Romans 7:13-25Romans 7:13-25

- 7:7 Paul switches to the first person, recounting his own experience with the law in the past.

- 7:7-13 He uses past tense verbs that recount his faith in the law to bring him eternal life but instead realizing instead it only condemned him to death.

- 7:14-25 There is a shift into the present tense where he uses 26 present tense first person verbs to describe his current experience as a Christian Apostle. “I am of flesh” is still a true statement for the Christian.

- 7:14 “For WE know” indicates that Paul is talking of himself and the Roman church – who are believers.

- 7:13 “sold into bondage to sin”

- 7:18 “nothing good dwells in me” -7:24 “wretched man that I am” These are characteristics of unbelievers who are “depraved” (1:28) & “slaves to sin” (6:6, 6:17) * 7:13 - The context - Paul talking about death – believer’s bodies are still under the curse/power of sin and going to die * 7:18 - Paul is careful to clarify that nothing good dwells in him “that is, in my flesh” and says the willing IS present in him (the will/desire for righteousness is not in an unbeliever)

* 7:24 - Many godly men while struggling with the flesh or as their understanding or realization of God and His holiness increases have described themselves similarly ("Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Isaiah 6:5)

Is Paul talking about an unbeliever or a believer?

Paul as a Christian? vs Paul as an Unbeliever?

Romans 7:13-25Romans 7:13-25

- 7:15-19 Intense struggle or contrast between two “I’s” – one of the flesh and the other of the inner ward man. This is a consistent depiction of the Christian who constantly battles to beat down their flesh.

- 7:22a Only the regenerate truly “delight in God’s law” and seek to obey it and serve it (7:25). The unregenerate do not seek after God (3:11)and cannot submit to the law of God (8:7)

- 7:22b Only the believer possesses a regenerate “inner man” and only used two other times – all referring to believers (2 Cor 4:16, Eph 3:16)

- 7:14 “under the power of sin” is a state that every believer is released (6:2, 6:6, :11, 6:18-22)

* This is true but the struggle with sin for the believer is that while the Christian has been released from slavery to sin and now has superior power (Holy Spirit) available to them, sin is still present and powerful.-7:15-20 “prisoner of the law of sin” does not fit a Christian who is “set free from the law of sin and death” (8:2)

*Spiritually we are set free, but physically our freedom (in regards to time) will occur in the future.

Is Paul talking about an unbeliever or a believer?

Paul as a Christian? vs Paul as an Unbeliever?

- 7:23 Only Christians have two laws battling within them.

- Inward turmoil more in keeping with a believer who grows weary of the constant struggle against sin.

- This passage reflects a desire or mind to do God’s will, rejoice in His law, and to hate sin. These characteristics are untrue of the unbeliever.

-7:13-25 The depiction here is more than a struggle with sin that Christians do struggle (6:12-13, 13:12-14, Gal. 5:17), but a defeat by sin and a more negative view of the Christian life than can be supported by Paul’s theology

*The view is not negative, but just honest as to just how intense the Christian’s battle and struggle is against sin.

-7:13-25 Through the passage the struggle is stated without the aid of the Holy Spirit

*Keep reading and go on to Chapter 8

Paul as a Christian vs Paul as an Unbeliever

7:24 “Who will deliver me?” The deliverance of the believer from the struggle and cursed body leading to death is still future-Inward turmoil more in keeping with a believer who grows weary of the constant struggle against sin. - 7:24-25 Conclusion – “thanks be to God” and “no condemnation” don’t indicate the struggle is over as Paul goes back to the “divided state” at the end of 7:25, reminding us the final freedom for the total freedom from sin is yet future. - The parallel passage of Galatians 5:16-18 is talking about believers.

-7:13-25 The “I” in these verses struggles with the need to obey the Mosaic law; yet Paul has already proclaimed the release of the believer from the demands of the law (6:14;7:4-6)

* But the whole point of the passage is Paul reaffirmation that the law is good and has a role in the life of a believer.

Paul as a Christian vs Paul as an Unbeliever

Experientially, most Christians can relate to Paul’s intense struggle and inner conflict in his battle against sin.

Paul makes no break or explanation that he is talking about unbelievers in chapter 7 but believers and the Holy Spirit in Romans 8.

- 7:24 Already-But-Not-Yet conception in Paul’s theology is supported here and by Romans 8:10-11 that the liberation from the present sinful body is future when we look forward to God “giving life to our mortal bodies” but until then we we contend to “put to death the deeds of the body” by the aid of the Holy Spirit.

The contrast between Romans 7:14-25 and Romans 8:1-17 is so dramatic that it bests supports the contrast between the life of the unbeliever (ch. 7) and the believer (ch. 8). The “now” no condemnation in 8:1 is especially supportive.

* When reading Romans 6-8 and keeping in view that Paul is talking about “Sanctification,” then Romans 7:13-25 is best understood in light of a believer battling against sin.

Paul as a Christian vs Paul as an Unbeliever