Written ~ 07-19-2024
Read Romans Chapter Seven
Romans 7
Before we begin today’s chapter let’s look back to chapter 6, and for just a few moments meditate on verses 6:2-8…
2 Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
We learned from our study of chapter 6 that when Christ died on the cross and rose again from the grave that He broke the chains and penalty of sin and death. When we apply what Christ did for us in the action of water baptism, we essentially die to sin by being immersed in water, then as we rise from that “death” we are then symbolizing that we are alive just as Christ is alive. So, let’s keep these verses in mind as we begin our study in chapter 7.
In chapter 7, Paul talks about the “relationship” we have with the sin in our lives. We need to understand why we struggle with sin. Plus, as Christians, we need to know how to best control that continued desire to dwell in sinful behavior.
In verse one Paul asks the question, “Don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living?”
We know the “audience” Paul is writing to are believers, they have studied the Scriptures, and they would have known the commands given to them by the Lord. So, in this opening question he is drawing their attention to the law and how it affects them today. Paul gives an example of a married woman who is bound to the law of marriage while her husband is still alive. But if he were to die, the laws of that marriage are no longer applicable, and she is free to remarry. In verses 7:4-6 Paul writes, “…this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the One who was raised from the dead…When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires…But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.”
Before God’s law was given (the 10 Commandments can be found in Exodus 20:1-17) people did not know they were sinning. Paul even said in verse 7:7, “…it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known coveting was wrong if the law had not said, ‘You must not covet.’”
We have the entire Bible as our instruction manual, it shows us what is good and what is evil in the sight of the Lord. And yes, God’s expectation is complete obedience, but because He’s knows our human hearts and the depravity it wants to indulge in, that right there, is the reason He sent His Son to die for our sins and give us the gift of Salvation, because He knows we cannot do it on our own.
Romans 7:14-20…
14 “So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.”
When you go about your day, seemingly minding your own business and something catches your attention. Could be anything, could be something completely innocent, but for you maybe it triggers a past behavior, one you hadn’t thought about in quite some time, but you know it is something you should not be pondering, and it winds up throwing your thoughts into a tangent of sinful behaviors. At what point would you allow yourself to turn those thoughts into action? Paul says in verses 7:18-19, “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”
Because of what Christ did for us on that cross and then rising from the dead, and by us receiving and accepting the gift of Salvation we now have power over sin. Our choices can now be made with the power of the Holy Spirit working through us. We may struggle with sinful behaviors, but we do not have to be controlled by them, we are no longer a slave to sin. When Christ takes up residence in our hearts, the master key has changed, what once was controlled by the master of sin and death, has now been upgraded to a Master who has control of Life itself and has complete Power over sin! Hallelujah! That’s awesome news, right?
It is up to you, and it is up to me to decide which power we are going to give into… let’s see what else Paul has to say in this chapter…
Romans 7:21-25…
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
I have said this before and you’ll probably hear me say it again… I LOVE PAUL! He is always open with what is going on within himself, it makes him relatable! Sometimes his words seem to be pulled directly from my own heart.
It’s so true what Paul says, we try so hard to obey God’s Word. But it’s difficult, isn’t it? Sometimes our minds and our hearts want to take on a life of their own and do as they please, completely disregarding the Word of the Lord.
In verse 7:23 Paul says, “…But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind…”
Have you ever caught your mind wandering? Then wonder, “Why in the world was I thinking about that?” That happens to me for sure. Our thoughts can come and go, some just fleeting – but at times we might stop one of those thoughts and think on it for a while. But what if you begin to dwell on one particular thought and it’s not a positive experience… maybe it’s an experience that brought you great pain, maybe it’s something you did during a season of rebellion from your earlier days, maybe it’s a judgment you’ve made against someone else, or maybe you’re replaying some lies the enemy has told you and you’re just sitting there thinking about it.
We don’t mean to dwell on these things, and we certainly don’t want to put these thoughts into action. But just like verse 7:21 says, “I have discovered this principle of life – that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.” It’s a frustrating cycle, isn’t it? Even Paul was annoyed by his sinful nature! Why can’t we just be free of it? Well… we can! And Paul gives us the answer…
Romans 7:25…
“Thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord!”
When we find ourselves thinking about something and our hearts begin to get entangled with the negativity of whatever we’re pondering… we have a choice, as a believer we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can turn from those negative thoughts and turn our thoughts back to the Word of God. It doesn’t mean we won’t have negative or sinful thoughts again, but what it does mean is that we have a place of refuge. When it feels like we can’t escape our sinful nature, we can go to our Father in heaven and ask for His guidance, it is His help that gets us back on track. Our minds are a very powerful thing, easily manipulated. But look at what it says in John chapter 10, Jesus is our Good Shepherd, it is His voice we hear and follow. So, when our minds are waging war within us, it’s the Lord’s voice we recognize as the one we need to follow. Everything else is the thief’s, whose purpose is to steal, kill and destroy.
Think about some of those things in your life right now that are causing you pain, anger, disappointment, anguish… these could be the things that dominate your thoughts. They are the things that maybe keep you up at night, or they could be things that could lead you into sinful actions. Let’s take back some control of these thoughts – thoughts we are at war with. Write them down, and after seeing them written out, ask God to help you control your thoughts in those areas, maybe write a scripture, or a prayer, or even a positive word next to those things and give them to the Lord. This may help extinguish the power those things have over your life.
In verse 7:25 Paul says, “So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” That might sound a little hopeless, but I think Paul is being realistic. We want to serve God with all our hearts, we want our minds to line up with God’s Word, we want our emotions, our desires and our actions to be those that give honor to God. It is certainly my desire to always follow the Word of the Lord. But I think we need to give ourselves a little bit of grace – Paul knows his sinful nature will cause some disturbance now and again, so we too, will struggle with certain things from time to time. The trick is not to let it control us. One of the most important things we can learn is to control our thoughts, the more negativity and sinful thoughts go through your mind, the more they will play out in your day to day. Just keep in mind that Jesus Christ has given us freedom over sin and death, so let’s not dwell on our sinful nature and slavery to it, instead let’s keep our minds on Christ.
Even though our chapter ends here for today, chapter 8 will continue to answer the questions that maybe chapter 7 left unanswered.
But let me leave you with this…
Jesus Christ will always be the answer… no matter what you may struggle with… He is the One who makes things right.
~AMEN~