Get 30 FREE sermons.

THE WAR WITHIN US (22 OF 26)

by Jonathan McLeod

Scripture: Romans 7:3, Romans 7:7-22, Romans 7:24-25
This content is part of a series.


The War Within Us (22 of 26)
Series: Romans:The Gospel of God
Jonathan McLeod
Romans 7:7-25


Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh the law of sin (vv. 24-25).

WHO IS THE ''WRETCHED MAN''?

Romans 7 is one of the most controversial chapters in the Bible. Is the ''wretched man'' (v. 23) pre-conversion Paul or post-conversion Paul?

- ''We know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin'' (v. 14).
- ''I delight in the law of God, in my inner being'' (v. 22).

Can a Christian really call himself a ''wretched man''?


GRACE AND LAW

Let's go back to 5:20-21: ''Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.''

What Paul says in those two verses leads him to bring up four questions. The answer to all four questions is no.

- ''What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?'' (6:1).
- ''What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?'' (6:15).
- ''What then shall we say? That the law is sin?'' (7:7). The law reveals our sin (e.g., coveting) and our sinfulness (i.e., rebelliousness).
- ''Did that which is good [i.e., the law], then, bring death to me?'' (7:13). Sin is the problem, not the law.


IS THE ''WRE ...

There are 3117 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 1558 character sample of the full content.

Price:  $5.99 or 1 credit
Start a Free Trial