Free Bible Commentary
“Romans 7:13-25”
Categories: Romans“Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful. For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
“I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Paul really sums up this truth and the struggle that exists between the willing spirit and the weak flesh in the verses of today’s reading. The word “flesh” is used in a variety of different ways in the Bible, and even in this one particular letter that Paul wrote. But I think the word clearly refers to our bodies of flesh and blood in this particular passage.
In the first part of chapter six he wrote of the redemption and renewal of our spirits that takes place when we obey in faith the Gospel command to be baptized for the forgiveness of our sin. Those who come to Christ in obedient faith have been born again spiritually and arise from baptism to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), but unfortunately their fleshly bodies have not been regenerated as of yet (Romans 8:19-23). Even when we have dedicated ourselves to the service of the Lord, our physical bodies are still plagued by weakness and desires and passions. It is up to our willing spirits to put up a fight against the passions and desires of the weak flesh that enslave us and cripple us spiritually.
Even something as common as human fatigue is a weakness of the flesh that can severely deteriorate our defenses against our mortal enemy—Sin. I don’t know about you, but I am much more likely to say or do something sinful when I am sleep deprived than when I am well rested. The main reason that Jesus’ three best friends could not help to keep watch over Him was because they were physically exhausted (Matthew 26:43). Even the strongest Christian (like Paul) is still afflicted by the urges and impulses of his physical body.
Don’t get me wrong, Paul is not giving us an excuse to sin or a free pass when we do. He is just emphasizing the need to be aware of the internal struggle, and to sincerely put up a good fight, and that we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who helps us and who fights in our defense when we do sin.
Do you ever feel the same as Paul when he wrote, “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate” (verse 15)? And, “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (verse 19)? Do you ever sin and just, for the life of you, can't figure out why you just did that? You knew all along that what you were doing was wrong? You knew you shouldn’t be doing it, but you did it anyway? It’s almost like sin just moves in and takes control of you.
Several things to make note of about a situation like that. First, the devil didn’t “make you do it.” You did that and you are responsible for your actions. The urge was not irresistible even though it may have felt like it at the time. You made the poor choice to give into your weakness and follow through on your lust (James 1:14-15).
Second thing—All is not lost! It is a good thing that you at least KNOW and ACKNOWLEDGE that the sin is wrong (if you are thinking along the same lines as Paul here)! You know it. You admit it. And, thirdly, you strongly desire to stop it!!! The willing spirit is still alive and well, in a situation like this, but the body of sin is just exerting its formidable influence at the time.
Fourthly, God won’t turn His back on a born-again Christian as long as you are not turning a blind eye to your own sin. As long as you have not become calloused to your own iniquity. The person being depicted in today’s verses is one who is truly flummoxed and humbled by his own “wretched” condition. He knows that he is a sinner unclean and that he desperately needs God’s grace to forgive him of his sin, and also the grace to keep putting up the fight!
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (verse 25) Through Christ Jesus, and Him alone, do we have hope to be rescued from this body of sin and death (verse 24)! And with Christ, all things are possible. We can do all things through Him who strengthens us (Philippians 4). But we must keep fighting the good fight!!!
What did Paul mean when he wrote in verse 25, “So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin”? I think he is simply saying this: At least NOW we (Christians) are serving God and His law with our minds and spirits. Before we came to Christ, we were wholly given over to our sins—body, mind and spirit. But now, since we have been renewed in spirit in Christ Jesus, our minds and spirits have changed allegiance, even though our bodies still betray us from time to time (and sometimes FAR too often).
More on this subject tomorrow, Lord willing. Please read Romans 8:1-17.
Have a blessed day! KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT!
- Louie Taylor
