Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
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.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 7 delves into a complex and often misunderstood aspect of the Christian life: the ongoing struggle between our desire to do good and our tendency to succumb to sin. Building upon the foundation laid in Romans 6, where Paul established that believers have died to sin, this chapter explores the relationship between the law, sin, and the believer's experience. It's a deeply personal and relatable passage, offering both a stark assessment of our human condition and a powerful message of hope through Jesus Christ. Understanding Romans 7 is crucial for grasping the full scope of God's grace and the transformative power of the Gospel.
Released from the Law, United with Christ (Romans 7:1-6)
Paul begins by illustrating our freedom from the law using the analogy of marriage. Just as a woman is released from her marriage obligations upon her husband's death, so too are we, through our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, released from the law's condemnation. The law was like our "husband," and through the body of Christ, that relationship is dead (Romans 7:4). This freedom isn't a license to sin, but rather the opportunity to enter into a new relationship with God, serving Him in "the new way of the Spirit" (Romans 7:6). We are now free to enjoy a new union with Christ. This new relationship is not based on external rules, but on the internal transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit.
The Law's Purpose: Revealing Sin (Romans 7:7-13)
Paul anticipates a potential misunderstanding: Does freedom from the law mean the law itself is sinful? Absolutely not! The law is not the problem; rather, it serves as a mirror, revealing our sinfulness. "I would not have known what sin was had the law not said, 'You shall not covet'" (Romans 7:7). The law, then, is also like a speed limit sign that reads, “Speed Limit 55." Without the sign, our “sin” is not revealed, and we’re without excuse.
The law exposes our inherent inability to perfectly obey God's commands. Ironically, the very act of forbidding something can ignite our desire for it. As sinful human beings, merely knowing that covetousness was a sin made Paul want to covet! This highlights the insidious nature of sin, which twists even good things (like the law) for its own purposes. The law is holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), but sin always seizes an opportunity through the commandment to produce more sin (Romans 7:8). The main issue here isn’t the law at all, but sin. The power of indwelling sin, even for believers, is so strong that it can take what is good and twist it to become sinful beyond measure (Romans 7:13). Sin keeps us locked in a struggle.
The Inner Conflict: A Battleground Within (Romans 7:14-25)
This section is perhaps the most relatable part of Romans 7. Paul describes the agonizing struggle of wanting to do good but finding himself doing evil instead. "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" (Romans 7:19).
Bible scholars debate whether Paul is describing his pre-conversion experience or the ongoing struggle of a believer. Regardless, the truth remains: even after accepting Christ, we still grapple with the powerful influence of our sinful nature. It’s encouraging for us as believers to know that Paul suffered from the same struggles we do. We all have had candid moments in which we stepped back and said, “What’s wrong with me?” There is a war within us, and like Paul, we often say, “I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate" (Romans 7:15). The closer you get to God, the more sensitive you are about your own moral failure. Show me a Christian who does not feel the pain of his sin, and I’ll show you someone who isn’t close to God.
Paul struggles because he is still in the flesh, and nothing good lives in him (Romans 7:18). Even though our old self was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6), the flesh was not. There is now a distinction between who you are and where you live. You are totally redeemed, totally sanctified, totally brand new in Christ, but you live in a body contaminated by flesh. Thus, when we as Christians sin, we are no longer the ones doing it: it is the sin that lives in [us] (Romans 7:20). In saying this, Paul is not excusing our sin. He is reminding us that our true identity is no longer found in our actions, even if we keep sinning.
This awareness leads to a cry of desperation: "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). Paul recognizes what many Christians miss—that he is helpless to resolve his own problem. Until he finally lifted his eyes to the only one who could rescue him, his situation was hopeless.
Deliverance Through Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25)
The chapter culminates in a powerful expression of gratitude: "Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25). This is not just a statement of intellectual assent, but a heartfelt acknowledgment that deliverance from the power of sin comes only through faith in Christ.
Romans 7 ends on a note of hope, pointing forward to Romans 8, where Paul will elaborate on the freedom and victory available to those who are in Christ. While the struggle with sin is real, it is not the final word. Through Jesus, we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, and we are being delivered from its power. The Spirit leads us to glory.
Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
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.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Romans 7 delves into a complex and often misunderstood aspect of the Christian life: the ongoing struggle between our desire to do good and our tendency to succumb to sin. Building upon the foundation laid in Romans 6, where Paul established that believers have died to sin, this chapter explores the relationship between the law, sin, and the believer's experience. It's a deeply personal and relatable passage, offering both a stark assessment of our human condition and a powerful message of hope through Jesus Christ. Understanding Romans 7 is crucial for grasping the full scope of God's grace and the transformative power of the Gospel.
Released from the Law, United with Christ (Romans 7:1-6)
Paul begins by illustrating our freedom from the law using the analogy of marriage. Just as a woman is released from her marriage obligations upon her husband's death, so too are we, through our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, released from the law's condemnation. The law was like our "husband," and through the body of Christ, that relationship is dead (Romans 7:4). This freedom isn't a license to sin, but rather the opportunity to enter into a new relationship with God, serving Him in "the new way of the Spirit" (Romans 7:6). We are now free to enjoy a new union with Christ. This new relationship is not based on external rules, but on the internal transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit.
The Law's Purpose: Revealing Sin (Romans 7:7-13)
Paul anticipates a potential misunderstanding: Does freedom from the law mean the law itself is sinful? Absolutely not! The law is not the problem; rather, it serves as a mirror, revealing our sinfulness. "I would not have known what sin was had the law not said, 'You shall not covet'" (Romans 7:7). The law, then, is also like a speed limit sign that reads, “Speed Limit 55." Without the sign, our “sin” is not revealed, and we’re without excuse.
The law exposes our inherent inability to perfectly obey God's commands. Ironically, the very act of forbidding something can ignite our desire for it. As sinful human beings, merely knowing that covetousness was a sin made Paul want to covet! This highlights the insidious nature of sin, which twists even good things (like the law) for its own purposes. The law is holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), but sin always seizes an opportunity through the commandment to produce more sin (Romans 7:8). The main issue here isn’t the law at all, but sin. The power of indwelling sin, even for believers, is so strong that it can take what is good and twist it to become sinful beyond measure (Romans 7:13). Sin keeps us locked in a struggle.
The Inner Conflict: A Battleground Within (Romans 7:14-25)
This section is perhaps the most relatable part of Romans 7. Paul describes the agonizing struggle of wanting to do good but finding himself doing evil instead. "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" (Romans 7:19).
Bible scholars debate whether Paul is describing his pre-conversion experience or the ongoing struggle of a believer. Regardless, the truth remains: even after accepting Christ, we still grapple with the powerful influence of our sinful nature. It’s encouraging for us as believers to know that Paul suffered from the same struggles we do. We all have had candid moments in which we stepped back and said, “What’s wrong with me?” There is a war within us, and like Paul, we often say, “I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate" (Romans 7:15). The closer you get to God, the more sensitive you are about your own moral failure. Show me a Christian who does not feel the pain of his sin, and I’ll show you someone who isn’t close to God.
Paul struggles because he is still in the flesh, and nothing good lives in him (Romans 7:18). Even though our old self was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6), the flesh was not. There is now a distinction between who you are and where you live. You are totally redeemed, totally sanctified, totally brand new in Christ, but you live in a body contaminated by flesh. Thus, when we as Christians sin, we are no longer the ones doing it: it is the sin that lives in [us] (Romans 7:20). In saying this, Paul is not excusing our sin. He is reminding us that our true identity is no longer found in our actions, even if we keep sinning.
This awareness leads to a cry of desperation: "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). Paul recognizes what many Christians miss—that he is helpless to resolve his own problem. Until he finally lifted his eyes to the only one who could rescue him, his situation was hopeless.
Deliverance Through Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25)
The chapter culminates in a powerful expression of gratitude: "Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25). This is not just a statement of intellectual assent, but a heartfelt acknowledgment that deliverance from the power of sin comes only through faith in Christ.
Romans 7 ends on a note of hope, pointing forward to Romans 8, where Paul will elaborate on the freedom and victory available to those who are in Christ. While the struggle with sin is real, it is not the final word. Through Jesus, we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, and we are being delivered from its power. The Spirit leads us to glory.