“The Struggle Within” Romans 7:14-25
Introduction: This section of Romans has caused no end of debate in Christian circles concerning the person of sin in Romans 7:14-25. The question is whether Paul is speaking about his life before his conversion to Christianity, or is he speaking about his life as a mature believer in Jesus Christ? Clearly he is speaking about a fierce internal struggle with sin, but is that before or after his conversion? While some debates in Christian theology have limited importance, this one has profound significance for the serious follower of Christ. How can I gain victory over the sin in my life, and how can I live a victorious Christian life?
Some argue that this is a description of an unsaved person. In context, then, Paul would be describing his life before he became a believer. The argument runs something like this: If Paul is describing a true Christian, then he could not say that he is a slave to sin. He has just argued in chapter 6: 17-18 that a true Christian use to be a slave to sin, but is now a slave to righteousness. How can one be freed from sin and still be a slave to sin? Further, how could Paul say “Nothing good lives in me?” And at the end of the chapter he exclaims, “O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death. These statements could not be made about a true Christian, so Paul is describing his life before he became a born again follower of Jesus Christ.
Here are some problems with holding that view: First, what Paul says of himself in 7:14-25 is NOT how he describes his pre-conversion state in other passages. For example in Philippians 3:6 he says he was blameless concerning legal righteousness in his pre-conversion state. No way would he say that after his conversion. Just look again at how Paul describes any man in his natural state in the first three (3) chapters of Romans. Second, when he describes his delight in God’s law, it is obvious that he is referring to a person who has been changed by the Spirit of God. In fact, in the next chapter he will say emphatically that “the sinful mind is hostile to God.” Third, note that when Paul is describing his pre-Christian state (7:7-13) he uses verbs that are in what we would call the past tense. However, in 7:14-25 he shifts to the present tense (verses 14, 15, 16).
Another take on this subject is that this person is a Christian, but is living in a “fleshly” manner as a way of life and justifying it. Some call this the “carnal Christian view.” The assumption is that there are two stages involved in this view. First, the person accepts Christ as savior, but has not submitted to Christ as Lord. Therefore his life doesn’t look any different than that of a non-believer. The second sage involves submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Defenders of this view often speak of the need to “get out of Romans 7 and into Romans 8.” Romans 7 shows essentially what a defeated Christian looks like and Romans 8 looks at what the life of the victorious Christian looks like. This take on these verse in 7:14-25 I believe is absolutely wrong, though this view has been held by many persons. In response to this view let me say that it does not fit the context of the whole section between Romans 5-8. The contrast is not between a fleshly Christian and a victorious one. But the context contrasts the difference between the non-Christian and the Christian. This not to say that there are not times when a true Christian may slip into fleshly activity, but this is not his over-all lifestyle, nor does he try to justify his disobedient activity. Rather, this view fails to understand that the true born again Christian still has the residual effects of the old nature. There is no two-stage teaching concerning being a Christian. One is either a Christian or one is not a Christian.
I believe that the man of sin described in Romans 7 is a mature Christian. This view has been held by such notable figures as Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and great Puritans of the 17th century. This view maintains that the mature Christian continues to have an ongoing struggle with sin throughout his entire life. Please note that the passage shifts from the past tense to the present tense. In 7:6-13 Paul is describing the life before he became a believer, while in 7:14-25 he is describing his life as a true believer. Note also that unbelievers do not desire God’s law as he says in verses 21-22. During this section Paul clearly distinguishes between the “I” and “flesh.” Final deliverance from this struggle between flesh and Spirit will not happen in this life, but it is promised for the future. Look at Paul’s statement in 7:23-25. J. I. Packer in his book, Keep in Step with the Spirit, offers a very helpful summary of the reality of our present struggle AND our future deliverance. (128-9)
I hope by now you begin to see the practical significance of understanding the struggle that all true believers have between the flesh and the Spirit. The more you understand this truth, the further along you are in your Christian walk, and the more progress you will make in that walk. However, we will never achieve perfection in that walk until Christ takes us home to be with Him forever. So, don’t lose hope. Keep at it. Keep your eyes fixed on Him. Learn more day by day what it means to “keep in step with the Spirit.”
We Americans are “fix-it people.” Let’s be honest, we hate conflict and do all we can to avoid it. With that in mind be aware of false promises that try to get around the conflict and avoid the struggle. Some resort to easy formula recipes like “Let go and let God.” Or “Let Jesus take control.” Or some three, four, or 12 step program. While there may be some element of truth to these statements or programs, they will not let us escape the struggle that God intends us to go through. We are to walk by faith, not by sight, or feeling, or anything that a simple formula promises. If your desire is to avoid the struggle, you will not make much progress in the Christian life.
A supposedly more “spiritual” approach is to seek some new experience that will catapult you into advanced spirituality like speaking in tongues, or seeking a second work of grace. Some denominations make these a central feature of the Christian life. Some might say, “They are never in Romans 7 and have moved on to Romans 8.” Even high-pitched and emotional services are no substitute if they do not result in a renewed commitment to advance us in our Christian walk.
Still others may try to avoid the struggle by turning to some artificial substitute like entertainment or drugs or alcohol. These are not necessarily bad by themselves, unless we use them to avoid the struggle.
No, my friends, God has called us to a life of struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. However, He has not left us alone without any help. Remember, God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) God has given us His Holy Spirit to empower us, to encourage us, to teach us, and comfort us. Further, God has given us His church, good context for prayer, Bible study, and rich Christian fellowship. Phil. 1:6