Romans 7:15-25
15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good that I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. 20Now 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.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God –through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Intro Illustration:
Today, I want to give thanks to God for the people who make road signs and put them up. Where would we be without them? Road signs are beautiful things.
I heard that during WWII that a lot of road signs were taken down so that the Germans would get lost if they invaded. The problem was that a lot of English people got lost in the meantime. Road signs are great. They show you where to go. Road signs can also be a bit annoying, especially if you are a man. My dad was a classic case – we would be heading somewhere and someone in the car would suggest stopping to ask the way… no, no, no, I know the way… and then 5 miles later there would be a signpost, cheekily standing there telling us we were heading in completely the wrong direction. It would’ve been great if this clever signpost, that knew the way so much better than we did, had actually got into the car and driven us there, rather than just pointing while we went the other way. But signposts don’t do that; they have no power, they just point.
Recap.
The story so far in Romans is that Paul has been explaining that ‘The Law of Moses’ never helped Jews become right with God. A relationship with God has never been about works, but about faith (eg. Abraham). Faith in God to do the business - Jesus’ death reversing the sin of Adam. You see, Paul says, being married to ‘the Law of Moses’ just leads to death. But being married to the Spirit, through Christ, brings life and peace, a right relationship with God.
Suddenly a cornerstone of the Jewish faith has been ripped apart by Paul. Being married to ‘the Law’ does not lead to righteousness, but to death! Arrgghh! But just before Paul’s hearers throw their Scriptures (our Old Testament) in the bin; Paul calls them to a halt… don’t be so hasty, let’s look at what we’re saying…
POSITION (POINTING)
Paul, sits us down with the Jewish and Gentile Christians to show us what the function of the Law of Moses is.
Paul basically says that the Law of Moses is like a signpost. The Law is a signpost pointing to a relationship with God and life. If you want to know the way to life and a relationship with God, this is the pathway. This is the road. Go this way.
But as soon as this signpost is put up, it’s like a big spotlight has come along to shine on sin. The signpost is there clear as day showing up sin, highlighting sin for what it is, total disobedience to God. The Law is a signpost and it shows that the people of God are all heading the wrong way.
With this signpost up, the people of Israel come to experience sin for what it really is. Woah, we are disobeying God!
Just for example, Paul takes the command, “Do not covet!” which is number…?… of the commandments? Paul takes number 10, representing all of them.
“For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.’…”(v.7)
Signpost: Do not covet… spotlight on those coveting!
So the Law points out our position, it highlights sin.
Not only that, but Sin uses this as a golden opportunity. “But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire.”(v.8)
The Law points out our position and sin takes the opportunity. Sin, comes along and says, well Chris, you know coveting is wanting things that aren’t yours, and look over there, don’t you want that car for yourself, aren’t you envious, you deserve that, wouldn’t it be great if you earned as much money as Bill Gates…
Paul says, “I know, I experience, that these thoughts are against God, because this signpost points and points. It’s as if died under its pointing, and it’s as if sin has sprung to life, sin seems more powerful as it seizes the opportunity the signpost of the law has given it.”
It’s as if Sin is using the Law to produce more sin and death. Sin stands by our big road sign and says, you’re much better off going the other way, it’s more fun.
So Sin used the Law of Moses to bring death in, because Jews may honour the Law, but they cannot obey it.
Who is the “I”?
I want to take a quick break here and ask the question, who is the “I” in these verses? The “I” is not the central part of this, it’s “the Law” that’s central. The flow of the argument is what is going on with this law business. But who is this “I”?
A lot of people say, “Well, it’s Paul and Paul is a Christian, so I can apply these verses to myself”: “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…”
This seems fair enough, doesn’t it, but if we read this whole section we read not about a struggle, but about defeat and slavery, it’s beyond struggling! Does Paul see the Christian life as a life of defeat and slavery to sin; is that the good news that we share?
“I” is sold under sin (v.14), whereas every believer is set free from sin (6:18,22)
“I “ is imprisoned by the law [or power] of sin (v.23), whereas the believer has been set free from the law of sin and death (8:2)
No, Paul is not speaking from his Christian experience. Paul is looking back at the experience of Jews like himself living under the Law of Moses.
Sin has used the law to bring death
Jews honour the Law but cannot obey it.
The Law didn’t bring death, sin brought death.
NO POWER
So we have this picture of the Law pointing the way to a relationship with God, and God’s chosen people going completely the wrong way. Not only that but Sin is using the signpost as an opportunity to get God’s chosen people thinking about lots of covetous things.
If that wasn’t bad enough. Sin has them as his slaves. Chained up. Slaves.
Now what would be great is if the signpost had driven me and my family the right direction. And here it would have been great if the Law could have broken the control of sin over the flesh and carried us down the road to life with God. But signposts don’t do that. They have no power, they just point.
Paul says, as one under the Law, as a Jew, I see the signpost and with my mind I want to follow it, but I am a slave to sin, my flesh is weak and sin has control. My mind might want to, but my body can’t do it.
What I really need is something to give me the power to live for God.
You see, religion is so difficult. Following rules is hard. My flesh is weak. I am a slave to sin. My mind wants to, but my body can’t. How frustrating is that? Not only frustrating but ultimately condemning.
So the law is good, but it doesn’t save (it condemns).
Yeah, the law is good, we can agree with the Psalmist, “all your commands are righteous.” But the law doesn’t rescue us, it doesn’t save; it is powerless, it just points and so condemns us.
15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good that I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. 20Now 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.
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
How frustrating! How depressing!
“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me…?” [v.24]
3. Who will rescue me from this body of death? (v.24)
This is the reason the Law was given, so that God’s chosen people would look to Him for rescue.
I can’t do it, who will rescue me?
And now we have the gospel, the good news in one verse… verse 25 says, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
What release for the captive! What amazing good news. Jesus died and we can be united with him in his death so that we are released from the Law and released from the Sin that bound us. Then we have resurrection to the life of the Spirit.
[7:6] “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”
God the Holy Spirit has got into the car and is driving us God’s way… which is good news, because He’s got to be a better driver than me!
Paul does not here talk about the struggle of being a Christian. This does not mean that being a Christian is struggle-free. We all know that we trip up in our walk with the Lord. But is our struggle one of total helplessness, like here, slaves to sin?
It shouldn’t be.
But for those who are going through a really difficult time at the moment… my message is not one of easy victory, or a pain-free life. I would not belittle the suffering of thousands of Christians down the years by suggesting that a walk with God is easy. But a difficult walk with God is better than a difficult walk by yourself. For the walk on your own leads to frustration and condemnation, but the walk with God while difficult has two bonuses. One, God will be with you and will fill you with his strength, and two, God has promised a future that will blow the events of this life out of the water.
Now for others, if you think you’re good enough to get to heaven… you need to loose that attitude, you’re not. If you are relying on rules and regulations, doing good, or trying to do the right thing, that way leads to frustration and condemnation (slavery).
The good news is, Jesus took the condemnation, he took it all for you, and you can accept Jesus into your life today, trusting him to rescue you, and not trusting yourself.
As Christians we need to be reminded of our past.
Before we came to know Jesus, there was no way we could please God, we were the walking dead, a frustrating position to be in… so lets praise God for his rescue.
Let’s also be warned here, that all Law fails to deliver us from the power of sin. Any Law just points and has no power. We don’t need more rules and regulations to make us more holy, that path just leads to frustration and condemnation. We need to rely more on Jesus, for he will provide the POWER to live for him. His grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9).
