We lift off just before entering the struggle between mans natural propensity of sin and the taking over of grace by faith in Love's operations. One of my study Bibles labels this next area as "the conflict of two natures," and rightly so. Just as the parable of the prodigal son has within him his own struggles so does Saul of Tarsus before he became Paul. He states that he went into the wilderness area for a short time of two to three years but does not elaborate on his teachings that he received while there. This leaves us to only guess on his experience, when he discovers the essence of Christ within him. And, oh by the way this chapter also bleeds over into chapter 8 just a bite.
I might warn you this could be quite lengthy.
Romans 7:14-20 "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold [G4097] under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 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. 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." (KJV)
Romans 7:14-20 "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold [G4097] 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." (ESV)
Romans 7:14-20 "We agree that the law (of faith) is spiritual, but because I am [1; G4097] sold like a slave to sin, I am reduced to a mere carnal life. (Spiritual death. The word, [1; G4097] piprasko comes from perao, and means to transport into a distant land in order to sell as a slave. Sin is a foreign land.) This is how the sell-out to sin affects my life: I find myself doing things my conscience does not allow. My dilemma is that even though I sincerely desire to do that which is good, I don't, and the things I despise, I do. It is obvious that my conscience side with the (new) law; which confirms then that it is not really I who do these thins but sin manifesting its symptoms in me. (Sin is similar to a dormant virus that suddenly breaks out in very visible symptoms.) It has taken my body hostage. The total extent and ugliness of sin that inhabits me, reduced my life to good intentions that could not be followed through. Willpower has failed me; this is how embarrassing it is, the most diligent desision that I make to do good, disappoints; the very evil I try to avoid, is what I do. (If mere quality decisions could rescue humanity, the Law would have been enough. Good intentions cannot save someone. The revelation of what happened to us in Christ's death is what brings faith into motion to liberate from within. Faith is not a decision we make to give GOD a chance, faith is the realization of our inclusion in what happened on the Cross, the old wooden stake of the curse, and in the resurrection of Christ! Look again at Romans 3:27.) If I do the things I do not want to do, then it is clear that I am not evil, but that I host sin in my body against my will." (The Mirror)
Romans 7:21-8:8 "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I 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. O wretched [G5005] man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 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. Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (KJV)
Romans 7:21-8:8 "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 [G5005] 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. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (ESV)
Romans 7:21-8:8 "It has become a predictable principle; I desire to do well, but my mere desire cannot escape the evil presence that dictates my actions. The real person that I am on the inside delights in the (new) law of GOD. (This law proves to be consistent with my inner make-up.) There is another law though, (foreign to my design) the law of sin, activating and enrolling the members of my body as weapons of war against the Law (of works in the conscience of sin) of my mind. I am held captive like a prisoner of war in my own body. It doesn't matter how I [1; G5005] weigh myself I just do not measure up to expectations! The situation is absolutely desperate for humanity; is there anyone who can deliver them from this death trap? (The word [1; G5005] talaiporos occurs only twice in the NT - Romans 7:24 and Revelation 3:17, and both times it is translated wretched!? It has two components [G5007], talanton, which is the word for a scale of balance; that which weighed, a talent; and [G4008 from G3984] poros from peira, to test as in testing the weight of something.) Thank GOD, this is exactly what he has done through Jesus Christ our LORD; he has come to our rescue! I am finally freed from this conflict between the Law (the of works) of my mind and the law of sin in my body. (In the Incarnation, in a human body exactly like ours, Jesus balanced the scales! He is the true measure of the life of our design - he revealed and redeemed the image and likeness of GOD within us as a mirror! Look at Romans 1:16-17, 3:24 and 27.) Now the decisive conclusion is this: in Christ, every bit of condemning evidence against us is cancelled. ("Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit." This sentence was not in the original text, but later copied from verse 4. The person who added this most probably felt that the fact of Paul's declaration of humanity's innocence had to be made subject again to a person's conduct. Religion under the Law felt more comfortable with the condition of personal contribution rather than the conclusion of what faith reveals. The "in Christ" revelation is the key to GOD's dealings with humanity. It is PIN-code of the Bible. Look at 1Corinthians 1:30 and Ephesians 1:4.) The law of the Spirit is the liberating force of life in Christ. This leaves me with no further obligation to the (old) law of sin and death (consciousness). Spirit has superseded the sin enslavement senses as the principle law of our lives. (The law of the spirit is righteousness by faith verses the Law of personal effort and self righteousness which produced condemnation and spiritual death which is the fruit of the DIY tree.) The (Mosaic) Law failed to be anything more than an instruction manual; it had no power to deliver us from the strong influence of sin holding us hostage in our bodies. GOD disguised himself in his Son in this very domain where sin ruled us, in flesh. The body he lived and conquered in was no different to ours. Thus sin's authority in the human body was condemned. (Hebrews 4:15, As High Priest he fully identifies with us in the context of our frail human life. Having subjected it to close scrutiny, he proved that the human frame was master over sin. His sympathy with us is not to be seen as excusing weaknesses that are the result of a faulty design, but rather as a trophy to humanity. he is not an example for us but of us.) The righteousness promoted by the Law is now realized in us. Our practical day-to-day life bears witness to spirit inspiration and not flesh domination. Sin's symptoms are sponsored by the senses, a mind dominated by the sensual. Thoughts betray source; spirit life attracts spirit thoughts. Thinking patterns are formed by reference, either the senual appetites of the flesh and spiritual death, or zoe-life and total tranquillity flowing from a mind addicted to spirit (faith) realities. A mind focused on flesh (the sensual domain where sin held me captive) is distracted from GOD with no inclination to his life-laws. Flesh (self-righteousness) and spirit (faith righteousness) are opposing forces. (Flesh no longer defines you; faith does.) It is impossible for those immersed in the flesh to at the same time accommodate themselves to the opinion, desire and interests of GOD." (The Mirror)
In our next visit, the LORD willing, we shall look at our call to walk in GOD's Faith and Righteousness as restored sons and daughters.
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