Romans Chapter 7

Evil Present with Me

Chapter 7, Verses 14-23

Rom. 7:14 "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 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. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 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." 

Man's Carnal Problem

"For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin."  The law is spiritual because it was given by the Spirit of God.  "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Spirit of God."  "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."  Even the ten commandments when written on two tables of stone were written there by the finger (Spirit) of God.  The problem with keeping the law is not that the law is spiritual, the problem is that I am carnal.  Paul did not say that in times past I was carnal, but rather said, that "I am carnal."  What we have is a carnal man under the bondage of sin trying to keep a spiritual law.  The fact that Paul had been born of the Spirit did not change the nature of the flesh.  The flesh is still carnal.  Trying to keep a spiritual law through the works of the flesh is an impossible task.  Our flesh is under the bondage of sin.  Sin has reign over the flesh. 

"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I."  When someone is born of the Spirit, there is a desire to do good.  We have a will or desire because of the new birth to serve the Lord and to keep his commandments.  That desire is in our mind.  However, to use a works system based on the obedience of the flesh to carry it out, creates an impossible task.  Paul is addressing this issue of trying to use the flesh to carry out the law to perfection.  The results of our efforts in the flesh are just the opposite of what we in our mind want to do: "for what I would, that do I not: but what I hate, that do I."  In the experiences of God's children, how many times have each of us resolved to keep the commandments of God only to find that we end up breaking those commandments. 

In the United States, there is a tradition that most of the citizens of the country make resolutions on New Year's day.  The result of their efforts is that before the end of January almost all who made resolutions have broken those resolutions.  If the flesh cannot keep carnal resolutions, then how would we hope to be able to keep spiritual laws through the works of the flesh? 

"If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good."  My desire to keep the law proves that I believe the law is good.  This is true even though I break the law through the efforts of my flesh.  I have consented that the law is good even though my flesh is not. 

"Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."  What Paul is teaching us is that it is not our desire to break the law.  Actually, we desire to keep the law.  The reason we do not keep the law is that sin in dwelling in us and controlling our flesh.  Indwelling sin has ruined the efforts of many sincere people who resolve and try to keep the law to perfection.  This is why the law as a tool to get eternal life is impossible.  For if those who have already been given eternal life and born of the Spirit cannot keep the law to perfection, then how could one possible believe that a person who has not been born of the Spirit and is dead in trespasses and sins can keep the law to perfection?   

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."  Paul sets forth the principle of the complete and total depravity of the flesh when he says that in his flesh "dwelleth no good thing."  While there is a desire in our mind as a result of the Spiritual birth to do good, yet there is no ability in the flesh to carry out that desire.  To perform that which is good through the efforts of the flesh cannot be found.  With no good dwelling in the flesh and sin controlling the flesh, we cannot do good through the efforts of the flesh. 

Deeds of the Flesh

"For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."  Once again Paul carries us back to the principle that we through the works of the flesh do the opposite of what we want to do.  The reason he says that we do the opposite of that which we want to do through the flesh is the indwelling of sin in the flesh.  As an aside, we cannot change or control the flesh, we must mortify the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit of God that dwelleth in us in the inner man in order to worship and serve God in Spirit and in truth.  This is made plain in the 8^th chapter of Romans.   

"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me."  The law to which Paul is referring is the law of the flesh that sin dwells in the flesh and nothing good dwells in the flesh.  As a result, though we have the desire to do good in our minds, we end up doing evil through the flesh because of sin dwelling in the flesh. 

"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man."  When a man is born of the Spirit of God, God writes his laws in the heart and mind of the new inner man.  It is through the inner man, which the word of God informs us, cannot sin, that we are able to mortify the deeds of the flesh and to keep the spirit of the law.  We all should delight in the law of God after the inward man.      

"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."  The law of my mind is to do good and to keep the law.  The law of sin in my members is to follow after evil.  The law in my members brings me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  Thus. I cannot do good and keep the law of my mind through the works of the flesh.  No wonder Paul said, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"  Our experiences of trying to regulate the flesh to keep the law brings us into great frustration and finally to the conclusion that in the flesh we are indeed "wretched men."  We would remain in this condition except for one thing which Paul also states: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord."  The Lord Jesus Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law through his substitutionary death on the cross for all the elect.  In addition, we are delivered from the bondage of the law of sin and death through the New Birth.  This new birth comes about as a result of the quickening power of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Son of God.  This is all by the grace of God.  The works of the law have nothing to do in bringing this about. 

"So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."  Roman's chapters 6, 7, 8 have three key words that predominate and are a key to us to understand the subject matter.  These three key words are "law," "sin," and "death."  Each of these words appears between thirty and forty times in these three chapters.  In the eight chapter which we will begin in our next essays, changes the key word.  The key word in Roman's chapter 8 is "spirit."  In verse two of the eight chapter we read, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."  In the first seven chapters, Paul has strongly addressed the issue of those who promote the erroneous idea that we are saved from sin by the keeping of a set of laws or rules.  Chapter 8 will outline to us the great doctrine of the covenant of redemption.