Introduction

As Paul has progressed through the Book of Romans, he has clearly shown that the only way any human being alive can be right with God is through the Gospel, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans chapters 1 – 3).  Every individual has received something of God’s law, either through the Bible or their own conscience, and no one has lived out their knowledge of God’s way perfectly, we have all disobeyed Him.  As a result, every human being is justly placed under the wrath of God – but can be declared innocent before God through faith in Christ.

Now, some might say, “If it’s through what I believe that makes me right with God, I can do what I like.”  Not only have they not understood repentance, turning away from sin, but Paul shows that the only chance we possibly can have as humans of living a holy life is to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Every human being has got a sinful nature.  The only way that the power of the sinful nature can be broken is through the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6).  When we make him our Lord and Saviour, by the power of the Holy Spirit the dominance of the sinful nature is removed in our lives.

Before we became a believer, God’s law stimulated our sinful natures to sin all the more. In effect we experienced the sinful nature saying, “Ah, great, you’re showing me what God’s law is, that means I know what sin is.”  But now the dominance of the sinful nature is broken by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Believers are no longer under the power of the law, no longer when they come to the law is the sinful nature stimulated (Romans 7:1 – 13).  But some might say, “Surely if the power of the sinful nature has been broken over us, we can be sinlessly perfect in this life, can’t we?”  The second half of Romans Chapter 7 is the pastoral balance to the first half of Romans Chapter 7. Yes, the power of sin has been broken over us.  It no longer reigns supreme, unchallenged, unswayed in its dominance over our lives, but it is still a force to be reckoned with.

The Battle With Indwelling Sin

From elsewhere in scripture, we know that the believer will always sin in this life:

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1: 8

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” Galatians 5:17

This is the true believer’s experience.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, but equally we have sinful natures.  And there is a war that we experience within us. We don’t want to sin, but we still do. We won’t be sinlessly perfect in this life.  The Holy Spirit works within us producing a love of God’s law and a hatred and a mourning over sin.  But we will never attain sinless perfection in this life.

Believers Have a Carnal, as Well as Spiritual Nature

“For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin.” Romans 7:14

The Apostle Paul describes himself as carnal.  This word in the scriptures, meaning unspiritual, is often applied in two ways.  It can mean either those completely under the control of the sinful nature, the unconverted or it can be used of Christians acting according to the sinful nature.  It is in this latter meaning that Paul writes to the Corinthian Church.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people but as carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you are not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.  For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men.”  1 Cor 3:1-3

Paul is describing individuals at the Church of Corinth as carnal; they were acting according to their old natures rather than the new nature, the work of the Holy Spirit.  The result as they acted according to their carnal nature was envy, strife and divisions.  This is the very opposite of what the Holy Spirit would produce.  He works producing self-control, gentleness, peace, harmony, and love.  Hence the word carnal can be used of a Christian acting according to the sinful nature.

Sin is Overpowering

The result of the believer having a carnal, as well as a new nature, is that we experience a battle.  This battle is the result of sinful desires produced by the carnal nature, and at times sin is overpowering.

“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

I experience what Paul writes – I don’t actually do the things I want to do, but what I hate, that’s what I end up doing.  I suspect it something every true believer has experienced.

“Such was the strength of his corruptions, that he could not attain that perfection and holiness which he desired and breathed after.”
Matthew Henry

As we’re going to see later, Paul  approved of God’s law, a sign that we’re talking about, a converted man here.  He loved God’s law, but he could not live it out.  He longed to be free from sin and to perfectly do the will of God, such was his settled judgment. But his corrupt nature drew him another way.  It was like a bowl on a bowling green.  You can roll it straight but the bias will always take it off to one side; and that’s what we’re like.  We try and go the straight way of God’s word and His law, but we find ever present with us, a bias that is taking us away.  We fall short.  We miss the mark.  We don’t do what God says we should do in his law.

Sin Overpowers Our Better Judgment

“If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.” Romans 7:16

Paul delights in God’s law.

“’It is good in itself, it is good for me.’  This is a sign that the law is written in the heart, that the soul is delivered into the mould of it … convinced that a conformity to the law is the highest perfection of human nature, and the greatest honour and happiness that we are capable of.” Matthew Henry

Paul was convinced about the goodness of God’s law, “I agree that the law is good”, but sin still overpowered his better judgment.  The unregenerate mind cannot submit to God’s law (Romans 8:7) but Paul longs to submit to God’s Law.

Paul has already demonstrated through in the first half of Romans Chapter 7 that when the unconverted comes to God’s law, the sinful nature is stimulated to sin.  People might think in our day and age that the second part of the 10 Commandments are generally a good idea for society.  Children should honor parents; how many parents would like that?  Do not murder.  Do not steal.  Do not commit adultery.  Do not lie.  Be content with what we have.  People, generally, might agree that these are good rules.  These are good things for the harmony and the peace and well-being of our society.

But what they totally reject and cannot stand is the first part of the 10 Commandments, “Put God first at the center of your life.”  Put nothing else first.  Seek to please Him at every moment of every day.  Worship God His way.  Don’t make up your own way.  Actually, God has given us in His scripture as a means of coming to him, follow that, don’t make up our own way.  Respect his name.  Respect his day.

What people completely fail to see is that actually without obeying the first part of the table, establishing and protecting that relationship with God, you can’t fully live out the second part of the 10 Commandments.  Isn’t our society proof of that?  We see the breakdown of families; we see the rise of drunkenness, drugs and violence.  The natural mind does not submit to the law of God.  It says it will go its own way to find its own morality, do the things that it wants to do; the unregenerate mind does not submit to God’s word.

But here is a man that fully endorses and supports God’s word, sees how good it is, but at times sin overpowers his better judgment.

Sin Overpowers Our Wills

The conflict is due to sin overpowering our better judgment, but also overpowering our wills at times.

“But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
Romans 7:17

A slave is forced to do the things against his will.  That is the nature of slavery.  The slave is not free to go against his master’s will no matter how he feels.  Paul describes how he acts against his will.  He does not understand what he does, but he does what he hates.  But if he hates what he does when he sins, this means he shows the law to be good.  And that in reality, it’s not him, but the stronger power within him that is acting.  Paul is not excusing himself of his sin but is showing that the power of sin at work within him.  Yet sin does not have complete control over the believer.

“As when in the senate the major part are bad and carry everything the wrong way, it is indeed the act of the senate, but the honest party strive against it, bewail what is done, and enter protestation against it; so that it is no more they that do it.” Matthew Henry

Here is a man who knows, and his mind truly affirms, God’s law. But his will is overpowered at times.  He does that which he knows is wrong.  We can take great comfort in God’s covenant of grace with us, that God’s covenant is not based upon what we do.  The willingness of the spirit is accepted and the weakness of the flesh is pardoned.

Due to Sin, Our Flesh Cannot Please God

“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.” Romans 7:18

The desire is there, but I cannot perfectly execute the will of God within me.  I just do not have that ability. This is the experience of the believer. It is not in us to love God with all hearts, our mind, and our souls every moment of every day.  It is simply not within us.  We might have the desire.  We might see how good and perfect God’s laws are, but we all too easily get sidetracked.  Something else comes up, something that we want to do, to dethrone God, put Him down and go our own way.

“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.  Now, if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” Romans 7:19,20

While Paul approves of God’s will, he finds that he does the evil that he doesn’t want to do.  The reason is the power of sin.  The temptation is attractive to the sinful nature.  It wants gratification for its unholy desires; gratification that at times Paul yields to.

Paul Could Not Win The Battle – But Christ Prevailed

We have a conflict with sin.  Sin overpowers our better judgment, overpowers our wills, and ultimately what this means is that in and of ourselves, we have no ability to please God.  Sin is inherent within us.  We can’t leave it behind.  We always, in and of ourselves and without the perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ transferred to us by faith, will appear before God as somebody who has failed, will always fail and will do nothing else but fail and fall short of the moral perfection of His laws.

There is no good thing that dwells within me, that was Paul’s conclusion.  And here was a man who we might say reached the highest moral standards that a man might possibly attain.  He was an apostle.  He had suffered much for the will of God.  He had kept firmly preaching and teaching about God in the face of shipwreck, in the face of being imprisoned, and beaten, and being stoned.  He had not been deflected easily or lightly from the will of God.

And yet, his conclusion when he looks inward into himself, is that nothing good dwells within him; because although he has the desire to live out God’s ways, he knows he cannot do it.  Paul could not win the battle, but Christ had won it for him!

Evil Dwelt Within Paul

“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 7:21,22

Evil was ever present with Paul. Paul sought to do good yet without fail he was consistently tempted to do evil.  Paul delighted in the law of God. With no lies, we could trust salesmen, politicians, neighbors and strangers alike.  God’s ways are good.  Without stealing, we would not have to lock our homes or cars.  With love and faithfulness in marriage, there will be no broken homes; children would truly get a good deal.  Yet, we cannot escape the sinful nature; it is part of us.  Whether we travel to a far country or to the heights of space or to the deepest cavern in the ground, we cannot escape this law that evil is continually with us.

When we desire and want to do that which is right, the temptation to do that which is wrong is right there with us.  It can’t be surgically removed.  It’s a spiritual thing.  It’s not like you can look at some part of the body and say, “Remove that bit”, and the sinful nature is gone.  It’s a spiritual thing.  We cannot escape this battle.

“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.” Romans 7:23

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones has an interesting comment at this point,

“Now there is a ‘law’ in the mind; and there is a ‘law’ in this other part also.  What does this other law do? He tells us very plainly; in the first place, it ‘wars’ against the law of the mind. This word ‘warring’ is a very interesting one.  ‘I find another law in my members warring against … ‘  Its original meaning is ‘to render service in a military campaign’.  It derives from the Greek word from which our word ‘strategy’ comes.  And that is a very good way of looking at it.  Here then is this man, with his mind delighting in the law of God; but there is another law operating in his members which has a fiendish, devilish strategy. It is always watching the moves of the other law in his mind, and it is countering every move.  It has a definite strategy and wages a kind of military campaign.” Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Sin is watching, waiting, seeking how to trip us up; when we should be patient, there is often impatience and frustration.  When we should be gentle, there is the temptation for anger and cruel words to be used or cruel actions.  Where there should be diligence in Bible study or prayer, there is always the temptation to do something else or a lack of desire to do these things.  Where there should be honesty and integrity, there is the temptation to take the easy way out and to lie.

The continuous and ongoing experience is at the sinful nature is always there.  There is this law of evil working within me continually, that when I know I should go one way, there is the temptation to go the other.  Anybody, seriously, still trusting in their own innate goodness to be right before God does not recognize the truth of this scripture, we cannot be truly good before God; but the Lord Jesus Christ has done it for us!

Evil Dwelling Within Paul Means He Can’t Win The Battle

“Oh, wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”  Romans 7:24

Many years ago I talked to a missionary lady, and she said to me, “You know, it took me a few years but then I realized that I was capable of doing anything that you read about in the newspapers.”  I was really quite surprised.  Here was a very gentle, meek, Godly lady, I had never seen an impatient, let alone an angry word, ever come from her. I was young.  It took me a few years when I realized she was absolutely right. Evil dwells within us all.

“Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?”  He sins and will sin again in the future.  He cannot escape this.  God will punish sin for all eternity in hell.  There is a coming judgment where that will take place. The conclusion: Paul knows that his body will take him to hell because that is God’s just punishment for sin. He is utterly incapable of doing the good the law requires.  He is utterly incapable of making himself acceptable to God.  His innate flesh will take him to hell and there is no escape.

“Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?”  He was a man who had learned to be content in any and every physical state (Philippians 4:11).  He has learnt to be content when having much.  He has learnt to be content when he had very little. But he laments greatly over his sin, it’s not a pleasing thing to him.

Christ Has Won The Battle For Paul

“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

Paul knows that Christ can deliver him from this body of death.

“If it were not for Christ, this inequity that dwells in us would certainly be our ruin.  He is our advocate with the Father, and through Him God pities, and spares and pardons, and lays not our inequities to our charge.  It is Christ that has purchased deliverance for us in due time.  Through Christ’s death, we put an end to all these complaints, and take us to an eternity which we shall spend without sin or sigh.  Blessed be God that gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” Matthew Henry

When we die our souls go immediately to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) Our soul’s will be made perfect and placed in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We will know this battle ever again.  The Lord Jesus Christ will deliver us from it.

In our future resurrected state, we will have a glorious body like that of the Lord Jesus Christ on the new heavens and the new Earth for all eternity.  The battle with sinful nature cannot be avoided as long as we are alive on this earth.  But the Lord Jesus Christ has delivered us from that beyond the grave.  We shall have both the desire to do good and the ability to do it.  There will be no bias within us taking us away from God’s word.  We shall have a perfect harmony, a wonderful love, gentleness, peace, patience, calmness, unselfishness, perfect concern for other people which we know that we should have here but we just don’t do it.

In the present, we live with the reality of a mind that approves of God’s laws and a sinful nature that wants to break them.  But thanks be to the Lord Jesus Christ.  If he had not died upon the cross for us, if he had not risen again from the grave and ascended to the right hand of God, our sinful natures would have consigned us to being under the wrath of God for eternity.  But He has delivered us from this and brought us into a new and everlasting hope.

Reader, are you a believer?  Have you renounced any confidence in self?  Is your full weight and hope of salvation upon the death of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Any pastor knows the absence of the battle in the individual is far more worrying than the presence of the battle in the individual.  If you know nothing of the battle with sin the chances are you’re not saved.  You don’t have a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is when we are truly born again with renewed minds that love God’s word and want to live in obedience to him, that’s when we feel that battle.  Are you a believer?  Eternity awaits, Christ has done everything for us and He can be ours forever!

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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