is holy), but because of our sinful nature we don’t achieve the level we desire. 

Simply stated, he presents us with a clear picture of the Christian life, which we all recognize – the constant tension of being pulled two ways.  Our spirit/new nature desires to seek God and live in obedience to his commands, but our flesh/old nature works to draw us back into sin.  This is the conflict Paul references in his letter to the church of Galatia:

Galatians 5:17 – For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

But I do the very thing I hate:   Like all Christians, Paul hates anything that is sinful, evil or against the holy commands of God – vain thoughts, unclean desires, selfish lusts and all the secret sinful motivations of his heart.   But even though he loathes sin, Paul found that he sometimes obeyed the prompting of his fallen nature and did the very things he hates and disapproves of.  When this happens, Paul is very much aware of his sin, and it troubles him.

At this point, I want us to take a quick detour.  Personally, I feel like Paul has made his point – we have two natures that war against one another in an epic battle that does not end until we die.  So why does he continue to discuss this same issue for another ten verses?

He does it for the benefit of his Jewish readers.  He is addressing a concern or an objection that they will no doubt have as a response to his doctrine.  It might be stated this way:  The Jews would readily admit that the law is holy and spiritual.  They would argue that they believe it is good and excellent and that it is truth.  As such, it should be observed at all times.  Considering all of this, doesn’t this make the law capable of producing sanctification in our lives?  Because if it does, there is no need for the gospel.

Paul’s answer is an emphatic ‘no’, the law cannot produce sanctification.  His discourse in today’s post shows that a man may know and approve what is just and righteous as revealed in the law, but he is still under the dominion (slavery) of sin/his old nature.  The law cannot deliver him from that bondage.  Only the power of Christ, as revealed through the gospel, provides the way to justification and sanctification in God’s sight.

Romans 7:16 – Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.

GENERAL SUMMARY: This is a strangely worded statement.  (Personally, I feel that if Paul was aiming for confusion, he hit the mark!)  The idea he wants to convey is that when we struggle against sin, it proves that we do not want it, love it or approve of it.  Think about it - if we loved sin, there would be struggle - we would simply embrace it. 

Therefore, the opposite must be true – Christians love, desire and approve of the law, which condemns sin.

DIGGING DEEPER: Now if I do what I do not want:  In other words, if I sin.  

I agree with the law that it is good:  As Christians, we should all be feeling the effects of the struggle within us.  We should be experiencing intense grief and misery because of sin.  We should have an overwhelming desire to be free from it.  We should be completely devoted to the goal of overcoming it.  When these signs are present in our lives, it proves that we do not love sin. 

So, the question is, do we really feel that way?  Or do we have a lackadaisical, carefree attitude towards sin and personal holiness?  Take a few minutes to examine your own life.  How much do you hate sin?  How much work are you putting into personal holiness?

Honestly, there appear to be many lazy, undisciplined Christians today.  They do not seem to feel strongly about sin.  Rather than actively fighting against their sinful desires and bringing them under control, they look for ways to justify them, so they can have their cake and eat it too.  This results in spiritual immaturity and ineffectiveness in the kingdom of God.

We would do well to remember that we are soldiers in the kingdom of God.  As such, we should be living lives of discipline and holiness, which require work on our part.  

Romans 7:17 – So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul is again referring to the struggle between his two natures – the flesh (old man) and the spirit (new man).  It is not the spiritually renewed part of him that breaks God’s law, but rather, the flesh/old man who sins. 

DIGGING DEEPER:  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin who dwells within me:  As a Christian, Paul is a new creature in Christ.  He has a new nature which hates sin and seeks to be righteous in God’s sight:

I John 3:9 – No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

Nevertheless, he still sins.  That is because his old man, his carnal nature is still present with him, and it uses all of its strength to lure and then trap him in sin.

It is important to understand that Paul is not denying that he is responsible for his own sin.  God has given each of us an astonishing opportunity – to choose whether or not we will serve him.  Think about that for a minute – the omnipotent God, the one who created you and breathed the breath of life into you – allows you to choose whether or not to serve him!  It’s incredible.

Given this, it isn’t surprising that we have the old man and the new man both fighting for control of our minds and wills (and by default our actions, because the mind and will determine them).  It is true that Holy Spirit is active within our lives and he will assist us if we choose righteousness, but he will not make that choice for us.  If he did, it wouldn’t be a real choice.  God allows us to choose which path to follow and therefore we are responsible for our own choices.  

Romans 7:18 – For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.  For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul acknowledges that as far as his flesh/fallen nature/old man was concerned, there was nothing good to be found.  It is purely evil.  This is evident by the fact that he wants to do what is right but is either hindered or unable to do so.

DIGGING DEEPER:  For I know:  Paul, who speaks for all Christians, fully realizes the true nature of his flesh.

That nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh:  Specifically, he knows that the flesh/old man of every Christian is completely devoid of righteousness.  It contains nothing but seeds of sin. 

For I have the desire to do what is right:  Like every Christian, Paul has an inner turmoil in his life.  He has been touched by the Lord; he has a new nature which desires to honor, obey and bring glory to God. 

But not the ability to carry it out:  Even though Christians have the desire to do good, we are sometimes prevented from doing it by the corruption of our flesh/old man which still abide within us. 

James 1:14-15 - But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire, when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Alternatively, our old nature stifles or slows us down.  It places roadblocks and detours in our way, which causes the good that we do accomplish to be imperfect or to fall below the goal we were striving for.

Think of it this way:  Do you like coffee?  I love it!  Those who sell coffee make a big deal about the kind of beans that are used in their brew.  Why is that?  It’s because each type of bean has a different property.  Some are very strong, while other varieties of beans have a very mild quality. 

You can’t take a handful of extremely mild beans and hope to produce a rich, dark, robust cup of coffee… regardless of what you do, it simply won’t work because of the nature of the beans.

In the same way, as Christians we very much desire to do what is perfect and righteous and holy at all times, but we simply cannot live perfect lives because of our fallen natures.

That being said, there are things we can do to substantially improve our performance.  They are called Christian disciplines.  They train us to ignore our old man while actively following our new man:  

• Memorize the word of God and hide it in your heart that you might not sin against him (Psalms 119:11). 
• Work with Holy Spirit to train yourself to say ‘no’ to your fleshly desires.  As you resist the devil, he will flee from you (James 4:7).
• Avoid people, places and things that cause you to stumble (II Timothy 2:22). 
• Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand in the day of trouble (Ephesians 6:13). 
• Keep regular/consistent times of prayer (Luke 18:1, Matthew 6:5-15). 
• Fast regularly (Mark 9:29).
• Engage in true worship.
• Maintain habitual church attendance/fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).
• Establish a goal for your own personal holiness.  If you aim at nothing, you will succeed every time!

When we make these disciplines a regular part of our lives, it will be much, much easier to make choices that lead to the righteousness we desire.

Romans 7:19 – For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Here we find a repetition of what the apostle said in verse 15.  Specifically, Paul did not always do the good which he desired to do.  Sometimes he was overpowered or caught off guard by his flesh and as a result, he broke the law (sinned) which is not what he wanted to do.

DIGGING DEEPER:  For I do not do the good I want but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing:   Paul once again repeats the point he made in verse 15.  Specifically, he has the will/desire to do what is right in God’s sight, but he lacked the power within himself to do this. 

Nevertheless, we should not despair.  Though sin may win an occasional battle in the life of a saint, the outcome of the war is already determined – grace will be victorious in the end!  As true saints of God, we will never give up; we will continue the fight against our fallen natures until the day we die (literally).

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

In today’s post, Paul speaks about a knowledge of his own sinful nature.  For the next few minutes, consider your own sinful nature.

There are hundreds of different sins, but some affect us more than others.  For example, you might have a real problem with lying but never experience a desire to steal.  Other people might feel an intense urge to steal but have no interest in committing sexual sin. 

 Take this opportunity to be honest with yourself – what are the three or four sins which entice you the most?  Where are you most likely to hear the roaring of your old nature?

Once you identify those areas as danger zones, you can take additional steps to protect yourself.  If you have a strong tendency to gossip, then you might want to memorize scriptures that deal with that issue.  You might want to avoid situations or people who also like to gossip.  You might think of some ways to steer your conversations into words that encourage or heal rather than tear down.  

If you are prepared for battle, you have a much greater chance of success.

Let me offer you some strength:

We should always keep in mind that we do not fight this battle on our own.  Yes, God gives us a true choice to follow him or not, but once we have determined to walk in the new life he provides for us, we do not walk alone!  Holy Spirit resides within our hearts.

John 14:16 – And I [Jesus] will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with your forever…

He is our constant companion and guide.  He empowers us for kingdom service.  He reveals the scriptures to us, he helps us pray, he leads and guides us, and he shows us the future.  He helps us grow in spiritual maturity and produces spiritual fruit within our lives.

With his help, we will be victorious!