ROMANS 7:14-25

Sunday Morning:  Sunday 15, 2006

Text:  Romans 7:14-25  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.  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.  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.  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.

THE LAW IS A GUIDE TO THE CARNAL

Romans 7:14  For we know [perfect active, having seen] that the law is spiritual (moral virtue): but I [nominative case (Paul)] am [present active] carnal, [adjective, nominative case, describing Paul] sold [perfect passive participle, nominative case] under (the control) [the] sin. (lawlessness)

CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH

Romans 8:6-8  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

NOT SPIRITUAL

1 Corinthians 3:1-3  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

BABES NEED MILK

Hebrews 5:12-14  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.  14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

THE STRUGGLE IS GREAT

Romans 7:15  For that which I do [present middle, accomplish] (outwardly) I allow [present active] not (inwardly): for what I would [present active, desire], that do [present active, practice] I not; but what I hate [present active], that do [present active] I.

DESIRE NOT INWARDLY

Romans 7:16  If then I do [present active] (outwardly) that which I would [present active, desire] (inwardly) not [ou, emphatically], I consent unto [present active, agree with] the law (moral) that it is good. (Paul is not lawless)

THE INFLUENCE OF THE SIN

Romans 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do [present middle] it, but [the] sin (lawlessness) that dwelleth [present active participle, as an adjective] in me.

WE ARE POWERLESS

Romans 7:18  For I know [perfect active, have known] that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth [present active] no good thing: for to will [present active, desire] is present [present active] with me; but how to perform [present infinitive] that which is good I find not.

THE STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE

Romans 7:19  For the good that I would [present active, desire] I do [present active] not [ou, emphatic]: but the evil which I would [present active] not, that I do [present active, practice].

LAWLESSNESS, ALWAYS PRESENT

Romans 7:20  Now if I do [present active, practice] that I would [present active, desire] not, it is no more I that do [present middle, accomplish] it, but [the] sin (of lawlessness) that dwelleth [present active, remains] in [en, within] me.

CONFLICT OF GOOD AND EVIL

Romans 7:21  I find [present active] then a [the] law, that, when I would do [present active, practice] good, [the] evil (of lawlessness) is present [present tense] with me.

THE INWARD MAN

Romans 7:22  For I delight [present middle] in the law of [the] God after the inward man:

RENEW THE INWARD

2 Corinthians 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

STRENGTHEN THE INNER MAN

Ephesians 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

THE INFLUENCE OF OUR MEMBERS

Romans 7:23  But I see [present active] another law in my members, warring [present middle] against the law of my mind, (the inward man) and bringing [present active] me into captivity to [en, in] the law of [the] sin (lawlessness) which is in my members.

MORTIFY YOUR MEMBERS

Colossians 3:5  Mortify [imperative] therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

WHO WILL DELIVER ME?

Romans 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body [also translated slave, Rev. 18:13] of this [the] death?

THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DEATH

2 Corinthians 1:9-10  But we had the sentence of [the] death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:  10  Who delivered [aorist active] us from so great a death, and doth deliver [present active]: in whom we trust [perfect active, have had hope] that he will yet deliver [future middle] us;

THE LORD WILL DELIVER US

2 Timothy 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever.

SERVE THE LAW OF GOD

Romans 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve [present active] the law of God; but with the flesh (I serve, present active) the law of sin.

THE CONTINUED WAR

2 Corinthians 10:3-5  For though we walk [present active] in the flesh, we do not war [present active, campaign] after [according to] the flesh:  4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down [present active] of strong holds;)  5  Casting down [present active participle] imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

GOD GIVETH US THE VICTORY

1 Corinthians 15:57-58  But thanks be to God, which giveth [present active participle] us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58  Therefore, my beloved [adjective] brethren [adjective], be [present middle] ye stedfast [adjective, firm], unmoveable [adjective], always abounding [present active participle, adjective] in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour [weariness, fatigue] is not [ou, emphatic] in vain [empty] in the Lord.