13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Romans 7: 13-25 is a meaty passage of Scripture. It's worthy of chewing and pondering, and meditating. In previous verses, the Apostle Paul explained the law's purpose and what it could do (shows us our sin). Now, he shifts our focus onto what the law cannot do.
The law cannot empower you (v. 14).
Paul's problem isn't a lack of desire. He knows what the right thing is to do, but he can't obey. His flesh is weak. I can relate here as I have felt powerless in my flesh lately. Battle, battle, battle has been the work.
It's important to note that Paul does not deny his responsibility as a sinner. He understands that as he sins, he goes against the holy, just, good, and spiritual nature of Christ Jesus. We must all own our sin. While someone else's sin and brokenness may have invoked woundings, corruption, and darkness in your life, your junk is your junk, and it all needs surrendering to Christ.
The law cannot enable you to do good (v. 15-21).
Three times in this passage, Paul mentions how sin dwells in us. When he's talking about sin, he's referring to our old nature. Later, in chapter 8, he will speak of our victory through the Holy Spirit's indwelling power (our new nature), but right now, he's conveying the "war" inside of him. If the law arouses sin, then how can anyone ever do good!? Legalism offers us no help or strength because the law cannot enable us to do right.
The law cannot set you free (v. 21-25).
I thought about paraphrasing this next section, but Warren Wiersbe writes it in a way that spoke to my heart, so I thought I'd share it directly:
The believer has an old nature that wants to keep him in bondage; "I will get free from these old sins!" the Christian says to himself. "I determine here and now that I will not do this any longer." What happens? He exerts all his willpower and energy, and for a time succeeds, but then when he least expects it, he falls again. Why? Because he tried to overcome his old nature with law, and the law cannot deliver us from the old nature. When you move under the law, you are only making the old nature stronger because "the strength of sin is the law" (1 Cor. 15:56). Instead of being a dynamo that gives us power to overcome, the law is a magnet that draws out of us all kinds of sin and corruption. The inward man may delight in the law of God (Ps. 119:35), but the old nature delights in breaking the law of God. No wonder the believer under law becomes tired and discouraged, and eventually gives up! He is a captive, and his condition is "wretched." (The Greek word indicates a person who is exhausted after a battle.) What could be more wretched than exerting all your energy to try to live a good life, only to discover that the best you do is still not good enough!
Still not good enough. Shew. Is there any deliverance?! I'm so thankful it doesn't end at the end of v. 24: Who will deliver me from this body of death?
v. 25: THANKS BE TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
And, that is where we end chapter 7 and will begin chapter 8. Stay tuned as we understand the dynamo power that God provides through Jesus Christ our Lord! Hope is coming! Amen.