Romans 7:14-25a -- "Warfare"

A young stockbroker didn’t like some of the shady moves his superiors were making. He had a feeling that the company was headed for the rocks. So he quietly put his résumé out and soon joined another company, at a slightly lower salary. It had been a lateral move, bringing no advantage of position or money. When people asked him why he’d done it, he answered, “I just got tired of polishing the brass on the Titanic.” And sure enough, during the financial scandals of a couple decades ago, the company he’d worked for sank.

Ever since then, his metaphor, “polishing the brass on the Titanic,” has popped into my head when thinking of any futile effort. Trying to get a pothole fixed on my street? Trying to understand or interpret the experts today regarding this supposed pandemic. Or, how about trying to make sense out of the tax form? They all seem to qualify as “polishing the brass on the Titanic.”

In our text today St. Paul speaks of this conflict and shows how basic it is for all people. However, the Christian realizes even more acutely that there are antithetical forces within. Paul is speaking as a Christian, a regenerate man. And only a regenerate individual can recognize the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit for what it is: Warfare!

The Reason for the Warfare

We have inherited Original Sin.

There is noting we can do to prevent it: Romans 5:12

Romans 5:12 NET

12 So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned—

There is noting we can do to avoid it: Romans 6:20

The Will of Man is Opposed to God.

Sin shows itself in man’s will, which when left to itself, always decides to do what is evil and revengeful against God.

Paul was emancipated, but the flesh was still left: Romans 7:17

The Conflict

The Christian, though spiritual, still battles the carnal

The carnal nature makes war on God.

It does not fight against the flesh

It does not understand the things that belong to the Spirit of God.

It dissents from the Law and would prefer that Law did not exist. Psalm 2

The spiritual nature fights evil.

It does not intend or desire evil and does not sin deliberately.

It wills to do good but does not always succeed.

The whole man, composed of flesh and spirit, is the location of the conflict in our day-to-day life.

“I want” and “I hate” refer to and apply to the spiritual nature.

“I do” refers to the carnal man (Romans 7:15).

Evil lies close at hand. There is an extraneous power working against the spiritual side: Romans 7:17-21

The inner man delights in the law of God, but another law is warring against God’s law and brings him into captivity: Romans 7:23

The Victory

In the struggle we cry out for deliverance: Romans 7:24

Only a saved individual can say this; it is a plea for God’s mercy.

It does not refer to our physical body but to the sinful, fleshly body that carries with it spiritual death.

It echoes Paul’s statement: “My desire is to depart and be with Christ”: Philippians 1:23

In victory we cry out in thanksgiving: Romans 7:25

The name of Jesus points to Him as the Mediator, the God-man: 1Timothy 2:5

As Christ He is the promised Messiah, whose blood covers all our sins and whose sinless life replaces all our mistakes and shortcomings.

As our Lord, He is the sovereign, omnipotent Creator and Ruler of the universe, who sympathetically watches over us and protects us during all the battles of our earthly warfare and guarantees our ultimate victory.

Sin is present and pervasive. We have to deal with all the unpleasant consequences constantly. Christ has overcome sin and reduced its strength and hold over us. The result is tat we can grow in sanctification and become more and more saintly as we strive with the aid of the Holy Spirit to overcome evil and perform good. Take courage. This is a painful battle for us now, but our Lord had guaranteed a victory for us forever.

In the Name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.