Studies in Romans 7:13-24a

I'm halfway through a logical procession through Rom. 6 - 8 based on Paul's leading questions.

13- 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, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

** Here is the next logical question - is the Law the cause of death?

** The answer to the question is that the Law is not sin. Sin is sin - and it caused death through that which is holy.

14 - For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into the bondage of sin.

** For the section of Scripture, it is good to know the three parts that make up the total man. The spirit (conscience), the soul (thoughts and decisions), and the body make up the man.

** The spirit is the conscious of the man. In the believer, the Holy Spirit is the conscious. In unbelievers, it's a corrupted human spirit.

** The soul is the battleground. This is where the mind comes into play. Our thoughts can come from our spirit or our flesh or from what we know or believe. 2 Cor. 10:3-5 says that the war is on this level. What will we choose to follow - the Spirit or the flesh?

** The body is the flesh. It was corrupted at the fall and must return to the earth after we die. It has desires and lusts that must be controlled in order to live a successful Christian life.

** We are sold into bondage of sin through the fall.

15- For that which 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 that I hate.

** There seems to be a disconnect here. Paul, in trying to follow the Law, knows what he wants to do, but he doesn't do it.

** The next few verses display Paul trying to follow the Law through the flesh.

** The mind knows the Law, but the body is corrupt, and the mind is not being fed the truth.

16- But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good.

17- So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me.

** This is the result of sin's deception.

** The sin that indwells is his fleshly self - either the body or old sinful thoughts.

18- For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

** Notice that he knows the status of his fleshly self.

19- For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish.

20- But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

** The sin that is in him is the culprit.

21- I find the the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good.

** This is the case for all of us. Evil resides in us. Paul explains in the next two verses.

22- For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23- 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.

** Paul describes this struggle as a war. As long as we are on the earth, and we have these bodies - there will be this war.

** On one side we have the law of God. On the other side is the law in the members of our bodies. The law in our members wars against what's in our minds - for our minds know what the Law of God says. But since we can not escape the members of our bodies on this earth, we are considered as prisoners.

24- Wretched man that I am!

** Paul expresses his frustration. If we are trapped inside these fleshly, sinful containers, how do we escape?

Conclusion for this section:

There is an "I" in every verse. There is no faith, and no Holy Spirit - and because of that, Paul failed in his efforts to keep the Law.

Remember the point of this section - it is not the law that causes death - but it is sin. The Law is good, shows us our sin, and brings us to Christ.

Sin is deceitful in that we are fooled into thinking we can keep the Law. But as v. 23 says - we are prisoners to the law of sin in our members - and we can't keep the Law.

Paul presents the sin in us as a law - not like a law or rules - but a law such as the law of gravity - in other words, something happens 100% of the time. A ball that is dropped always goes down, never up. That is the law of gravity. All people are infected with sin. That is the law of sin in us.