A Study of Romans (31)

Experience Conflict

Here Paul is still focusing on wanting one thing but doing the opposite;

There is within him a deep inner intention do things according to the new man inside - the follower of Christ;

The Book of Romans The Law in the Mind (Verses 21, 22)

What verse 21 means then is this: Whenever I experience the conflict between good intention (“I would do good”) and the evil that dwells in my flesh (“evil is present with me”) I discover in that experience the law of God.

This inner intention represents the goodness that God desires for man to fulfill;

But there remains still the conflict with the flesh that has its own desires which are sinful;

How is your battle tonight, if you were keeping score who is winning?

Inner Appreciation

What do you really enjoy doing;

What emotions come to the surface when you are doing whatever it is you enjoy doing - accomplishment, pleasure, or happiness;

What do you really dislike doing:

What emotions come to the surface when you are doing whatever it is you dislike doing - anger, regret, rage, failure, temporary happiness, acceptance;

Then why do we keeping back to our dislike (sin) instead of focusing on likes (obedience);

What brings you the most lasting enjoyment;

The Book of Romans The Law in the Mind (Verses 21, 22)

Verse 22 makes this point clear: The believer’s “inner man” (the real self) takes pleasure in God’s law.

Why does the inner man typically loose to the outer man;

The Book of Romans The Law in the Mind (Verses 21, 22)

His fleshly nature may hinder him from measuring up fully to the stature set by divine standards, but this stature is what his heart wants anyway, and so again the goodness and spirituality of the law is confirmed.

There are two laws at battle inside of us - the law of God and the law of sin - this is why it is sometimes hard;

The Book of Romans The Law in the Members (Verse 23)

“Law” is used here in the sense of principle. Another principle, another powerful force is at work in Paul as in all believers. That principle is the flesh which unchangingly pulls the believer toward evil (Galatians 5:17 again). This conflict, between Paul’s “mind” and his “members,” is the same as that which has already been described above.

Galatians 5:17 NKJV

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Distress to Deliverance

This conflict is alive and well - it is real and normal and it is unpleasant;

The Book of Romans A Present Distress Endured (Verse 24)

“Wretched” means, literally, “torn.” This is a graphic picture of the conflict, the antagonistic warfare between flesh and spirit.

Even though we have been renewed by Christ we are still traveling in a broken container;

But, as the hymn says, “There is coming a day” when we will be delivered from these broken containers forever more;

The Book of Romans A Present Distinction Explained (Verse 25b)

This final conclusion applies to the here and now of Christian experience while we await the promised deliverance.