We must remember that we must not judge the meaning of the Word of God by what our lives are, but we must judge our lives by what the Word of God says.
The 7th chapter of Romans is probably one of the most controversial, and I think one of the most misunderstood, chapters in the Bible.
Romans 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
First let us look at 'for we know the law is spiritual.' Paul wrote...
Rom.7:12 - Wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good...
It was holy commandments given by holy God.
It was not the law that was the downfall, it was the flesh... the sinful nature inherent in man.
Paul said of the law...
Hebrews 10:1 - For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offer year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Hebrews 7:19 - For the law made nothing perfect, BUT THE BRINGING IN OF A BETTER HOPE DID; BY THE WHICH WE DRAW NIGH UNTO GOD.
Romans 8:3 - For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH:
And it was that weakness of the flesh - the nature of unregenerated man that Paul was talking about when he went on to say... But I am carnal, sold under sin.
The apostle here is demonstrating the insufficiency of the law in opposition to the gospel.
That by the former is the knowledge of sin; by the latter, the cure of sin.
He cannot mean that he is a regenerated man of God- a Christian is subject to sin.... but we all were under the bondage of sin BEFORE being made new creatures.
IF THE CONTRARY COULD BE PROVED, THE ARGUMENT OF PAUL WOULD GO TO DEMONSTRATE THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE GOSPEL AS WELL AS THE LAW.
That would annul what he wrote in 2Corinthians 3 about the glory of the gospel outshining the glory of the law.
Adam Clarke says...
It is difficult to conceive how the opinion could have crept into the church, or prevailed there, that the apostle speaks of his regenerate state; or the regenerate state of any born again believer.
This opinion has, most pitifully and most shamefully, not only lowered the standard of Christianity, but destroyed its influence and disgraced its character.
It requires but little knowledge of the spirit of the gospel, and of the scope of this letter, to see that the apostle is here either personifying a Jew under the law and with the gospel, or showing what his own state was before knowing Christ as his savior.
This we can prove by a myriad of other scriptures. And it has beens said that the scripture is the best interpreter of scripture.
In this and the following verses Paul states the contrareity between an unregenerate and the law.
Of the law he says- it is spiritual.
Of the unregenerate- they are carnal, sold under sin.
It is carnal man in opposition to spiritual law.
Paul refers to the man he describes as 'sold under sin'. This is spoken of the man without Christ.
Being sold under sin is a strong statement. It means total bondage. Without the ability to liberate oneself because he possesses nothing with which to do so, and as a total slave, he has no hope of gaining anything with which to liberate himself. Everything he possesses or could hope to possess is really the property of his master and he has no power over it.
The soul of such a man has no authority over the appetites of the body and the lusts of the flesh.
Reason does not have the government of passion.
He minds the things of the flesh; he is at enmity with God.
In all these things, the spiritual man is the reverse; he lives in a state of friendship with God in Christ, and the Spirit of God dwells in him; his soul has dominion over the appetites of the body and the lusts of the flesh; his passions submit to the government of reason, and he BY THE SPIRIT mortifies the deeds of the flesh.
It cannot be said of the spiritual man that he is sold under sin. Scripture is plain about that...
John 8:36 - If the Son therfore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. [He has been redeemed from the state of being sold under sin].
Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spritit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
You cannot reconcile being sold under sin with Romans 6:14 - For SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Beginning in the middle of the third chapter through chapter 8, Paul began to preach 'graces verses the law'...that the law could not justify man, nor give him the power to live righteously. But that the grace of God [brought to man through Jesus Christ] delivered men from the dominion of sin to live righteously.
Rom 7:15-21
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.
This is a very exact description of people who believe there is God, that the Bible is his word, and yet are unregenerated.
It is possible for a man to be aware of the righteousness of God - to believe God's way to be altogether good, yet remain unregenerated.
He may see sin for what it is and wish himself to be holy and pure - but not yield himself unto God and his righteousness.
I personally know some people in that very condition.
They know they are not living the life of the saved. They want to, but at the same time, they are under the bondage of sin and have no power to.
They continue in sin, wishing they wouldn't, but doing so anyway, because they will not give themselves over to Christ and allow the 'old man to be crucified'.
Felix trembled at the gospel of Christ as Paul preached it to him, but he never yielded himself to obey the gospel.
King Agrippa also recognized the truth of the gospel, but would not come under the influence of it.
Acts 26:28
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Matthew Henry said...
"It is possible for a man to go to hell with his eyes open"
Some of the scriptures we will bring out to combat the idea of a Christian remaining in sin....
Rom 6:11-23
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Colossians 3:5,9-10, 25
[5] ...Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.....
[9] seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
[10] and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.
[25] But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
1Cor. 9:27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
2Tim. 2:19
...Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
And Peter exhorts us to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul..
Finally...
Rom 8:1-13
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 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.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Spirituality and carnality are at enmity with each other. They cannot be combined in one vessel.
Matt 7:17-18
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Rom 8:7
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Paul said the answer to overcoming the problem was through Jesus Christ.
That is by salvation; by the new birth experience; by the receiving of the new nature. What does the Bible say....
Eph 4:24
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
2 Pet 1:4
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Without that, there is absolutely no hope of being an overcomer of the flesh.
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In the remainder of our lesson, we will talk about how to overcome the flesh...
GALATIANS 5:16-25
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
In that first verse 'walk in the Spirit', walk means to live, to be occupied with, follow, tread all around, etc...
If we occupy ourselves with the things of the Spirit, then we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
(from Adam Clarke Commentary)
If the Spirit of God dwell in and rule your heart, the whole carnal mind will be destroyed; and then, not only carnal ordinances will be abandoned, but also the works and propensities of the flesh.
Jesus said of the Father....
John 14:16-17
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
The eternal purpose of the Holy Ghost is to bring us home to Jesus Christ as his eternal spotless bride.
[We know that he guides us to be witnesses for Christ and spread the gospel] But he also has a work within us... leading us into all truth...
helping us walk holy before God...
The Holy Spirit has come to dwell in you and me to seal, sanctify, empower, and prepare us.
Abraham's servant - Eliezer- which means 'mighty, divine helper- is a type of the Holy Spirit. He went to get a bride for Isaac [ a type of Christ] and he returned with her. So also, the Holy Ghost will bring the bride to Christ. Without him, she couldn't find her way to Him. But the Holy Ghost leads her in the paths of righteousness...
I think about that trip home for Rebecca and Eliezer. I imagine she didn't just keep to herself. I imagine that she would ride up beside Eliezer and say to him, ''Tell me about my husband, what is he like?"
And he would begin to tell her about the one who was to be her husband. He was good looking. He was kind and considerate. He was a powerful man, being the son of one of the richest most powerful men.
He gave her such insights of this man, that when she saw him walking in the field and asked Eliezer who he was, that she hopped down off her camel to meet him.
That's what the Holy Ghost is doing for those who walk in the Spirit. He is telling them about the one to whom they are betrothed. Jesus said...
John 16:13-14
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
John 15:26
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Whenever we receive anything spiritual, it is the Holy Ghost saying - 'This is His, and I am showing it to you.'
He is giving us a glimpse of what is to come, being the earnest of our inheritance. And so great is it to our souls, that we are anxious to meet our beloved, as Rebecca was hers.
But these things happen as we walk in the Spirit.
The Holy Ghost points our eyes heavenward to things eternal...
Col 1:5
5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
The Holy Spirit is maifesting Jesus to the church so that we will fall in love with him - and that love will keep us.
The Bible lets us know that if we walk in His Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. WHY?????
Because the Spirit is enamoring our hearts to Christ. He is opening Him up to us, showing us the beauty of His Holiness.
I wonder if that was what Jesus was talking about when he told the church at Epheses that they had lost their first love. Was it the love that makes Christ mean more to us than anything else in this life?
[food for thought]
The Holy Spirit does not come to entertain - to provide signs and wonders and miracles just to thrill us or make us feel good.
No. Everyone of His workings has this divine purpose - He is preparing a bride.
Whenever even a gift of the Spirit is manifested, it should cause us to look to Jesus with our praise. It is the Spirit revealing our Lord to us.
The Holy Ghost is weaning us from this world.
He is creating in us a longing for our Lord's call.
He is convicting of everything that would blemish.
He is adorning us with a passionate desire to be with Christ as His Bride.
He must grieve as he beholds so many ministers today turning his ministry into fleshy showmanship - all done in his name, but not for the glory of Christ. There are a myriad of gimmicks today that are geared toward trying to create a sense of his presence.
But in every healing, prophesy, and manifestation of Gods's glory in his house, the Holy Spirit is at work -saying to us- This is the love of Jesus; this is what he is like. Isn't he wonderful? Isn't he gentle and kind? Isn't he compassionate and merciful? And this is just a glimpse of Him.
He is helping us to set our affections on things above, and not on the things of this earth- but that comes with walking in the Spirit.
Did you know that the Spirit delights in rolling back the curtains of heaven to give us a foretaste of our Lords glory? But it is not rolled back for unclean hands and impure hearts.
Ps 24:3-6
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him....
We desire to be...
Eph 1:3
blessed... with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 2:6
[to] sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
But that is a place reserved for those that call on him out of a pure heart.
The Word says...
Eph 1:18
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
We [with all those who desire the depths of Christ] need to let the eyes of our understanding be enlightened.
The Holy Spirit comes to the church that wants Him and is praying...
to shepherds of churches who are broken before Him... to believers whose concern is to be conformed to the image of Christ.
The end of this lesson must be geared toward the subject of our lesson.
We quote from
Galatians 5:24-25
And they that are Christ's have curcified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Today the Holy Spirit is poking at the dying embers of the love of many. He is trying to stir them up to a holy zeal and desire for Christ. So that they will cry out - O God! give me the desire of my heart - my Lord Jesus.
Let us ask ourselves this question. Am I walking in the Spirit, or am I fulfilling the lusts of the flesh.
