The Believer and Indwelling Sin Part 3 Rom 7:16-20

Introduction

The Law is a blessing from God. It reveals to us sin, but it also consequentially arouses sin in us. Ultimately sin leads to humanities judgement. The argument some might make then is, that it was the Laws fault for this outcome. Paul defending the Law showed us how the Law is a blessing even though it reveals to us our sin and shows mankind its current condemnation before God. Sin, uses the law as its base of operations in many ways but primarily in deception through self righteousness, and in provocation, of which we are especially receptive too due to our fallen nature. So the Good Law is not to blame, but rather sin. And in the giving of the Law, sin is demonstrated to be the true evil force. How so? Because God who is holy and pure gave the Law which Paul has reinforced as Good and Holy. And in doing so, sin is demonstrated to be truly evil because it uses that which is good to in effect be a means of death to mankind, seeing as no man is able to keep the law due to our sin.

But what about Christians? How does that apply to us? Are we susceptible to the deception of sin? If we have been delivered from the tyranny and dominion of sin, why is it that we are not able to perfectly keep the law that we so long to obey? What is the issue that is holding us back? In the Apostles Paul’s own inspired commentary on his epistle to the Romans, he presented us the sermon layout which includes three subheadings. That being the Symptoms. Secondly the Substantiation. Lastly the Source.

Last week we examined primarily the first two and we will quickly go over them. The question Paul is answering primarily is found in V13, which is “Was then that which is good made death unto me?” Was the Law given by God which must be good, was that Good law the cause of my death or condemnation? Paul first demonstrates for us the symptoms or our condition. Look at V14. Rom 7:14 “14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” In other words, The laws origins are Divine in nature, but his origins are carnal or fleshly in nature. Paul makes the important distinction very clear to us or divine and fleshly. God gave to mankind the Law, so its nature is divine. Paul came from two human beings who inherited the curse of sin and passed that on to him, so his nature is a sinful bodily nature. In addition to that he adds that he is sold under sin. This is in reference to the sinful nature that he inherited from his parents. Because his Parents were sinners, he was born a sinner. Similar to the custom of slaves having children, those very children instantly became the property of the slave master. When we were born we instantly were owned by our master, Sin, who had control over us.

However, because of the Lord Jesus Christ, having died for us, he quite literally redeemed us or purchased us for himself. Now believers no longer belong to sin, we belong to him. Believers who were once dead in transgression are now quite literally raised from the dead, with a new life and are completly changed. And yet, even though that is an absolute historical reality for Christians, we yet still find our selves obeying the desires of sin. Though we are no longer under the tyranny of sin, its almost as if we voluntarily enslave ourselves to sin. Though we are alive spiritually, we are still carnal, we are still “fleshly”. While we formerly were in the flesh and no longer our, the flesh is still in us. This is the condition of our state. Secondly Paul moves on to substantiate this claim, look at V15 Rom 7:15 “15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.”

How do we know that we are no longer in the flesh, even though we still have desires to obey the flesh? How are we to understand this reality that seems paradoxical? The answer is found in the internal battle of the believer. He says Rom 7:15 “15 For that which I do I allow not or UNDERSTAND NOT: for what I would, that do I not; in other words, for that which I desire and will to do, that I dont do, “but what I hate, that do I.” There is a sense of confusion and frustration that every believer experiences in the life. He doesnt understand why it is that he does the very things that he hates. And he doesnt understand why he cant simply do the very thing that he so longs to do. This is a groan of every Christian. We long to love God and demonstrate that in obeying all that he says for us, and the frustration comes in this resistance that we face in us. Even on my most zealous days when I attempt to read my bible first thing in the morning I find this resistance. When I am presented with an opportunity to share Christ with someone, I find a resistance. However, when an opportunity to destroy someone with my words arises I find a strong drawing to do so. When an opportunity for a second glance is thrusted in front of me, there is a tempting I face.

As believers, why is this so? Why is it that even though I have died to sin relationally, I still at times desire a relation with it? Why is it that I have been freed the dominion of sin, and still feel and see the immense power is exherts over me? Why is it that even though I have been joined with Christ, and earnestly desire to please him, something in me wishes to please itself? Im so thankful we have an answer to this question. Look at V16-17 and here is where we will camp for but a moment. Rom 7:16-17 “16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

Paul has answered all of these questions I've previously asked. He’s shown us the conditions or symptoms we find ourselves in after conversion-- he’s substantiated hes teaching in demonstrating to us that we have this internal war going on in ourselves which is NOT true of unbelievers. Unbelievers are as Paul said in Rom 7:9 “Alive without the Law”. They have no inner war because they are in total harmony and agreement with their flesh. Lastly Paul gives to us the Source.

Lets Examine V16. Rom 7:16 “16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.” In other words, If I do that which I desire not or will not, stop. What is it that Paul or the Chrisitan desire not or will not? Its to do sin right? So If I do that which I would not which is sin, I consent unto the Law that it is good. What hes saying is that, if and when he does sin which he desires not to do, its not the law to blame. On the contrary he agrees with the Law. Like an honest man who is pulled over for speeding, he see’s the goodness of that law and agrees with it, even though he has violated it. The law isn't to blame. So who is to blame? Look at our next verse Rom 7:17 “17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Sin which dwells in him is the ultimate culprit of his failing to keep the law. You see, the Christian desires to keep the law, to be pleasing to God, and yet because the Christian consists of flesh is carnal in a physcial sense, and because sin has corrupted the flesh and its contamination is on the decendants of Adam, the Christian isnt able to harmoniously behave the way he desires to behave. There is a very real mutiny that occurs after our regeneration. Though our spirit is made alive, it remains incarcerated by sinful flesh. This is what Paul means when he says it is no Longer I that do it. He’s telling us that the real man in him, the regenerated man does not desire to sin. This is so fundamentally important to grasp because it answers for us the question of how someone who is redeemed, who is born again, who is FREE from the dominion of sin, someone who is raised to walk in newness of life in the same way that Christ was literally raised from the dead, how can this reality be true and yet we dont completely behave in accordance with that reality. Its also where some professing Christians have fallen into deep error. How is that so? Because on the surface, it would seem that Paul is teaching us that he is not responsible for the sin he commits because it is simply the body doing what the body wants. Meats for the belly and the Belly for Meats.

Paul is not deflecting responsibility for his sin but is with a snipers precision pin pointing the exact cause and reason for our sin, in spite of our new nature. “it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells in me”. When we look at one another we see the flesh and the bodies of humankind. We cant see the Spiritual life of people. In fact, for most of the world they are spiritually a cold dead body and yet their body is warm and pumping blood. For us its the opposite. Our innerman is alive spiritually. its been ressurected with Christ. Its been quickened or made alive by the Holy Spirit, but our flesh is dead in other words, our flesh is still contaminated by sin. Sin in our flesh is the culprit and reason for why we we engage in sin as believers. No longer does our innerman desire to sin in agreement with the flesh, but now our innerman desires to serve God faithfully but is met with hostility by the flesh. Gal 5:17 “17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” The REAL YOU isnt the ultimate originator of sin committed, but it is the remnants of sin in your flesh tempting and compelling you. It is no longer I that do it. In other words, the real man isnt where these sins are originating out of, but its sin that still remains in me, in my flesh. Paul is going to make a critical disclaimer, in case anyone was confused about this “indwelling sin”. Look at verse 18. Rom 7:18 “18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

We see here, Paul is reinforcing to us what he has previously stated in V14. The law is Spiritual, but we are fleshly, sold under sin “For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Paul recognizes that the issue here, isnt necessarily even his flesh. The flesh is not in it of itself sinful. The issue lies in what dwells in that. That being residual sin. Interestingly he makes a very clear distinction between himself and his flesh. Again this is to reinforce for us the difference of our bodies from our spirits. In his spirit, consists of something tremendously good, the spirit of a new resurrected creation. His spirit is resurrected in new life, but also in him, and more precisely in his flesh, dwells no good thing, that thing being sin. Rom 7:18-19 “18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”

The reality is, Paul was mightly used by God and did do many good works for God. But as we mature in the Faith and we are conformed to Christlikeness in greater degrees, sin in us becomes all the more apparent. We spoke about this before but the newer believer will not see the pervasiveness of sin in him in the same way that a seasoned Christian will. This lament of Paul is not him saying that he doesnt do any good, but rather that he cant fully do all that he desires, and his desire was to completely and fully obey God’s laws. Its not that the mature Christian sins more, but rather see’s sin in him with a greater clarity. When we look at people recorded in the scriptures, men like David who the bible states was a man after Gods own heart, a man who learnedly sought the heart of God. This was a man that God blessed by referring to the messiah as “The Son of David”. And this same man was guilty of an egregious sin, but was also a man who openly confessed his sin. We have a man who wrtoe such things as these Ps 32:3-5 “3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old Through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Ps 38:1-4 “1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, And thy hand presseth me sore. 3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; Neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” Ps 38:18 “18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.” Ps 51:1-5 “1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.” David mourned and lamented sin in his life, something im sure all of us can relate too. This wasn’t an immature believer, this was someone know knew God personally. Similarly a mature believers confession is I dont do the things that I desire to do, and the things that I hate, that I do! As we grow closer to God, as we behold and understand his righteousness and holiness, the more we see sin in our lives and see just how much we dont do right.

Look at V20. Rom 7:20 “20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” Paul uses the same phrase he did before, just to reemphasize for us this crucial truth. Our inner man is not where this sin in stemming out from. Our inner man longs to fulfill Gods Laws and to please him, but the sinful flesh which remains still troubles us. It is this indwelling sin, that these sinful urges and sinful resistances originate from. Our inner man, the real us hates sin.

Closing.

Now bear with me as im trying to follow the same train of thought as Paul. I havent presented to you the “good news” yet. But there is good news to come. So what is the application of our text today?> What does it mean for us now?

Assurance for believers that when they sin, this is not a demonstration that they lack spiritual life and the new birth. We must always be careful to not give false assurance to those who are in sin. I would argue that Paul has already done the hard tilling of the ground in telling us in chapter 6 that you can not be simultaneously dead in sins and alive unto God. That the one who you render service and obedience too is the true master of you. We must temper passages such as these with others such as 1 Cor 6:9-10 “9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Additionally we must not neglect to dwell and share these passages with one anothers when we do sin, as we all will. Its assuring and comforting to know that when I fail to please God and live up to his commandments, I can find forgiveness in him, hold fast to his promises such as 1 John 2:1 which reads “1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” and know that these sinful remnants are not who I am, and that one day I will be free from this body of death.