Sin is not acceptable to God

New American Bible: Revised Edition Chapter 7

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with my mind, serve the law of God but, with my flesh, the law of sin.

New American Bible: Revised Edition Chapter 7

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with my mind, serve the law of God but, with my flesh, the law of sin.

In this text St. Paul is acknowledging that his flesh is sinful, as is all humankind’s flesh; however, he is not saying that he commits sin, but that he serves the law. Our flesh is tempted by sin and has sinful desires, but it is not lawful for us to sin. For if sin was lawful, then there would never have been a Noah or a dispersion and no need for redemption. When St. Paul says everything is lawful for him, but some things are not beneficial, he is not saying that all sinful things are acceptable to God. Rather, St. Paul is saying that if we are guided by the spirit and are living according to the spirit that there is nothing unlawful in these things: we do not live according to the sinful flesh, that is, committing sinful deeds, if we are truly living the deeds that are in accordance with the Holy Spirit: the deeds of the spirit are  charity-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.  Whereas, the sinful deeds of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. Saint Paul has warned us many times, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.