31. Romans Chapter 7 Verses 15-25 - Messages In Romans – Gentiles Are Not Part Of Chapter 7 – Not The Battle Of The Two Natures - Message 31 Part 3 Of 3 Series

31. Romans Chapter 7 Verses 15-25 - Messages In Romans – GENTILES ARE NOT PART OF CHAPTER 7 – NOT THE BATTLE OF THE TWO NATURES - Message 31 Part 3 of 3

ROMANS CHAPTER 7 EXPOSITION – PART 3

It is most unfortunate that these three messages had to be broken into three Parts because it disrupts the flow, but not to do that would give one message of over 8 000 words. Let us continue straight on from last message -

(c). FOLLOWING THE PATH OF SIN

{{Romans 7:15 “That which I am doing, I do not understand, for I AM NOT PRACTISING WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, BUT I AM DOING THE VERY THING I HATE,”}}

What sort of Christian witness is this for those who hold to the Christian being in this section? No Christian living for the Lord could ever say that. It is foreign to Christian doctrine.

The man here wants to do what is right, what is outlined in the Law, but he does not understand why he is doing wrong things. He wants to do what is right, but is not able. He wants to practise the Law’s commands, BUT keeps doing the things he hates. He can’t help it. It is out of his control.

Wake up those who want to insert the Christian’s fight against sin into this verse. Consider the context – that is about the Law!

That is the position of one who wants to reach the perfection of righteousness but can’t get there because inherent sin in his person destroys any attempt, and brings him into defeat. No one could ever keep the Law in its perfection except the Lord Jesus Christ, and in doing so, He established the Law in righteousness.

(d). THE LAW IS ACKNOWLEDGED AS GOOD

{{Romans 7:16 “but if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing THAT IT IS GOOD,”}}

What this man wants to do, those things he knows are right and spiritual, he just can not do. He is practising the opposite. He is determined to do the right things but keeps doing the wrong things. This is showing a person who does not have the power of God in his life as a Christian does. There is no way a Christian would ever be saying these things. It amazes me that for all these centuries the wrong interpretation has become the norm.

In the end the man must confess that the Law is good but he is bad. He has to agree with the Law. REMEMBER, that is a Jewish man under the Law, because the Law was never applicable to Gentiles. The problem is not in the Law he is trying to keep, but in himself. A man who is fully dominated by his sinful nature (not having the new Christ nature in the case of a Christian) will never rise above his sin. That is what this passage is portraying.

(e). I CAN ONLY RESIGN IN DEFEAT TO THE SIN IN ME

{{Romans 7:17 “so now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me.”}}

This is a hopeless situation to be in, and yet again, proof that this CAN NOT be a Christian. He gives way to the mastery of sin because he has no resources to assist him as we have the Holy Spirit. In the end he acknowledges that it is sin that rules his life. It is the sin nature that has control. The man trying to keep the Law as a Jew did, had no other nature than the sinful one. He keeps giving way to sin.

Of course we look at the prophets and leaders of Israel, and David in the Psalms, we see great victory and joy even under the Law. That is because their sins were covered by the sacrifices and they knew they were right with God. Without God’s provision though, they would have been sold into sin and defeat.

This man in our verses did not know victory until verse 25, which is a CONVERSION verse.

(f). THE BOTTOM LINE – WHAT I TRULY AM!

{{Romans 7:18 “I know that NOTHING GOOD DWELLS IN ME, that is, in my flesh, for the wishing is present in me, but THE DOING OF THE GOOD IS NOT,”}}

The conclusion is – [(1)]. There is nothing good in me. [(2)]. I wish to do the right things. [(3)]. I can not do what is good. That is a defeat, defeated by the old nature.

The statement, “I know that nothing good dwells in me,” can not be Christian in any shape or form, because dwelling in every believer is the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s presence also. Additionally, we have the new nature because Christians are new creations in Christ Jesus.