In Romans
7:14-25 WHO IS PAUL SPEAKING OF IN THESE VERSES
Why
We Do What We Don’t Want to Do
Charles
e Whisnant October 02 2011 #45.90
THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A BATTLE OR IS IT?
One of the biggest
disagreements over this text is who this man is. Whose experience is Paul describing?
Is this the experience of Paul, the believer? Or is this the experience of
Paul, the unbeliever? Christian or non-Christian? Or should we pose the
question with more precision: Is this a morally awakened but unconverted Paul?
Or is this the spiritually quickened converted Paul who is new and immature in
the faith? Or could this be the mature Christian Paul, but in times of lapsed
faith and vigilance? I don't think I will tell you today what I think the
answer is. I would like you to be thinking and studying this passage for
yourselves without being sure what I think.
Do you ever wonder why,
when your children do something wrong or fail to do what you told them and you
ask them “Why did you do that?” they respond with, “I don’t know” and your
response is “What do you mean you don’t know. How could you not know?”
Here is what we will do with Romans 7:14-23
We will start like we usually do with a passage. We will adopt the inductive
method and work up to a conclusion
.
Vs. 14 Paul makes a
opening general statement about the position and condition of the man
described.
“WE KNOW THAT THE LAW
IS SPIRITUAL: BUT I AM CARNAL, SOLD UNDER SIN.”
Vs. 15 describes that position and condition as
shown in practice and in daily life.
‘FOR THAT WHICH I DO I ALLOW NOT;
FOR WHAT I WOULD, THAT DO I NOT; BUT WHAT I
HATE , THAT DO IT.”
V s.
16-17 contain two inferences or deductions that can
be drawn about this man and his conduct. The first:”IF THEN I DO
THAT WHICH I WOULD NOT, I CONSENT UNTO THE LAW THAT IT IS GOOD.”
That would be a
reasonable assumption.
But
there is a second deduction:
‘NOW THEN IT IS
NO MORE I THAT DO IT, BUT SIN THAT DWELLETH IN ME,.”
Vs. 18-20 18For I know that in me (that
is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but
how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good
that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do. 20Now
if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in
me.
Vs. 16-17 contain two inferences or deductions that
can be drawn about this man and his conduct.
The first:”IF THEN I DO THAT WHICH I WOULD NOT,
I CONSENT UNTO THE LAW THAT IT IS GOOD.” That would be
a reasonable
assumption.
But
there is a second deduction: ‘NOW THEN IT IS
NO MORE I THAT DO IT, BUT SIN THAT DWELLETH IN ME,.”
Vs. 18-20 18For I know that in me (that
is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but
how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good
that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do. 20Now
if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in
me.
“FOR WE KNOW 1492
THAT THE LAW IS SPIRITUAL:4152
We
know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Law is spiritual. The Law is not
fleshly. Paul had just explained that the Law is holy and righteous and
good. These facts are not question. The Law is divine, from God. The Law is a
reflection of the character of God, which is holy, righteous, and good.
Paul is using a
personalizing to express this position of the Law of God. Once a person has
come to know Christ he knows that the Law is spiritual. The Law has come from
God and there fore spiritual.
BUT I AM CARNAL,4559 SARKIKOS
Paul
puts it out there at the very beginning. I am carnal.
Paul is saying “I am continually
carnal. He is not talking of his past
unsaved stated but his present state. He is talking about his physical
flesh. The word means fleshly, carnal
“But I” who is this? He is
someone who is “carnal.” Who is someone who is “carnal?
·
Would it be a portrayal of a Christian person
who has matured as much as it is possible for a Christian to mature and to
develop while he is alive on this world?
SOLD UNDER SIN.”
·
“I am under sin.” What does that mean?
(next week or not)
