Sin Made Me Do It.

Romans 7:14-25 the struggle with Sin

“Sin made me do it”- (Romans 7:17; 20)

“Peace be with you.”

Pray:

Father you will be done.

Jesus your word proclaimed.

Spirit your work be accomplished in us we pray. Amen

I. The Body of Death.

This Passage is a Dyslexic Nightmare.

It seems that everyone is divided about this passage on whether it is written from a believer’s perspective or the unbeliever’s perspective. Some say that Paul is describing the life prior to faith in Jesus before receiving the Holy Spirit which He talks more about in the following chapter. Others would say that Paul is referring to the real struggle of the believer’s life. This is the one I tend to lean into. Paul makes clear reference in Galatians 5:17

Galatians 5:17 NASB95

17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

The Flesh and Spirit are coexisting in our lives in a toxic relationship. Relationships that are not equally yoked never workout. One has more influence over the other and the relationship becomes a hot mess. But Paul gives us the solution to this Hot Mess towards the end and it is the solution that I aim towards today.

Before we briefly dive into this passage there is something I want to make clear. In order to understand this passage we need to understand the movement of the old life to the new life. We speak of a sin nature but it is more appropriate to speak of a dead nature that produces sin. When we place our faith in Jesus, we are then buried with him in death, and raise to walk in the newness of life. Therefore, we move from the life of death producing sin, to the resurrected life that producing righteousness. The reason why this passage can be a struggle to understand, pun intended, is because Paul is speaking to that movement in life when we are dying in Christ and living in Him. We often say it this way, you are saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved. Here we get a glimpse of the part of “being saved”. We are being transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light and Paul speaks of the struggle we have during this transfer and tells us how we can overcome these struggles. Paul tells us how we can get through the growing pains as we are walking in the newness of life.

A. My mind (15)

Romans 7:15 “15 For what I am doing, I do not understand;”

“I do not understand.” Why do we do stupid things? Why do we sin even though we know better? We even say to our kids, “I taught you better than this.” The reality is that we can know and even understand the right thing but sin still can impact us to do things that will leave us speechless and dumbfounded. There is a lot of confusion in our lives because of sin. Sin makes us dumb.

(As stupid as a kid lying about throwing a live frog into the fire; Or as stupid as someone who thinks that a pack of gum can justify disobedience.)

Sin effects our minds, we can be told what is right, we can know what is right, but we do the opposite and don’t understand why. But it just doesn’t impact the mind it also impacts the heart.

(Sin makes us think of ways we can get away with bad things, instead of thinking of ways we can get away from bad things.)

The evidence of those who are dead verses those who are being made alive.

This is different for those who are dead are blinded to the truth and therefore don’t have a standard to understand their actions as being foolish. However, for us we believe, we don’t understand why we did what we did and it is frustrating. But the fact that you are frustrated, take heart, you are being made alive and there is a remedy for your stupidity.

B. My heart (16).

Romans 7:15-16 “15 ...but I am doing the very thing I hate.” 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.”

Sin impacts our hearts and our actions confirm what we believe about the Law. If we Hate sin we agree that the Law is good, but if we love sin we disagree with the law. This is helpful for those who are transferring from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light. We are given a measuring stick that helps determine where we are in the process. The heart that is being made alive begins to relish the law, but the heart that is dead in sin rebels against it. How do we know one’s heart? Only God sees the true heart and changes the heart 1 Sam 16:7. What we confess about the Law (as a benefit or as a burden) reveals if our heart is being changed by God.

(A dead person doesn’t feel or acknowledge sin) They can’t repent because they don’t have anything to repent of. They are dead.

Note: When someone truly hates their sin. There is nothing that you can impose upon them or say to them that they are not already saying or doing to themselves. It is at that point that yelling and punishing accomplishes nothing. This is why Loving Kindness draws the believer to repentance (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 2:4).

“What solidifies the heart change that leads to repentance, in the one who hates sin that they have committed, is undeserved and unmerited loving kindness.” The burning fire of sin becomes immediately extinguished in the heart when grace is hosed upon those who hate their sin.

The greatest need to a life sick with sin is the love of the Father. The love draws sin from the heart like poison from a wound. It not only heals them but it comforts them while they heal.

When Beau get hurt or is sick, he has come to desire the love of his mother. Though he be in pain, though he has to endure discomfort, he can do it if the love of his mother is there. So, too, though you sin and have made a mess of things, if you cry out to Jesus he will set your feet on solid ground and be with you through it all. We can endure all things through Christ who strengthens me with His love.

C. My strength (18)-

We lack the strength to overcome the sin we hate, and the strength to do what is right. Even if we desire what is good and right our strength and will isn’t strong enough to subdue our flesh and we end up doing things we don’t want to do. We need something stronger than ourselves. We need the power of Christ, which is the Spirit to knock this old man of death out.

(Ishmael/Issac)

I believe Paul is telling us that sin impacts our whole body: Mind, Heart, and Strength. And as we are being made new there will be episodes where our old self is seeking to be revived. But we must put him to death. If we are going to love God with our whole being: mind, heart, and strength, then we need to be set free from this body that is leading us towards death.

II. Who will set me free from this body of death? (24)

A. Who: Jesus

Romans 7:25 NASB95

25 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.

He purchases the cost of freedom with his blood and give that freedom to all those who believe. Jesus sends His Spirit to those he has set free so they will be equipped to use their freedom to fight sin and to live in their freedom to serve others. He purchases the cost of freedom with his blood and give that freedom to all those who believe.

John 8:36 NASB95

36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Ephesians 1:13 NASB95

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

B. How: Spirit

Jesus sends His Spirit to those he has set free so they will be equipped to use their freedom to fight sin and to live in their freedom to serve others.

Romans 8:2 NASB95

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Take heart, the Spirit is being renewed each day while the flesh is decaying each day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NASB95

16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

C. When: Presently (for those who believe).

Karate Kid (When will you teach how to fight) I am already.

Mr. Miagy was equipping Daniel-son with the techniques to fight, but it wasn’t until Mr. Miagy showed him how to use these techniques that Daniel-son was able to fight.

So, too, you have been given the Spirit to fight against your flesh but you need to be shown how to employ the Spirit to have victory over the flesh and how the spirit equips you to live in . We shall look to Jesus now to learn how to employ the spirit for battle and live in the Spirit for freedom.

III. Application: How to utilize our freedom as we are “being saved”.

A. How to use our freedom to fight:

Galatians 5:16 NASB95

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Christ became sin and yet did not know sin. The Spirit empowered him fully wrestle the sin into submission every time. Christ won every battle that sin and temptation initiate.

1) Starving, and tempted by Satan to make food to eat, Christ feasted upon the Word of God, showing that His only appetite is a hunger and thirst for righteousness and he will not settle for any other meal.

2) Then tempted to prove Himself to be the Son of God, doesn’t need to validate himself by some big miraculous act to prove who He is, He proves it by not wielding his own strength but laying it down.

3) When tempted to gain the whole world through a different way than the one His Father willed that involved the cross, Jesus resisted the easy way, sought the will of the Father regardless of how hard it was, and defeated sin and death’s claim over the world thereby leading a whole host to follow Him in faith.

His victory over sin becomes our victory over sin when we are walking in the same way that He walked- By the Spirit.

If you want to break the tension and win the battle over the flesh You must walk in the Spirit by:

1) feasting on the Word of God,

2) stop doing things in your own strength and for your own advantage (exercising the Spirit),

3) be obedient to the will of God even unto death. How can you follow the will of God if you are too easily detoured or struggle with commitment? (My proposal)

B. How to use our freedom to walk right.

Galatians 5:1 NIV

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Romans 6:18 NIV

18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Ephesians 5:8–11 NIV

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

C. How to use our freedom to live in the light- Serve.

Christ not only gives us an example of how we can use our freedom to fight our sin, He also gives us an example of how we can use our freedom to serve.

Galatians 5:13 NASB95

13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1) Called to Serve

Mark 10:45 NASB95

45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

John 13:15–16 NASB95

15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

2. Equipped to Serve

1 Peter 4:10 NIV

10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

 3. Live to Serve in the Church and for the Church.

‌