Struggle and Deliverance

Struggle and Deliverance

Romans 7:1-26

We have been released from the Law (vv. 1-6)

            1Do you not know, brothers-- for I am speaking to men who know the law-- that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?

            2For example(The law of marriage), by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

            4So, my brothers, you also died(Aorist-Passive) to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another(Expected Result), to him who was raised from the dead, in order(Purpose) that we might bear fruit to God.

5For when we were controlled by the <sinful nature>, {Or <in the flesh>} the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies (Members), so that we bore fruit for death.

6But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

God’s holy law exposes our sinful nature (vv. 7-20)

            7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? (i.e., Something to be done away with because it arouses sin) Certainly not! (Why not?) Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. (example) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law(Moral 10 C’s) had not said, "Do not covet." {Exodus 20:17; Deut. 5:21}

8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. (i.e., we are not aware of it as sin) 9Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.

12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13Did that which is good(Ethical), then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good(Ethical), so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. (Now starts the struggle).

            14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do(Action). For what I want to do I do not do(Practice), but what I hate I do(Complete). 16And if I do(Complete) what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good(Aesthetic/Moral). 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do(Action) it, but it is sin living in me.

            18I know that nothing good(Ethical) lives in me, that is, in <my sinful nature>. {Or <my flesh>} For I have the desire to do what is good(Aesthetic/Moral), but I cannot carry it out(Action). 19For what I do(Complete) is not the good(Ethical) I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-- this I keep on doing(Practice). 20Now if I do(Complete) what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do(Action) it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Our way of escape from our sinful nature is only through Jesus Christ (vv. 21-26)

            21So I find this law at work: When I want to do(Complete) good(Aesthetic/Moral), evil is right there with me.

22For in my inner being I delight in God's law;

23but I see another law(principle) at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind (Which wants to follow God) and making me a prisoner of the law of sin(Principle) at work within my members.

24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.