For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 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. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 7:14-8:1
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 7:14-8:1
The Second Lament – Romans 7:18-20
The Condition – vs 18a
Paul again identifies the condition of his flesh. He says that nothing dwells in his flesh that is good. He gives a more technical identification of that part of him that is actually sinning. He is emphasizing that it isn’t his new, incorruptible nature that’s failing to obey God’s law, but it’s sin that dwells in his flesh.
The Proof – vs 18b-19
Paul is saying that he can’t do good to the extent his heart longs to do. If you look at your spiritual growth, you should be able to recognize a greater hatred for your sin now, than you did before.
The Source – vs 20
This is the exact same thing that Paul said in verse 17. It’s sin that’s dwelling in him. Even though he had a new nature, he still fought against sin and lost. And those losses seemed overwhelming to him against the perfection of God’s holy law. This sensitivity of sin is a normal result of justification by faith though. I think we need to keep this in mind, this struggle is a natural progression of going from unregenerate to regenerate and justified before God.
You’d think, 2 laments down, that Paul would have felt he adequately portrayed his point, but then he makes a 3rd lament.
Paul again identifies the condition of his flesh. He says that nothing dwells in his flesh that is good. He gives a more technical identification of that part of him that is actually sinning. He is emphasizing that it isn’t his new, incorruptible nature that’s failing to obey God’s law, but it’s sin that dwells in his flesh.
The Proof – vs 18b-19
Paul is saying that he can’t do good to the extent his heart longs to do. If you look at your spiritual growth, you should be able to recognize a greater hatred for your sin now, than you did before.
The Source – vs 20
This is the exact same thing that Paul said in verse 17. It’s sin that’s dwelling in him. Even though he had a new nature, he still fought against sin and lost. And those losses seemed overwhelming to him against the perfection of God’s holy law. This sensitivity of sin is a normal result of justification by faith though. I think we need to keep this in mind, this struggle is a natural progression of going from unregenerate to regenerate and justified before God.
You’d think, 2 laments down, that Paul would have felt he adequately portrayed his point, but then he makes a 3rd lament.