City Life Starter

I. TEXT: Romans 7:13-35

¹³ Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to 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 will deliver me from this body of 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.

II. Study Questions

1. According to Martin Lloyd-Jones, what is the purpose of Romans 7?

2. According to the text, what are the two natures that opposes one another and why?

3. In 1 Corinthians 5:17, if we are in Christ, we are (___  ________).  Why does our new birth (born again) in Christ vital to our process of sanctification?

This is our third commentary of this passage.

This portion of Romans has been one of the most controversial chapters in the Bible.  Theologians have debated which state of “man” Paul is describing here, whether it is in a pre-regenerate or post-regenerate state (before or after Christ).  Since there are valid arguments for each party, I would rely on other theologians take on this issue.  Personally, I stand with Martin Lloyd-Jones’ approach to this text, that Paul is attempting to convince his readers that as there is no justification with the law, there is also no sanctification with the law.  It is within this premise we approach today’s text: limitation of the law.

13 Has then what is good become death to me?  Certainly not!  But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

If the law itself is holy and just and good, there is another force at work waging war against our soul.  That is, the sinful man, Adamic nature against our Spiritual man.  Adamic nature wants to please him/herself, while the Spiritual man wants to please God.  For the life that is now lived as a Christian must no longer be their own, but the One who saved him/her from the previous state of death.  The Commandments goal is to reveal that which is sin, that means also our sinful nature.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

In the previous state, under Adamic nature, we are found in this condition prior to Christ.  In Romans 6:21, Paul describes the ultimate fate of life without Christ, “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.”  This is a great reminder for all believers, that our former life without Christ is destined for destruction and death.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand.  For I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

It is a perplexity in spiritual life, that though an individual who understands moral law would choose not practice that which pursues God, but will practice the very thing that is against the law.  These are the limits of the moral law alone without the Spirit, that whatever you do to keep the law does not change the nature of man or the heart of man.

16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

Another affirmation of the goodness of the law.  Law is “holy and just and good” as Paul mentioned in v. 12, that it is not the problem of the law but the law-abider, one who is attempting to keep the law through their own ability and power.

17 But not, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

Paul affirms the nature of man that is against the spiritual man, that is waging war constantly.

18 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.

Knowing what is the right thing to do, but how to do the right thing is nonexistent with the law.  It is the do’s and don’ts of the moral law but without any power.  This is the limitation of a works, merit-based system, that somehow my good doing will qualify me to receive acceptance from God.

19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

How can this be, that a person who knows what is right and wrong, would still choose to do wrong?  What kind of man is in us that lead us to do what is evil?  It is our flesh that wages war against our soul, this is the greatest enemy within that is leading us to go against the law.  It is spiritual forces at work against our Adamic nature that leads us to death.

20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

It is our sinful nature that causes us to commit sin, even though a person is aware (or unaware) of the outcome of sin.  You are in this helpless state that is destined for death.

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

The law reveals the nature of man that is against God, but also reveals one who wants to do good.

22 For I delight in the law of God according to inward man.

This man wants to abide in the law of God, to please Him and become more like Him.

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and brining me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

As much as there is one who wants to do the right, there exist another that wants to violate and disobey the perfect law of God.  You are enslaved to the law of sin, that whether you abide in the perfect law or not, you are still enslaved to temptation and the Adamic nature of man that wants to disobey God.

24 O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of 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.

Justification by faith in Christ frees us from this body of death.  What Jesus has accomplished on the cross cannot be minimized, that his sacrificial substitutionary atonement has broke this wretched hamster wheel of the fallen nature of man, but we are given a new nature, Christ-likeness that we are no longer our former but:

“Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.  Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:16-21, NKJV)

JY