Romans 7:14-20 "The Reality of the Battle"

Introduction

We have seen from Romans 6 that one who is truly justified will end up experiencing to some measure the work of the Holy Spirit bringing about our sanctification.

This is where believer’s grow in grace in a progressive manner and they persevere in the Christian faith. Good works are then displayed in such a way in the world that God is glorified as He works Christ in us.

Maybe you have realized that once you became a Christian that your flesh didn’t just surrender in totality. And the evil one didn’t just give up leveling his attacks against you.

What you probably started noticing was that sin was a bigger problem than you previously thought it was and that the evil one all of a sudden seemed to attack with a vengeance.

All of this is part of the spiritual battle in the life of the Christian. And understanding this dynamic can be confusing as Paul explains in verses 14-15:

I. The Confusion (14-15).

The law is Spiritual.

The law is God’s law and it did not originated by us as humans nor did it come from anything related to this fallen world.

The law is the standard of what God declares as good and as a standard it measure all of humanity on a moral basis. This is why it exposes us in our nature, motives, thoughts and actions.

We are of the flesh.

Slaves to sin in our nature and our actions so often demonstrate this to be true. The law even shines a light on us as being the reality in our flesh.

The confusion comes in regards to the Apostle Paul’s actions (15). Because, as he says, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

The thing he wants is to do that which is in agreement with the law. All that God declares to be good.

But the reality is that he keeps doing the very thing that he hates. The stuff he hates is that which is contrary to the law and which gratifies his fleshly nature.

Paul is using himself as an example to show how living out the Christian life is not always reflective in our actions as to our true identity.

My Dad said to me on more than one occasion in my life, “Boy I didn’t raise you like that, you know better than that.”

It is not too hard to see actions in our children that are contrary to how they are raised. Parents that shouldn’t surprise us. We did the same thing to varying degrees when we were kids.

Paul understands that the hypothetical confusion is from not understanding the fallen nature in man being in conflict with the Spirit. Look at verses 16-18:

II. The Conflict (16-18).

Notice that the conflict is between his action and his desires. He acts out contrary to what he desires. And he knows this. He is even able to critique himself in this.

He knows that his actions done in contradiction to the law of God show the law to be good. His actions are not the standard of what constitutes goodness but the law is.

And Paul is able to acknowledge the law’s scrutiny as being the arbiter of goodness.

In other words Paul’s conscience is not seared. He can see the distinction between his actions and his desires.

But there is a unique conclusion that he comes to out of the tension between his flesh and Spirit in verse 17. His conclusion is that there is a distinction between his Spirit and the sin that dwells in him.

And he declares that nothing good dwells in his flesh. And it shows when it comes to his spiritual desire wanting to do the good but the flesh doesn’t have the ability to carry it out.

Christian can you see this conflict in your own life? I can.

Jesus could see it in the life of His disciples. Remember when He wanted them to watch and pray with Him prior to His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane?

His disciples kept falling asleep and Jesus said to Peter, “Watch and pray that you may not enter temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mathew 26:41).

Christian have you ever noticed how easily it is that conflict in the Christian life exposes our weaknesses and our inability?

And this exposure if we would be honest will take us all they way down to the very motives and affections of our hearts.

Those motive are what drive the compulsions of our heart. Look at verse 19-20:

III. The Compulsion (19-20).

Notice that Paul doesn’t seem to allow himself to be identified with his sin which is shone in his sinful actions.

First of all let me say that I find this section of Romans 7 to be incredibly encouraging. I find it encouraging to see that Paul's battle with his sin, though unique to himself in many ways, is common in the Christian life.

He knew about internal conflict between his flesh and spirit in the Christian life.

He also knew about the overwhelming challenges of compulsive and habitual sin that at times we may think we are helpless over.

I want to tell you Christian I have been there and even in the present I have my days where I am tired of the battle and battling against sin can seem totally hopeless.

About 15 years ago I was studying through Romans 7 and I found it peculiar that Paul would refer to sin in him as being distinct from his true identity.

He spoke of his sin nature more like it was a cancer and something completely distinct from who he really was.

And it hit me. Romans 6 is where he talked about that as believers we have died to sin because God identified us with Christ in His death and His burial in our union with Him.

Now we know that this truth motivates us through love to pursue obedience to Christ in the Spirit’s power. We saw that through Romans 6.

Sin may dwell in us now Christian and by the grace of God it is progressively loosing those battles between the flesh and the spirit, but there is coming a day where the spiritual dynamic will be the complete and total reality.

Because at the sound of the trumpet the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye and we shall be like Him.

Christian when we live out our sanctification in our battle with the flesh we show forth the reality of our faith and hope even while we live in the world.

The world thinks we are crazy that we are passing up the fleshly indulgences of our pleasure in the world. They live for themselves priding themselves on their experiences as they engage in worldliness.

We endure the battle and the pursuit of righteous and in doing so we show forth that our hope is not rooted in this world but in Christ.

Conclusion:

Are you in Christ and living in the battle today?

Unbeliever? You life and actions show there is no eternal hope for you because your ultimate focus is this world and not the one to come. You need transformation. Believe!

Believer: You may be discouraged with the battle but today take heart! Christ the Lord has kept the law on your behalf and has paid your debt in full. In Him you have died to sin and your hope is in Christ and the restoration that is to come. Confess and receive. Let’s Pray!