(Romans 7.14-25) Mind and Body: The Christian Battlefield.

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Nathan Sehi

Bethel Baptist Church

Romans • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago • Presented 5 years ago • 32:53

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The Jew in Paul’s day would have really struggled with the Law condemning them. But Paul clarifies that the problem is not the Law, but our sin nature. Theologically this passage points us to the true source of transformation and change. It is not found in rule keeping, whether human or divine, but by the Gospel alone. Only the Gospel is capable of allowing us to change.

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INTRODUCTION:

In August 1945,

74 years ago,

the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Japan.

The nuclear weapon introduced a new kind of warfare.

Even the primitive World War II bombs killed 120,000 people.

Today a single nuclear bomb has the capability of killing millions

and combined with our nuclear deterrence literally can annihilate the world.

Could humanity create a greater weapon than the nuclear bomb?

Maybe, Maybe Not - in destructive terms,

but in power and strength the answer is yes.

There is a weapon to be feared more then the power of the Atom Bomb.

What could be a greater weapon than a bomb that could annihilate the world?

Consider,

A weapon who instead of destroying everyone and everything,

could turn your enemies into your allies.

A device so capable of deception … that your enemies don’t even know they are being deceived.

Now, a weapon like that would make the power of a nuclear bomb look weak.

It is one thing to threaten to make a mess of everything through a bomb, “Mutually assured destruction”

and it's another thing to make everybody your slave.

Every country in the world be Pawning for a weapon like that.

>>>>>>>>>>I am not talking about Science Fiction this morning. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

May I suggest, that weapon already exists and is already been used.

May I suggest, that weapon already exists

that weapon already exists

and has already been used by Satan when he tempted Eve in the garden.

It is manipulating and deceiving us everyday.

It devours us like a lion… seeking who it can eat.

and It’s warfare is the worse kind because it corrupts your mind.

And That weapon is sin -

Each of us are engaged in a warfare

We stand here as enemy agents to God, not because sin is good to us…but because it makes us it’s slave.

Romans 5:12 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Romans 5:19 ESV

19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

And we stood as enemy agents to God,

hating God,

not because sin is good to us…but because sin made us it’s slave.

Romans 6:17–18 ESV

17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:2 ESV

2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Everyday, Every morning we wake up to a battle over our mind and our bodies.

Romans

Even as Christians - we ought to recognize the battle that goes on between our heart for God and our bodies for sin.

Sin is by the far most powerful weapon that has ever been used,

because it

[[[Paul makes a settle transition in v. 14,

> changing from past tense to present tense.

> and begins to describe the struggle a believer has with sin. ]]]]

Observe the Warfare that Paul describes happening in our lives.

Romans 7:14–25 ESV

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 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 I serve the law of sin.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our passage teaches us -

Sin is a powerful weapon who fights over the control of our mind and bodies.

And This passage will give us 3 ways we know that good works cannot possibly win our battle.

This passage will give us 4 ways we know that we are in a battle with sin.

ILLUSTRATION:

A mark of Christian maturity,

is when someone realizes that the same way they got saved is the same way they ought to live in Christ.

I was just relating with somebody yesterday,

We were sitting down for a meeting

And we were talking about what should be included in good Christian education.

>And this lady related to us how she who grew up in a church whose was very focused on outward external works.

> Rather then a true heart for God.

In other words, if I just check the boxes off - that is what makes you spiritual.

Have you been in a church like that?

Perhaps you struggled with that same problem?

But a mature believer in Christ realizes that

just like my justification is by Christ alone.

My sanctification is by Christ alone.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Paul addresses here in this section what it's like to be a believer who tries to keep the law without Christ. <<<<<<<<<<<<

He's not asking the question,

can the law save me?

Romans 3:21 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

Romans 3:20 ESV

20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

He is instead asking the question,

Can good works sanctify me?

Can rules make me the disciple Jesus meant me to be?

And I hope you're not duped into thinking that we don't struggle with this

First I point you back to last week's sermon

– where I pointed out a few areas where we try to make rules do what only grace can do

But most importantly,

if you think you don't struggle with this then you are better than the apostle Paul.

Paul uses his own personal experience here to illustrate what we all struggle with.

A battlefield of our mind and body.

Afterall,

Romans 7:14 ESV

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.

Paul will give us 3 examples of how we know Good work’s can’t sanctify us.

The first way we know that good works can’t sanctify us is because

The first way we know we are in a battle - is because of

1) We fail in trying to do what is Good. ()

Have you ever felt like you were a walking contradiction.

As Vince likes to say,

it is like Microsoft works.

It claims it works, but so often fails to work.

You want to be a faithful Christian who loves Christ,

but more often than you want to admit you find yourself doing what you know God hates.

Because our conscience struggles with doing what the Law requires.

Transition ILLUSTRATION:

Well you are not alone.

Paul himself said, "for I do not understand my own actions."

Fight with your conscience.

Romans 7:15–17 ESV

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Romans 7:14–16 ESV

Romans 7:15–16 ESV

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.

Paul describes himself wanting to do what is right.

What does Paul want to do in the passage?

He wants to do what the Law requires.

But then before he knows it, he finds himself doing what he hates.

What does Paul hate?

Breaking God’s Law.

When Paul evaluated his own life,

he felt like a walking contradiction.

But what is the problem?

Is it that he doesn't know the law? We Would we have to say, he's a well-trained Pharisee.

Is it that the law is not the right thing to do?

But he has already said -

Romans 7:12 ESV

12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

So what is the problem?

gives us the conclusion.

Paul was a wal

Romans 7:17 ESV

17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

The problem with good works signifying us is that when we go to do what is Good (the law),

our sin nature causes us to do what we hate.

Our sin nature causes us to fail to do the good works we know we should do.

The 2nd reason we know that Good Works can’t sanctify us is because -

He doesn’t understand himself.

Have you ever felt like you couldn’t understand your choices.

2) We fail in following our passion for what is right. ()

We so often point to ,

" for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" as a proof text that we are all sinners.

>>> And it is a passage whose context makes the point we are sinners.

But even as Christians, we need to realize we are still sinners with a sin nature.

Consider what Paul says in verse 18.

Romans 7:18 ESV

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

We may have a new heart because of Jesus Christ,

but our flesh still has nothing good in it.

>>>>>>>>Until Christ returns and glorifies us we will always have sin in our flesh.

Until Christ returns and glorifies us we will always have sin in our flesh.

What prevents us from the ability to carry it out.

How does Paul know that he has nothing good inside his flesh?

Romans 7:18–20 ESV

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Romans 7:18–21 ESV

Romans 7:17–20 ESV

17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Rom 7:17:20

Because he fails to do the passion he has for what's right.

ILLUSTRATION:

So often when we are the ones being wrong we are quick to say,

"that is not fair".

We certainly hear children say that, but I'll be honest I've heard grown adults say that.

Remember sitting there is a young sailor in a meeting with my commanding officer.

And I was appalled when he turned and said, that's not fair.

I couldn't help but laugh, because a captain in the Navy just said something wasn't fair.

Did he forget he was at the needs of the Navy, >>>>>>>>>>>not the needs of the captain.

Did he forget he was at the needs of the Navy, not the needs of the captain.

What is more remarkable though – is that we are so quick to have a passion for what's right when it's in our favor;

but we have to admit it's hard when it's not.

ILLUSTRATION:

For example, we all know that God's word says, thou shall not lie.

One of our own here struggled with the decision she had to make.

She knew that one of her fellow employees had lied,

and for a moment she had to struggle with whether she was going to do what was right or not

What that struggle shows is a second nature that battles inside us.

And to the praise of our Savior, that person made the right choice.

But Paul's point is that many times we know what's right, but we choose to do what is wrong.

We have a passionate desire to do what is right…

But instead we choose to do what is wrong.

Paul again brings us to a conclusion in v. 20.

Romans 7:20 ESV

20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Why can't good work sanctify us?

Because I fail to do what I passionately would proclaim is right.

And third reason we know Good works can’t sanctify us? is because

3) We fail in following the Law as believers. ()

Paul makes an opening point here -

Romans 7:21 ESV

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

The word law here is more the idea of principle than the legal Mosaic law.

He makes the point,

that in general he finds than when he wants to do right .... his sin is right there tempting him.

Have you ever felt like that?

>>>>>>>>>Then take a deep breath, because you're not alone.

Even the apostle Paul felt that way.

ANALOGY:

He felt like sin was beating at the door every time he was looking to do what was right

How so?

And he gives us a third example here.

Romans 7:22–23 ESV

22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Like any truly saved Christian, Paul delights in God's word.

The Word is the delight of his life.

He studies it regularly, it's what he points to when people need help.

He wrote - the classic verse for the sufficiency of God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

If you had Paul's devotions, you would have some serious delight in God's Word.

But does his delight translate into keeping God's word?

The answer is, no way.

And perhaps you ask -

Why not?

Roms 7:23

Romans 7:23 ESV

23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Although he knows God's word,

there is a another law that is battling out for his mind and his body.

It is hard to get away from the battlefield terminology in this passage.

My body (or members) waging war against the law of my mind.

Though in my heart I delight in God's word my body is fighting me for control.

In fact, too often it takes us captives, prisoners of the desires of our flesh.

Paul’s Conclusion -

So not even our best efforts at keeping God's law sanctifies us..... because our sin nature fights within us.

So not even our best efforts at keeping God's law.... sanctify us.

CONCLUSION:

So you decide?

Therefore,

Can good works sanctify us?

Our Best efforts at doing what is good fails.

Our best efforts at doing what we passionately say is right … fails.

Our best efforts in delighting in God’s Word .... fail.

- May I say, we are in a war in which we are outclassed and outgunned.

- Sin is so slippery and deceptive that it is taking control of our mind and our bodies.

Sin is so slippery and deceptive that it is taking control of our mind and our bodies.

And there is no hope for you on your own.

You by yourself will never win the battle of your mind and body…

So you might as well give up trying to become holy by doing good works.

ILLUSTRATION:

I can remember at different times every one of my children coming to a point of hopelessness.

Once I remember,

One of them looking up with tears coming down their eyes,

And they are in trouble for the same sin for the 5th time.

And they look up ... and say - Daddy, I can't do it, I just can't do it ... I tried.

And you are absolutely right … you can’t do it.

Perhaps, you are at that point today...or you know someone who is at that point.

I have tried, and tried… But I just can't do it.

I must be a terrible person… Because I just can't do what's right.

I think Paul felt that way at times in his life.

There are times in his life where God had brought him to a point where he said I can't win this battle.

My body is possessed my mind is corrupted… I'm in a losing fight.

I think that because of verse 24 and 25.

Romans 7:24–25 ESV

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 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 I serve the law of sin.

Doing good works cannot say,

nor can it sanctify us.

You can try as hard as you want in your own strength… And every time you will fine you fail.

The battle over temptation has already been one for you when you fighting with your own strength.

Which is why need the ultimate strategic weapon – our Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory over the battle in our mind and body is found in Christ

Jesus is Lord because he is the ruler of the world,

the creator and sustainer of it all.

He is the almighty

And in particular, he is our Lord in this case, because he's the only one who has the power to conquer our sin nature.

Look to Christ alone for Victory over the battle in our mind and body.

When you try and try and you try… I want you to stop trying and I want you to look to Jesus.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead >>> he gave you all that you needed to live a victorious Christian life.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dad he gave you all that you needed to live a victorious Christian life.

If you're Christian today, I don't want you'd be surprised when you struggle with sin.

>>>> I want you to anticipate that you will have to battle for control of your mind and body - until Jesus returns.

>>>> If you can’t find a battle over sin in your life … then you probably are not trying to live the new life Christ bought for you.

Everyone of us sin … and everyone of us have a battle to fight.

Battle for control of your mind and body.

But I also want you to go into the fight with

a weapon that really matters…

a hope that really set you free

.... Your Lord Jesus Christ.

May we Look to Christ alone for Victory over the battle in our mind and body.

Romans 7:21–23 ESV

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Romans 7:24

You have two natures.

Two Lords fighting over who will be king of my mind and king of my body.

CONCLUSION:

So what do we do?

Two lords lording over

Find Victory in Christ.

4. The Most Powerful Defense: Christ Our Lord. ()

This includes

a) We recognize the Christian life includes a battle over our mind and body.

PROP: Victory over sin is found in Christ Alone.

b. Our battlefield commission: Use our Sure defense to fight our sin nature.

b) We by ourselves will fail.

We will be defeated.

Romans 7:14 ESV

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.

Romans 7:25 ESV

25 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 I serve the law of sin.

c) But Christ is the Strategic weapon that changes the entire war.

PROP: Victory over sin is found in Christ Alone.

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