Paul Continues His Testimony
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Romans 7:14-25
As we have gone verse by verse through Romans, we have learned all about being saved by grace!
Today Paul continues giving his testimony.
To be honest, this is probably one of the most relatable passages in the whole Bible.
When hearing these verses, everyone can put their masks down and admit, “yep, that’s me too!”
Truth is whether we admit it or not, this passage describes all of us.
I have heard that Paul is talking to the carnal Christians here.
But if that were true he wouldn’t be using the present tense when he speaks.
He is saying, “Hey, I struggle with this even now!”
Why? Because we still have our sinful flesh!
Paul no longer struggles with this, because he is now in Heaven.
And one day we will not struggle with it!
So let’s go along with Paul, and just be honest!
Paul has just talked about the Law being Holy, just and good in verse 12, Now He stats the fact that the law is spiritual
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
The problem isn’t the Law.
The problem is us!
The Law is a good thing, it tells us what is right ...and anything contrary to that is wrong.
The Law is good because it came from God…and God is good.
The verse continues and says, …but I am carnal, sold under sin
The word carnal means dealing with the flesh
The old man is still with us.
And he has more control over us than we wish to admit.
The flesh - the carnal man - is always and will always be sold under sin.
Which is why we need to yield to the New Man - through the Holy Spirit.
We are in an invisible battle today!
And it is described in detail in the following verses:
I. Paul’s Failures
I. Paul’s Failures
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For 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.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Sound familiar?
That’s because Paul’s failures is our failures too.
A. The Struggles
A. The Struggles
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Paul describes here the struggles that exists in all of us!
The word allow here is the Greek word ginosko which means to know.
what he is saying, “What I am doing, I know not.”
He doesn’t even know why he does what he does.
Have you been there?
He wants to live right …what I would
But he doesn’t do it…that do I not
He hates doing wrong …but what I hate
And yet he does it anyway… that do I
This is the struggle is going on inside of him.
So we have seen the Struggles of Paul
B. The Strugglers
B. The Strugglers
18 For 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.
We’ll come back to v 17
But in verse 18 He is saying there are basically these two sides inside of us and they are struggling with each other
The strugglers are the flesh and the Spirit.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The old man and the new man.
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
In his flesh…the old man…is no good thing.
He wants to do right, but he can’t seem to find the way to do it.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
We want to please God, but something is fighting us all the way.
We ought to just give up!
No, the true growth is in the struggle…the yielding, not in the victory.
In verses 17 and 20 we see that Paul comes to a conclusion.
This is all because of...
C. The Sin Nature
C. The Sin Nature
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
What is the sin that dwelleth in us…That old sin nature!
Paul isn’t making excuses for his sin.
Paul is telling us that there is a new man living in his body, and that new man is above the old sinful lifestyle.
That new man loves the Lord and will fight until the day he is delivered from this body of sin.
We have seen Paul’s Failures.
Now We move on to...
II. Paul’s Findings
II. Paul’s Findings
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Paul finds some something when he looks closer...
A. A Companion
A. A Companion
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
He has a companion with him, when he wants to do good.
Evil is present with him!
Every time we try to do the right thing, evil is right there to tempt us…and to struggle against us.
Any victories we have are because we fought against the evil nature in us, and yielded to the Spirit.
I have often said, “You can judge a persons actions, but you can’t judge their motives.”
I can see the things people do, but I can’t say…they did that because...
I can’t see their heart!
Only God can judge their motives.
This is like the struggle inside of us.
Even though we try to do right it is still tainted…the motive isn’t always pure.
Not impossible…just difficult.
If we yield to this old nature…this evil that is present with us…we do wrong.
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God has given us a new nature!
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
But to go against what is natural always will be a struggle.
swimming up stream
rubbing the fir of a cat the wrong way
yielding to the Spirit.
So Paul says that he has found that there is a companion always with him.
Now Paul gives us ...
B. A Confession
B. A Confession
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Paul loves doing right…the law of God.
This new man delights in the inward man when he yields to the Lord.
This ought to be true for all of us!
However the flesh doesn’t love God’s law.
Paul now says that he finds inside of himself...
C. A Captivity
C. A Captivity
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Paul’s heart is set on doing right, yet this other part wants to bring him back into captivity under sin.
Jesus said, Matthew 26.41
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Yes we have this war going on inside of us…yes it wants to take us into captivity, but greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
So we have to take a stand against the flesh, with the Holy Spirit.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
We have to yield ourselves…sometimes giving up things that are not necessarily wrong, but are not the best…because it could lead us into the flesh.
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
We have to actively yield ourselves to the Lord and keep fighting the battle!
Paul talked about his Failures
Paul talked about His Findings
Now we see...
III. Paul’s Faith
III. Paul’s Faith
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul in faith, looks at his sinful nature and sees...
A. The Problem
A. The Problem
v. 24 says, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
The problem is this flesh…he wants to be free from this fleshly, sinful nature.
He like all of us has come to be frustrated with the inability to overcome evil.
and He wanted to be free!
This is the Apostle Paul, by the way!
One of the greatest Christians who ever lived!
And he says “O wretched man that I am!”
Is there any hope for me?
Yes, the same hope that Paul found...
B. The Partner
B. The Partner
Verse 25, he comes to the right place… “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This is in answer to his question in verse 24, “who shall deliver me from the body of this death.”
Our partner in this life does not leave us alone!
He gives us His Spirit to guide us all along!
In this battle, we take joy and we praise the Lord for the victories that we gain.
Yes I long for the day when we will be completely delivered from this body of death.
But until then we just keep yielding to God!
there are times will win and there are times that we will lose!
I believe that is what Paul is saying here in the rest of verse 25.
“So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God...”
Sometimes he is going to determine to do right…and yield to the Holy Spirit.
“but with the flesh the law of sin.”
I believe he is saying there will be times when I will still fail.
He’s not conceding the battle!
He is just saying, there will be good days and there will be bad days…I’m just going to keep on fighting!
Have you seen yourself in these verses?
I have that is for sure!
It’s encouraging that a seasoned Christian and pastor like Paul struggled all of his life.
We just need to take a good look at our life and see…are we still in the battle?
Are we still striving to yield to the Holy Spirit?
Or have we just given in? God forbid!