A Little Light Reading.
THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT.
Understanding Romans 7
Joe Crews. (Expanded by Doug batchelor)
An oxymoron is a phrase in which
words of contradictory meanings are
used together for special effect—for
example, wise fool or legal murder. Some can
be quite humorous, such as pretty ugly, working
vacation, or jumbo shrimp.
A new phrase used by some Christians also
qualifies as an oxymoron: carnal Christians.
These two words don’t seem like they are sup-
posed to go together. After all, the word carnal
means “animal, sensual, unregenerate, fleshly.”
Can it really be used as a proper adjective for
a born-again Christian, who has turned from
the world to the kingdom of God?
Still, many sincere people believe carnal
is a helpful characterization of the normal
By Joe Crews
Expanded by Doug Batchelor
Understanding Romans 7 4 The Flesh and the Spirit
Christian experience. Others, of course,
strongly disagree. They say the term is self-
contradictory; they deny the existence of a
hybrid creature who could be Christ-like and
carnal at the same time.
At the heart of this complex issue is this
question: Is the converted Christian controlled
by the Spirit or by the flesh?
This controversy is very much rooted in
something the Apostle Paul wrote in his epistle
to the Romans. Sandwiched right between two
of the most triumphant chapters in the Bible,
Paul penned 25 verses that have given rise to
all the theological conflict on this subject.
In order to properly understand those
cryptic 25 verses that make up Romans 7, we
must briefly examine the companion chapters
surrounding it. Though written by the same
author, the ideas found in chapters 6 and 8
seem to be at total odds with the one that is
between them. A tremendous theme of to-
tal victory over sin flows powerfully through
Romans 6 and 8, but Romans 7 seems to cata-
log only frustration and defeat. How could the
same man describe such opposite personal
experiences within the same few pages? The
question becomes even more significant when Understanding Romans 7 5
we consider that in all his other prolific writ-
ings, Paul never repeated such expressions of
hopelessness as he recorded in Romans 7.
Let’s take a closer look.
Sold Under Sin?
Can you imagine how these words could
ever apply to that spiritual giant who was Paul:
“I am carnal, sold under sin … bringing me
into captivity to the law of sin. … What I hate,
that do I. … O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
(Romans 7:14, 23, 15, 24)?
What does this miserable, sin-bound
creature have in common with the experi-
ence described in the preceding chapter? “We
… are dead to sin, … freed from sin. … Let
not sin therefore reign. … Sin shall not have
dominion over you. … Shall we sin? God
forbid … being then made free from sin”
(Romans 7:2, 7, 12, 14, 15, 18).
And how could Paul himself harmonize
this wretched state of Romans 7 with the soar-
ing experience of Spirit-filled victory described
in Romans 8? “There is therefore now no con-
demnation, … made me free from the law of
sin … righteousness-fulfilled in us, … mortify 6 The Flesh and the Spirit
the deeds of the body. … We are the children of
God” (Romans 8:1, 2, 4, 13, 16).
The crux of the “carnal Christian” argument
is brought into view by Paul’s bold assertion that
he is “carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14),
yet declaring in chapter 8 that “to be carnally
minded is death. The carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:6,7).
Is Paul really saying that he is not a
Christian and is the enemy of God? Is he con-
ceding that his life is fleshly and therefore un-
der the sentence of death?
Of course not!
On the other hand, if Paul is describing
his experience after his conversion, we must
admit that there are irreconcilable differences
between chapter 7 and the rest of his writing.
Therefore, with an honest look, we are
led to the unavoidable conclusion that Paul
is not describing his born-again experience
at all. We must reject the concept that one
can be controlled by the flesh, at enmity with
God and condemned to death, and still be in a
spiritually saved condition. The wretched man
who cries out in despair for deliverance has
obviously never been delivered from his sins. Understanding Romans 7 7
Why, then, does Paul portray himself in such a
state of hopeless bondage?
Although the picture at this point might
be a little confusing, we can have assurance
that Paul has a very clear and convincing rea-
son for writing Romans 7. When we follow the
logic of this man, the prince of apostles, we can
understand perfectly why he worked in this
material exactly as he did, when he did.
The Law in Salvation
It is important to clearly understand that
Romans 7 is given entirely as an explanation of
the law and its role in the process of salvation.
In the preceding chapter, Paul explains how
justification came upon all the world through
one man. Most of the material presented in
chapters 1 through 5 deal with the theology
of righteousness by faith, with the chief focus
on justification.
Then in Romans 6, Paul moves into the
area of sanctification and begins to describe
the effect of being saved by grace. This chapter
is taken up with a portrayal of perfect obedi-
ence and sin-free living. Over and over, Paul
asserts that sin (breaking the law) cannot
prevail against the power of God’s justifying 8 The Flesh and the Spirit
grace. The consistent, habitual pattern of the
child of God will be to reject sin. Obedience to
the law is the fruit of true justification.
But even though holy living and law
keeping will mark the lifestyle of every true
Christian, Paul doesn’t want anyone to mis-
understand the specific role of the law in the
process of salvation. Important as it is, the law
has its limitations. It cannot cleanse or sanctify.
Although it marks out the path of God’s per-
fect will, there is no redeeming grace in the law
to justify a single person. Its primary function
is to convict, condemn, and create a desire for
deliverance. Then, like a loving schoolmaster, it
will conduct the sinner to Jesus for free cleans-
ing and grace.
So what does Paul do at this point? He in-
serts 25 verses that carefully define the function
of the law in leading a person to Christ. And
by way of illustration, he uses his own experi-
ence with the law to show how it affected him
when he fell under its influence. He tells, in ret-
rospect, how the law opened his eyes to the real
nature of sin within him and “slew” him with
its devastating exposé of gross disobedience.
It is most important to acknowledge that
Romans 7 is Paul’s description of his reactions Understanding Romans 7 9
to the law before he was converted. He is lay-
ing out his unconverted heart’s bondage to
the carnal nature and his utter helplessness in
trying to fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
Step by step, he gives a heart-rending account
of his anguish under the prodding convictions
of the law.
Yet many Christians conclude that Paul is
really describing his converted Christian ex-
perience in Romans 7, comforting themselves
with the notion that it is normal—and there-
fore acceptable—to be overcome by sin. They
express it in this way: “If Paul had no power to
do what he knew to be right, surely we cannot
be held accountable for disobeying also. After
all, it is not us, but sin in us, that is guilty of
the wrongdoing. God will not let us be lost as
long as we have the desire to do His will, even
though we do not ‘perform that which is good.’”
Yet if such an interpretation is correct, we
are immediately faced with the problem of har-
monizing hundreds of other texts in Scripture
that assure us that we should live without sin.
Can you see what a serious issue this becomes
for every one of us?
Surely, it must be apparent that such a
teaching, if true, would have to be the best 10 The Flesh and the Spirit
news in the world for those who are not willing
to crucify their fleshly nature completely. With
two memorized texts, they could biblically
justify any act of disobedience and still feel se-
cure: “I am carnal, sold under sin … the evil
which I would not, that I do … it is no more I
that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”
On the other hand, if this interpretation is
wrong, it is, without question, one of the most
dangerous teachings on Satan’s long list of de-
ceptions. The horrible import of teaching peo-
ple to tolerate that which God hates boggles
the mind. If sin really is non-negotiable in His
sight and will never enter into His kingdom,
then any doctrine that tries to make sin accept-
able to God could lead millions to damnation.
The Law Did Not Die
Because this crucial chapter has been
twisted to support such a dangerous doctrine,
we need to analyze it carefully verse by verse.
Not even the smallest question should linger
concerning God’s attitude toward the practice
of sin.
“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak
to them that know the law,) how that Understanding Romans 7 11
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” (Romans 7:1–6). 12 The Flesh and the Spirit
Here Paul uses the law of marriage to rep-
resent the spiritual relationship with Christ.
A woman is bound to her husband as long
as he lives. When he dies, she is free to mar-
ry someone else without being branded an
adulteress. Likewise, the sinner is represented
as being loosed from one relationship in or-
der to be bound by another. Many people as-
sume that Paul here is doing away with the
Ten Commandments. Not so. Paul is actually
speaking about the sinner in his experience
of turning from sin and becoming married to
Christ. The law itself did not die. Paul writes,
“Ye also are become dead … that ye should be
married to another.”
Verse 5 makes it very clear that the sin-
ner is bound to his sinful nature. “For when
we were in the flesh, the motions [passions]
of sin did work in our members to bring forth
fruit unto death.” How did he get released
from that fleshly nature that wrought death in
him? “Ye … are become dead … by the body
of Christ.” In other words, by accepting the
atoning death of Jesus, the carnal mind was
destroyed, and “being dead wherein we were
held,” Paul says we are free to be married to
another, even Christ. Understanding Romans 7 13
Some might question why Paul writes that
we become “dead to the law” by the death of
Jesus. We must understand the context in
which this teaching is used. It is obvious from
verse 5 that we become dead to what the law
condemns in our nature: “the motions of sins,
which were by the law.” Here Paul introduces
the chief function of the law that he will reit-
erate throughout the chapter: The law exposes
the works of sin. It brings to light the activities
of the flesh. And in doing so, the law ratifies
the death sentence against all who are breaking
it. To be “dead to the law” and to be “delivered
from the law … wherein we were held” means
to be delivered from the sins that it condemns
and from the penalty of death that applies to
all who break the law. Being married to Christ
does not deliver us from obeying the law, but it
does deliver us from the penalty of death that
results from having violated it.
What happens next? Because Paul has
identified the law as the instrument for point-
ing out sin, he now feels it necessary to exoner-
ate the law from any charges of being evil itself.
“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 14 The Flesh and the Spirit
had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7).
Even though its very nature reveals our sin,
Paul defends the law throughout the chapter as
holy, just, good, and spiritual.
Many Christians make the very mistake
that Paul strongly warns against. With varying
degrees of animosity, they make the law of ab-
solutely no effect in the experience of salvation.
Not only do they reject its claims as the perfect
blueprint of right living, they also deny its as-
signed mission to convince of sin. Yet in the
most positive language, Paul declares earlier in
his epistle that there can be no sin without the
law: “For where no law is there, is no transgres-
sion” (Romans 4:15). He reinforces that point
by recounting his own experience with the Ten
Commandments: “I had not known sin, but by
the law.”
The Law Confronts Paul
Here we now find the important transition
point in chapter 7; it holds the key to the “car-
nal Christian” controversy. For the first time,
Paul begins to speak of his own personal rela-
tionship to the law. But notice that he carries
his readers back with him into the past. He be-
gins to write about his first encounter with the Understanding Romans 7 15
law. At that time, Paul says, “I had not known
sin.” In other words, he had not been aware of
breaking the law before that moment of spiri-
tual conviction and enlightenment.
As a teacher of the Sanhedrin, there is little
doubt that Paul had vast intellectual knowl-
edge regarding all the religious laws of Israel,
including the Ten Commandments. He prided
himself as being flawless in meeting all the le-
gal requirements of those statutes. But all that
was changed on the day the Holy Spirit opened
his eyes to the superficial nature of his obedi-
ence. For the first time, he recognized that he
was only observing the letter of the law. His
empty works of self-justification appeared in
their true light.
Paul does not tell us, and neither is it nec-
essary to know, just when this initial convic-
tion began to operate in his life. It is sufficient
to say that there was a period of time, whether
short or long, when his eyes were opened to
what he really should be before God. The law
had accomplished its task very well, and he
clearly discerned how broad and deep and
comprehensive are its principles.
In recalling the agony of his soul during
those days of conflict, Paul writes: 16 The Flesh and the Spirit
“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”
(Romans 7:8–13).
Paul here continues to describe the per-
sonal reactions of his pharisaical nature to
that initial conviction of sin. It was absolutely
shattering for this famous religious teacher to
be exposed as a transgressor before God. The
experience was so intense that he could only
compare it to being happily alive without the Understanding Romans 7 17
law, and then suddenly crushed to death by the
consciousness of his guilt—the guilt that was
generated by the revelations of the law.
Paul marvels that something so righteous
and so good and so pure could stir up within
him such consciousness of evil. Like a power-
ful magnifying lens, the law had probed the re-
cesses of his legalistic soul, making sin appear
“exceeding sinful.”
No Power to Obey
Confessing that sin was “working death in
me,” Paul launches into the famous verses that
have been so terribly misapplied to the experi-
ence of beleaguered saints:
“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 18 The Flesh and the Spirit
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 7:14–25).
Some take the position that Paul’s state-
ment here, that the law is spiritual, proves
that he was a converted man. Yet the rest of
the verse plainly declares that he was carnal
and sold out to sin. Is it unusual for a sin-
ner to make such an admission about the
law? Not at all. At the end of time, millions of Understanding Romans 7 19
unconverted will acknowledge the truth of the
Ten Commandments. But believing the truth
and consenting to the law is not enough. It
must also be obeyed. And Paul knew that.
If anybody could appreciate the necessity
of doing the works of the law, it would cer-
tainly be Paul. And he did try! The rest of the
chapter is replete with his frustrated report of
trying and failing, trying and failing. Sadly, on
the basis of these texts, thousands of sermons
have been preached to explain why we should
not be too hung up on achieving a life of per-
fect obedience. If Paul found it impossible to
do good, and constantly did evil instead, why
should we get a guilt trip over our failures?
Interestingly, the dispensers of these
soothing tranquilizers are not really compar-
ing apples with apples. Rather, they are com-
paring spiritual things with fleshly things. Let’s
allow Paul to clear up the matter for us quickly.
He writes, “I am carnal.” How does he define
the carnal condition? Just 18 verses down the
page, he explains: “For to be carnally minded
is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace” (Romans 8:6). This is the third time that
Paul admits to being under the condemna-
tion of death. In Romans 7:10, he says, “The 20 The Flesh and the Spirit
commandment, which was ordained to life, I
found to be unto death.” In verse 13, he speaks
of sin “working death in me.” Can anyone ac-
cuse the great apostle of being confused about
the status of the justified believer? No. This is
his specialty. He understands very clearly that
justification and condemnation could not coex-
ist in the same person at the same time. Dozens
of times the regenerated Paul declares his free-
dom from the guilt and condemnation of the
law. Only in this chapter, where he describes
his unconverted experience, does he ever place
himself back under the death sentence.
Convicted But Unconverted
Paul’s eyes had been opened. He had been
instructed and convicted by the law. He knew
what was right and desired to do it, but he
had not yet laid hold of the delivering power
of Christ. He was miserable. He hated himself
and everything he was doing. “But what I hate,
that do I” (Romans 7:15). The problem was
with his flesh. It was too weak to obey. “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” (Romans 7:18). Understanding Romans 7 21
Why could Paul not obey in the flesh?
Because he uses that expression to repeatedly
describe the unconverted nature. In verse 5,
he says, “When we were in the flesh, the mo-
tions of sins … did work in our members.” In
Romans 8:3, he writes that the law could not
be kept by us because it was “weak through
the flesh”
The old carnal power of sin made it impos-
sible for him to obey. In Paul’s mind, he was
willing, but he describes another law “in my
members, warring against the law of my mind.”
That other law was stronger than his good de-
sires and intentions—indeed, the rest of the
sentence reads, “and bringing me into captiv-
ity to the law of sin which is in my members”
(Romans 7:23).
How clear it really is that the law of sin in
his members, or in his flesh, was the unregen-
erate carnal nature. It made a perfect slave out
of his body, compelling him to do evil things
that he hated and forcing out of him, finally,
that despairing cry, “O wretched man that I
am! who shall deliver me from the body of this
death?” (Romans 7:24).
Here again, for the fourth time, Paul indi-
cates that the penalty of death was residing in 22 The Flesh and the Spirit
his body, or in his flesh, where sin had taken
control of him.
Many will now point to verse 22 as the fi-
nal proof that Paul was converted during this
losing battle against sin: “For I delight in the
law of God after the inward man.” No one, they
say, could delight in the law unless he was born
again. But that is not true. In Romans 2:17, 18,
Paul addresses the Jews, saying even they have
an exalted concept of the law: “Behold, thou are
called a Jew, and restest in the law, and mak-
est thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and
approvest the things that are excellent, being
instructed out of the law.” Paul’s delight in the
law in the inward man merely reveals his total
mental acceptance of the law’s principles. He
holds the law in the very highest esteem. Prior
to his conversion, he had no problem with be-
lieving or being willing to obey. Yet without
Christ in his life, there was no enabling grace
to perform that which is good.
Did the apostle ever find the answer to his
plaintive cry for help? Did the wretched slave
ever obtain freedom? Was he finally loosed
from the captivity of the law of sin? Of course
he was. Just as soon as he accepted the Lord
Jesus, his chains fell off, his carnal nature was Understanding Romans 7 23
crucified, and he was set free from sin. Four
verses further, we read how the miracle hap-
pened: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin
and death.”
What a dramatic turnaround! But how has
Paul been set free from the very law of sin that
had captured him in Romans 7:23? He answers
that question himself: “I thank God through
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This point of conversion in Paul’s experi-
ence has been acknowledged in the writings
of many well-known Bible commentators.
Here are three source statements that con-
firm Romans 7 is describing his unregener-
ate nature:
1. “It is difficult to conceive how the
opinion could have crept into the
Church, or prevailed there, that ‘the
apostle speaks here of his regener-
ate state; and that what was, in such
a state, true of himself, must be true
of all others in the same state.’ This
opinion has, most pitifully and most
shamefully, not only lowered the stan-
dard of Christianity, but destroyed 24 The Flesh and the Spirit
its influence and disgraced its charac-
ter” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary on
the Bible).
2. “Oh, how many flatter themselves that
they have goodness and righteousness,
when the true light of God reveals that
all their lives they have only lived to
please themselves! Their whole con-
duct is abhorred of God. How many
are alive without the law! In their
gross darkness they view themselves
with complacency; but let the law of
God be revealed to their consciences,
as it was to Paul, and they would see
that they are sold under sin and must
die to the carnal mind. Self must be
slain” (Ellen G. White, Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 475).
3. “It is impossible for us, of our selves,
to escape from the pit of sin in which
we are sunken. Our hearts are evil,
and we cannot change them. … ‘The
carnal mind is enmity against God.’
The Saviour said, ‘Except a man be
born from above, … he cannot see the Understanding Romans 7 25
kingdom of God.’ … It is not enough
to perceive the loving-kindness of
God, to see the benevolence, the fa-
therly tenderness, of His character.
… Paul the apostle saw all this when
he exclaimed, ‘I consent unto the law
that it is good. … The law is holy, and
the commandment holy, and just,
and good.’ But he added, in the bit-
terness of his soul-anguish and de-
spair, ‘I am carnal, sold under sin’
(Romans 7:16,12,14). He longed for
the purity, the righteousness, to which
in himself he was powerless to attain,
and cried out, ‘O wretched man that
I am! who shall deliver me from this
body of death?’ (Romans 7:24). Such is
the cry that has gone up from burdened
hearts in all lands and in all ages. To
all there is but one answer, ‘Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world’ (John 1:29)” (Ellen G.
White, Steps to Christ, pp. 18, 19).
Serving the Law of Sin
At this point, there remains one small per-
plexity in the wording of Romans 7:25. Some 26 The Flesh and the Spirit
have questioned how Paul could still talk about
serving the law of sin in the flesh after appar-
ently being delivered from the flesh in the same
text. “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.”
In spite of the awkward phrasing, there is
no contradiction of the main theme. Paul gives
a quick, parenthetical answer to his desperate
question, “Who shall deliver me?” Then he
moves back to complete the point that he was
making in verse 23, which is about being in
captivity to the law of sin.
The very same sentence structure is found
in Revelation 20:4, 5. After describing the first
resurrection of people who would not receive
the mark of the beast, John writes, “But the rest
of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished. This is the first resurrec-
tion.” As everyone recognizes, the “rest of the
dead” are the wicked who arise in the second
resurrection, not the first. So the very last sen-
tence, about the first resurrection, is actually
referring back to those who are described in
verse 4—those saints who had not received the
mark of the beast. Obviously, the first part of
verse 5 is thrown in parenthetically, and the Understanding Romans 7 27
final sentence, “This is the first resurrection,”
completes the thought that was being devel-
oped in the previous verse.
In the same way, the final sentence of
Romans 7:25 is referring back to the theme of
verse 23 and is not directly related to the first
part of verse 25.
You see, Paul has just reached the cli-
mactic point of logic and pathos in describ-
ing his abject condition of condemnation.
Verse 23 speaks of his captivity to sin, and
verse 24 reveals his agony of desire to be free:
“WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE
BODY OF THIS DEATH?” Giving a quick an-
swer to his rhetorical question, he encapsulates
in one final sentence the basic point he has
made throughout the chapter: His mind wills
to serve God, but his flesh forces him to serve
sin. “(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.”
Thus closes chapter 7 with its dismal dirge
of defeat, but Paul has not made this detour in
his epistle without good reason. Now his read-
ers are prepared to appreciate the scope of his
transformed experience under grace. It seems
to be one of Paul’s penchants to illustrate by 28 The Flesh and the Spirit
dramatic contrast the “much more” of grace
over sin (Romans 5:20, 21), of justification
over condemnation (Romans 5:16, 17), and of
the Spirit over the flesh (Romans 8:5). And it is
only because of the stark manner of portraying
his misery under sin that Paul can now project,
by comparison, the glory of Spirit-filled chil-
dren of God.
The Power of the Will in Victory
There are yet two important points to be
made before we leave chapter 7. Both relate to
the manner in which we are able to choose the
path of total victory over the flesh. Obviously,
the will is very much involved in this process.
Few understand the explosive power of this
decision-making for every individual.
Regardless of the physical frailties or in-
capacities, God has placed within each hu-
man brain the ability to choose one’s course
of action and direction. This independent,
sovereign faculty constitutes the most obvi-
ous difference between people and animals.
No other creature on earth has been given this
power of choice. Monkeys cannot reason ab-
stractly; they move by instinct. Man thinks,
and man chooses. Understanding Romans 7 29
It is very likely that no other inherent
power of mind or body is so deeply rooted as
the power of choice. In bestowing this gift, the
Creator laid upon each person the responsibil-
ity for his own salvation. Even though the fall-
en nature alone has no power to stop sinning,
it does have the power to choose to stop sin-
ning. Even the most vile and degraded of men
may yet decide what actions to pursue.
Often the will has been weakened and trau-
matized by wrong choices and external pres-
sures, but it remains the one human alternative
by which deliverance can be initiated. Here it
must be emphasized that the desire to make
right choices is a result of God’s grace acting
on the mind. Not everyone is willing to give up
the enjoyment of sinful indulgence. This is why
some will need to pray, “Lord, make me willing
to be willing,” or even, “Lord, give me enough
faith to believe that you can increase my faith
and help my unbelief.”
How true that our greatest enemy is self.
Here within is where the most desperate bat-
tles are fought in the conquest of sin. It is only
when the self surrenders its way and becomes
willing to accept God’s way that we are enabled
to choose right over wrong. The contest over 30 The Flesh and the Spirit
the control of the will lies at the heart of every
victory and every defeat.
It is not a sin to struggle, nor is it wrong
to be tempted. Conversion does not remove
temptation, but rather makes it possible for the
struggle to culminate in victory. This is why
Jesus warns us, “Watch and pray, lest you enter
into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Then there must be a clear perception
that our decisions and initial actions against
sin do not in themselves obtain the victory.
Deliverance is only made possible as divine
power responds to the active choice not to sin.
How often we limit the Lord by refusing to do
what He has given us the power to do ourselves
in overcoming sin. We have a mind, and we
have a will. By choosing not to sin and putting
that decision into action, the way is instantly
opened for God to move against the enemy
and secure our deliverance.
Is there a struggle, then, in subduing the
flesh and escaping from the authority of sin?
Indeed, there will be continual conflict in re-
sisting the inherited propensities to disobey
God. But the encouraging thing is that none
of these efforts need to end with defeat. God Understanding Romans 7 31
causes us always to triumph as we exercise
the natural weapons of decisive action against
the enemy.
Taking a Stand
Paul did not intend for us to linger too
long in the anguished pathways of chapter 7.
It is a necessary place to pass through, but it
is not made for Christian dwelling and living.
After the law has shown us our need for the
cleansing grace of Christ, our relationship with
the law changes. No longer is there the clash
between what must be done and what cannot
be done.
Although chapter 8 still speaks of the
law—the very same law—the futile struggle to
keep it is finished. The carnal mind, which was
not subject to that law, has now been changed
into a spiritual mind. As children of Adam,
we will possess his fallen nature until we are
translated into glory when Christ returns, but
the converted mind no longer is forced to obey
the dictates of that fallen nature. The power
of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for every
Christian to choose not to sin. By daily dying
to self and sin, the justified believer is enabled
to overpower completely the propensities of 32 The Flesh and the Spirit
his fallen nature and to live a life of total obe-
dience to God. The One who has condemned
sin in the flesh now fulfills in us the just re-
quirements of the law, making obedience not
only possible, but a glorious privilege indeed.
Thanks be to God!
The word carnival comes from the Latin
word “carne,” which means flesh. In around
a.d. 400, the great Roman Coliseum was often
packed with spectators who had come to view
the violent games. The bloody entertainment
consisted of watching human beings and wild
beasts battle one another to the death. The as-
sembled multitude wildly reveled in such sport
and roared with delight when a person or beast
was brutally slain. This is from where we get
the world carnival.
But on one day, when the vast Coliseum
crowd was watching a bloody gladiatorial bat-
tle, a Syrian monk, Telemachus, took action.
Deeply grieved and outraged by the utter dis-
regard for human life, he boldly leaped into the
arena in the midst of the butchery and cried
out, “This thing is not right! This thing must
stop!” Because he interfered with the entertain-
ment, the emperor of Rome commanded that
Telemachus be run through with a sword. Thus Understanding Romans 7 33
he died. But through his courage and death, he
kindled a flame in the hearts of thinking per-
sons. History records that his sacrifice caused
attendance to decline and soon cease altogeth-
er. Why? Because one man dared to speak out
against the evil celebration of carnage.
Despite the popular opinions that appeal
to our passions, Christians cannot live for the
flesh and still walk in the Spirit. We must speak
out against sin, even when unpopular.
But the good news is that though we all
travel through the wilderness experience of
Romans 7, we can enter the Promised Land
of chapter 8. Let your soul feast upon the milk
and honey of freedom, victory, and adoption
into the family of God. It is the very best place
to pitch your tent and remain forever. Paul
reserves his choicest words, his most unre-
strained language, to portray the joy and se-
curity of those who are controlled by the Holy
Spirit. Meditate long and often upon these
verses, which depict so beautifully the experi-
ence that God desires every one of His children
to manifest moment by moment:
“The Spirit itself beareth witness …
that we are the children of God. Heirs 34 The Flesh and the Spirit
of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
… And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love
God. … For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son. … If God be
for us, who can be against us? How
shall he not freely give us all things?
… Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? … We are more than
conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, Nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(Romans 8:16–39).
A Little Light Reading.
THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT.
Understanding Romans 7
Joe Crews. (Expanded by Doug batchelor)
An oxymoron is a phrase in which
words of contradictory meanings are
used together for special effect—for
example, wise fool or legal murder. Some can
be quite humorous, such as pretty ugly, working
vacation, or jumbo shrimp.
A new phrase used by some Christians also
qualifies as an oxymoron: carnal Christians.
These two words don’t seem like they are sup-
posed to go together. After all, the word carnal
means “animal, sensual, unregenerate, fleshly.”
Can it really be used as a proper adjective for
a born-again Christian, who has turned from
the world to the kingdom of God?
Still, many sincere people believe carnal
is a helpful characterization of the normal
By Joe Crews
Expanded by Doug Batchelor
Understanding Romans 7 4 The Flesh and the Spirit
Christian experience. Others, of course,
strongly disagree. They say the term is self-
contradictory; they deny the existence of a
hybrid creature who could be Christ-like and
carnal at the same time.
At the heart of this complex issue is this
question: Is the converted Christian controlled
by the Spirit or by the flesh?
This controversy is very much rooted in
something the Apostle Paul wrote in his epistle
to the Romans. Sandwiched right between two
of the most triumphant chapters in the Bible,
Paul penned 25 verses that have given rise to
all the theological conflict on this subject.
In order to properly understand those
cryptic 25 verses that make up Romans 7, we
must briefly examine the companion chapters
surrounding it. Though written by the same
author, the ideas found in chapters 6 and 8
seem to be at total odds with the one that is
between them. A tremendous theme of to-
tal victory over sin flows powerfully through
Romans 6 and 8, but Romans 7 seems to cata-
log only frustration and defeat. How could the
same man describe such opposite personal
experiences within the same few pages? The
question becomes even more significant when Understanding Romans 7 5
we consider that in all his other prolific writ-
ings, Paul never repeated such expressions of
hopelessness as he recorded in Romans 7.
Let’s take a closer look.
Sold Under Sin?
Can you imagine how these words could
ever apply to that spiritual giant who was Paul:
“I am carnal, sold under sin … bringing me
into captivity to the law of sin. … What I hate,
that do I. … O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
(Romans 7:14, 23, 15, 24)?
What does this miserable, sin-bound
creature have in common with the experi-
ence described in the preceding chapter? “We
… are dead to sin, … freed from sin. … Let
not sin therefore reign. … Sin shall not have
dominion over you. … Shall we sin? God
forbid … being then made free from sin”
(Romans 7:2, 7, 12, 14, 15, 18).
And how could Paul himself harmonize
this wretched state of Romans 7 with the soar-
ing experience of Spirit-filled victory described
in Romans 8? “There is therefore now no con-
demnation, … made me free from the law of
sin … righteousness-fulfilled in us, … mortify 6 The Flesh and the Spirit
the deeds of the body. … We are the children of
God” (Romans 8:1, 2, 4, 13, 16).
The crux of the “carnal Christian” argument
is brought into view by Paul’s bold assertion that
he is “carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14),
yet declaring in chapter 8 that “to be carnally
minded is death. The carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:6,7).
Is Paul really saying that he is not a
Christian and is the enemy of God? Is he con-
ceding that his life is fleshly and therefore un-
der the sentence of death?
Of course not!
On the other hand, if Paul is describing
his experience after his conversion, we must
admit that there are irreconcilable differences
between chapter 7 and the rest of his writing.
Therefore, with an honest look, we are
led to the unavoidable conclusion that Paul
is not describing his born-again experience
at all. We must reject the concept that one
can be controlled by the flesh, at enmity with
God and condemned to death, and still be in a
spiritually saved condition. The wretched man
who cries out in despair for deliverance has
obviously never been delivered from his sins. Understanding Romans 7 7
Why, then, does Paul portray himself in such a
state of hopeless bondage?
Although the picture at this point might
be a little confusing, we can have assurance
that Paul has a very clear and convincing rea-
son for writing Romans 7. When we follow the
logic of this man, the prince of apostles, we can
understand perfectly why he worked in this
material exactly as he did, when he did.
The Law in Salvation
It is important to clearly understand that
Romans 7 is given entirely as an explanation of
the law and its role in the process of salvation.
In the preceding chapter, Paul explains how
justification came upon all the world through
one man. Most of the material presented in
chapters 1 through 5 deal with the theology
of righteousness by faith, with the chief focus
on justification.
Then in Romans 6, Paul moves into the
area of sanctification and begins to describe
the effect of being saved by grace. This chapter
is taken up with a portrayal of perfect obedi-
ence and sin-free living. Over and over, Paul
asserts that sin (breaking the law) cannot
prevail against the power of God’s justifying 8 The Flesh and the Spirit
grace. The consistent, habitual pattern of the
child of God will be to reject sin. Obedience to
the law is the fruit of true justification.
But even though holy living and law
keeping will mark the lifestyle of every true
Christian, Paul doesn’t want anyone to mis-
understand the specific role of the law in the
process of salvation. Important as it is, the law
has its limitations. It cannot cleanse or sanctify.
Although it marks out the path of God’s per-
fect will, there is no redeeming grace in the law
to justify a single person. Its primary function
is to convict, condemn, and create a desire for
deliverance. Then, like a loving schoolmaster, it
will conduct the sinner to Jesus for free cleans-
ing and grace.
So what does Paul do at this point? He in-
serts 25 verses that carefully define the function
of the law in leading a person to Christ. And
by way of illustration, he uses his own experi-
ence with the law to show how it affected him
when he fell under its influence. He tells, in ret-
rospect, how the law opened his eyes to the real
nature of sin within him and “slew” him with
its devastating exposé of gross disobedience.
It is most important to acknowledge that
Romans 7 is Paul’s description of his reactions Understanding Romans 7 9
to the law before he was converted. He is lay-
ing out his unconverted heart’s bondage to
the carnal nature and his utter helplessness in
trying to fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
Step by step, he gives a heart-rending account
of his anguish under the prodding convictions
of the law.
Yet many Christians conclude that Paul is
really describing his converted Christian ex-
perience in Romans 7, comforting themselves
with the notion that it is normal—and there-
fore acceptable—to be overcome by sin. They
express it in this way: “If Paul had no power to
do what he knew to be right, surely we cannot
be held accountable for disobeying also. After
all, it is not us, but sin in us, that is guilty of
the wrongdoing. God will not let us be lost as
long as we have the desire to do His will, even
though we do not ‘perform that which is good.’”
Yet if such an interpretation is correct, we
are immediately faced with the problem of har-
monizing hundreds of other texts in Scripture
that assure us that we should live without sin.
Can you see what a serious issue this becomes
for every one of us?
Surely, it must be apparent that such a
teaching, if true, would have to be the best 10 The Flesh and the Spirit
news in the world for those who are not willing
to crucify their fleshly nature completely. With
two memorized texts, they could biblically
justify any act of disobedience and still feel se-
cure: “I am carnal, sold under sin … the evil
which I would not, that I do … it is no more I
that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”
On the other hand, if this interpretation is
wrong, it is, without question, one of the most
dangerous teachings on Satan’s long list of de-
ceptions. The horrible import of teaching peo-
ple to tolerate that which God hates boggles
the mind. If sin really is non-negotiable in His
sight and will never enter into His kingdom,
then any doctrine that tries to make sin accept-
able to God could lead millions to damnation.
The Law Did Not Die
Because this crucial chapter has been
twisted to support such a dangerous doctrine,
we need to analyze it carefully verse by verse.
Not even the smallest question should linger
concerning God’s attitude toward the practice
of sin.
“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak
to them that know the law,) how that Understanding Romans 7 11
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” (Romans 7:1–6). 12 The Flesh and the Spirit
Here Paul uses the law of marriage to rep-
resent the spiritual relationship with Christ.
A woman is bound to her husband as long
as he lives. When he dies, she is free to mar-
ry someone else without being branded an
adulteress. Likewise, the sinner is represented
as being loosed from one relationship in or-
der to be bound by another. Many people as-
sume that Paul here is doing away with the
Ten Commandments. Not so. Paul is actually
speaking about the sinner in his experience
of turning from sin and becoming married to
Christ. The law itself did not die. Paul writes,
“Ye also are become dead … that ye should be
married to another.”
Verse 5 makes it very clear that the sin-
ner is bound to his sinful nature. “For when
we were in the flesh, the motions [passions]
of sin did work in our members to bring forth
fruit unto death.” How did he get released
from that fleshly nature that wrought death in
him? “Ye … are become dead … by the body
of Christ.” In other words, by accepting the
atoning death of Jesus, the carnal mind was
destroyed, and “being dead wherein we were
held,” Paul says we are free to be married to
another, even Christ. Understanding Romans 7 13
Some might question why Paul writes that
we become “dead to the law” by the death of
Jesus. We must understand the context in
which this teaching is used. It is obvious from
verse 5 that we become dead to what the law
condemns in our nature: “the motions of sins,
which were by the law.” Here Paul introduces
the chief function of the law that he will reit-
erate throughout the chapter: The law exposes
the works of sin. It brings to light the activities
of the flesh. And in doing so, the law ratifies
the death sentence against all who are breaking
it. To be “dead to the law” and to be “delivered
from the law … wherein we were held” means
to be delivered from the sins that it condemns
and from the penalty of death that applies to
all who break the law. Being married to Christ
does not deliver us from obeying the law, but it
does deliver us from the penalty of death that
results from having violated it.
What happens next? Because Paul has
identified the law as the instrument for point-
ing out sin, he now feels it necessary to exoner-
ate the law from any charges of being evil itself.
“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 14 The Flesh and the Spirit
had said, Thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7).
Even though its very nature reveals our sin,
Paul defends the law throughout the chapter as
holy, just, good, and spiritual.
Many Christians make the very mistake
that Paul strongly warns against. With varying
degrees of animosity, they make the law of ab-
solutely no effect in the experience of salvation.
Not only do they reject its claims as the perfect
blueprint of right living, they also deny its as-
signed mission to convince of sin. Yet in the
most positive language, Paul declares earlier in
his epistle that there can be no sin without the
law: “For where no law is there, is no transgres-
sion” (Romans 4:15). He reinforces that point
by recounting his own experience with the Ten
Commandments: “I had not known sin, but by
the law.”
The Law Confronts Paul
Here we now find the important transition
point in chapter 7; it holds the key to the “car-
nal Christian” controversy. For the first time,
Paul begins to speak of his own personal rela-
tionship to the law. But notice that he carries
his readers back with him into the past. He be-
gins to write about his first encounter with the Understanding Romans 7 15
law. At that time, Paul says, “I had not known
sin.” In other words, he had not been aware of
breaking the law before that moment of spiri-
tual conviction and enlightenment.
As a teacher of the Sanhedrin, there is little
doubt that Paul had vast intellectual knowl-
edge regarding all the religious laws of Israel,
including the Ten Commandments. He prided
himself as being flawless in meeting all the le-
gal requirements of those statutes. But all that
was changed on the day the Holy Spirit opened
his eyes to the superficial nature of his obedi-
ence. For the first time, he recognized that he
was only observing the letter of the law. His
empty works of self-justification appeared in
their true light.
Paul does not tell us, and neither is it nec-
essary to know, just when this initial convic-
tion began to operate in his life. It is sufficient
to say that there was a period of time, whether
short or long, when his eyes were opened to
what he really should be before God. The law
had accomplished its task very well, and he
clearly discerned how broad and deep and
comprehensive are its principles.
In recalling the agony of his soul during
those days of conflict, Paul writes: 16 The Flesh and the Spirit
“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”
(Romans 7:8–13).
Paul here continues to describe the per-
sonal reactions of his pharisaical nature to
that initial conviction of sin. It was absolutely
shattering for this famous religious teacher to
be exposed as a transgressor before God. The
experience was so intense that he could only
compare it to being happily alive without the Understanding Romans 7 17
law, and then suddenly crushed to death by the
consciousness of his guilt—the guilt that was
generated by the revelations of the law.
Paul marvels that something so righteous
and so good and so pure could stir up within
him such consciousness of evil. Like a power-
ful magnifying lens, the law had probed the re-
cesses of his legalistic soul, making sin appear
“exceeding sinful.”
No Power to Obey
Confessing that sin was “working death in
me,” Paul launches into the famous verses that
have been so terribly misapplied to the experi-
ence of beleaguered saints:
“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 18 The Flesh and the Spirit
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 7:14–25).
Some take the position that Paul’s state-
ment here, that the law is spiritual, proves
that he was a converted man. Yet the rest of
the verse plainly declares that he was carnal
and sold out to sin. Is it unusual for a sin-
ner to make such an admission about the
law? Not at all. At the end of time, millions of Understanding Romans 7 19
unconverted will acknowledge the truth of the
Ten Commandments. But believing the truth
and consenting to the law is not enough. It
must also be obeyed. And Paul knew that.
If anybody could appreciate the necessity
of doing the works of the law, it would cer-
tainly be Paul. And he did try! The rest of the
chapter is replete with his frustrated report of
trying and failing, trying and failing. Sadly, on
the basis of these texts, thousands of sermons
have been preached to explain why we should
not be too hung up on achieving a life of per-
fect obedience. If Paul found it impossible to
do good, and constantly did evil instead, why
should we get a guilt trip over our failures?
Interestingly, the dispensers of these
soothing tranquilizers are not really compar-
ing apples with apples. Rather, they are com-
paring spiritual things with fleshly things. Let’s
allow Paul to clear up the matter for us quickly.
He writes, “I am carnal.” How does he define
the carnal condition? Just 18 verses down the
page, he explains: “For to be carnally minded
is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace” (Romans 8:6). This is the third time that
Paul admits to being under the condemna-
tion of death. In Romans 7:10, he says, “The 20 The Flesh and the Spirit
commandment, which was ordained to life, I
found to be unto death.” In verse 13, he speaks
of sin “working death in me.” Can anyone ac-
cuse the great apostle of being confused about
the status of the justified believer? No. This is
his specialty. He understands very clearly that
justification and condemnation could not coex-
ist in the same person at the same time. Dozens
of times the regenerated Paul declares his free-
dom from the guilt and condemnation of the
law. Only in this chapter, where he describes
his unconverted experience, does he ever place
himself back under the death sentence.
Convicted But Unconverted
Paul’s eyes had been opened. He had been
instructed and convicted by the law. He knew
what was right and desired to do it, but he
had not yet laid hold of the delivering power
of Christ. He was miserable. He hated himself
and everything he was doing. “But what I hate,
that do I” (Romans 7:15). The problem was
with his flesh. It was too weak to obey. “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” (Romans 7:18). Understanding Romans 7 21
Why could Paul not obey in the flesh?
Because he uses that expression to repeatedly
describe the unconverted nature. In verse 5,
he says, “When we were in the flesh, the mo-
tions of sins … did work in our members.” In
Romans 8:3, he writes that the law could not
be kept by us because it was “weak through
the flesh”
The old carnal power of sin made it impos-
sible for him to obey. In Paul’s mind, he was
willing, but he describes another law “in my
members, warring against the law of my mind.”
That other law was stronger than his good de-
sires and intentions—indeed, the rest of the
sentence reads, “and bringing me into captiv-
ity to the law of sin which is in my members”
(Romans 7:23).
How clear it really is that the law of sin in
his members, or in his flesh, was the unregen-
erate carnal nature. It made a perfect slave out
of his body, compelling him to do evil things
that he hated and forcing out of him, finally,
that despairing cry, “O wretched man that I
am! who shall deliver me from the body of this
death?” (Romans 7:24).
Here again, for the fourth time, Paul indi-
cates that the penalty of death was residing in 22 The Flesh and the Spirit
his body, or in his flesh, where sin had taken
control of him.
Many will now point to verse 22 as the fi-
nal proof that Paul was converted during this
losing battle against sin: “For I delight in the
law of God after the inward man.” No one, they
say, could delight in the law unless he was born
again. But that is not true. In Romans 2:17, 18,
Paul addresses the Jews, saying even they have
an exalted concept of the law: “Behold, thou are
called a Jew, and restest in the law, and mak-
est thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and
approvest the things that are excellent, being
instructed out of the law.” Paul’s delight in the
law in the inward man merely reveals his total
mental acceptance of the law’s principles. He
holds the law in the very highest esteem. Prior
to his conversion, he had no problem with be-
lieving or being willing to obey. Yet without
Christ in his life, there was no enabling grace
to perform that which is good.
Did the apostle ever find the answer to his
plaintive cry for help? Did the wretched slave
ever obtain freedom? Was he finally loosed
from the captivity of the law of sin? Of course
he was. Just as soon as he accepted the Lord
Jesus, his chains fell off, his carnal nature was Understanding Romans 7 23
crucified, and he was set free from sin. Four
verses further, we read how the miracle hap-
pened: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin
and death.”
What a dramatic turnaround! But how has
Paul been set free from the very law of sin that
had captured him in Romans 7:23? He answers
that question himself: “I thank God through
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This point of conversion in Paul’s experi-
ence has been acknowledged in the writings
of many well-known Bible commentators.
Here are three source statements that con-
firm Romans 7 is describing his unregener-
ate nature:
1. “It is difficult to conceive how the
opinion could have crept into the
Church, or prevailed there, that ‘the
apostle speaks here of his regener-
ate state; and that what was, in such
a state, true of himself, must be true
of all others in the same state.’ This
opinion has, most pitifully and most
shamefully, not only lowered the stan-
dard of Christianity, but destroyed 24 The Flesh and the Spirit
its influence and disgraced its charac-
ter” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary on
the Bible).
2. “Oh, how many flatter themselves that
they have goodness and righteousness,
when the true light of God reveals that
all their lives they have only lived to
please themselves! Their whole con-
duct is abhorred of God. How many
are alive without the law! In their
gross darkness they view themselves
with complacency; but let the law of
God be revealed to their consciences,
as it was to Paul, and they would see
that they are sold under sin and must
die to the carnal mind. Self must be
slain” (Ellen G. White, Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 475).
3. “It is impossible for us, of our selves,
to escape from the pit of sin in which
we are sunken. Our hearts are evil,
and we cannot change them. … ‘The
carnal mind is enmity against God.’
The Saviour said, ‘Except a man be
born from above, … he cannot see the Understanding Romans 7 25
kingdom of God.’ … It is not enough
to perceive the loving-kindness of
God, to see the benevolence, the fa-
therly tenderness, of His character.
… Paul the apostle saw all this when
he exclaimed, ‘I consent unto the law
that it is good. … The law is holy, and
the commandment holy, and just,
and good.’ But he added, in the bit-
terness of his soul-anguish and de-
spair, ‘I am carnal, sold under sin’
(Romans 7:16,12,14). He longed for
the purity, the righteousness, to which
in himself he was powerless to attain,
and cried out, ‘O wretched man that
I am! who shall deliver me from this
body of death?’ (Romans 7:24). Such is
the cry that has gone up from burdened
hearts in all lands and in all ages. To
all there is but one answer, ‘Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world’ (John 1:29)” (Ellen G.
White, Steps to Christ, pp. 18, 19).
Serving the Law of Sin
At this point, there remains one small per-
plexity in the wording of Romans 7:25. Some 26 The Flesh and the Spirit
have questioned how Paul could still talk about
serving the law of sin in the flesh after appar-
ently being delivered from the flesh in the same
text. “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.”
In spite of the awkward phrasing, there is
no contradiction of the main theme. Paul gives
a quick, parenthetical answer to his desperate
question, “Who shall deliver me?” Then he
moves back to complete the point that he was
making in verse 23, which is about being in
captivity to the law of sin.
The very same sentence structure is found
in Revelation 20:4, 5. After describing the first
resurrection of people who would not receive
the mark of the beast, John writes, “But the rest
of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished. This is the first resurrec-
tion.” As everyone recognizes, the “rest of the
dead” are the wicked who arise in the second
resurrection, not the first. So the very last sen-
tence, about the first resurrection, is actually
referring back to those who are described in
verse 4—those saints who had not received the
mark of the beast. Obviously, the first part of
verse 5 is thrown in parenthetically, and the Understanding Romans 7 27
final sentence, “This is the first resurrection,”
completes the thought that was being devel-
oped in the previous verse.
In the same way, the final sentence of
Romans 7:25 is referring back to the theme of
verse 23 and is not directly related to the first
part of verse 25.
You see, Paul has just reached the cli-
mactic point of logic and pathos in describ-
ing his abject condition of condemnation.
Verse 23 speaks of his captivity to sin, and
verse 24 reveals his agony of desire to be free:
“WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE
BODY OF THIS DEATH?” Giving a quick an-
swer to his rhetorical question, he encapsulates
in one final sentence the basic point he has
made throughout the chapter: His mind wills
to serve God, but his flesh forces him to serve
sin. “(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.”
Thus closes chapter 7 with its dismal dirge
of defeat, but Paul has not made this detour in
his epistle without good reason. Now his read-
ers are prepared to appreciate the scope of his
transformed experience under grace. It seems
to be one of Paul’s penchants to illustrate by 28 The Flesh and the Spirit
dramatic contrast the “much more” of grace
over sin (Romans 5:20, 21), of justification
over condemnation (Romans 5:16, 17), and of
the Spirit over the flesh (Romans 8:5). And it is
only because of the stark manner of portraying
his misery under sin that Paul can now project,
by comparison, the glory of Spirit-filled chil-
dren of God.
The Power of the Will in Victory
There are yet two important points to be
made before we leave chapter 7. Both relate to
the manner in which we are able to choose the
path of total victory over the flesh. Obviously,
the will is very much involved in this process.
Few understand the explosive power of this
decision-making for every individual.
Regardless of the physical frailties or in-
capacities, God has placed within each hu-
man brain the ability to choose one’s course
of action and direction. This independent,
sovereign faculty constitutes the most obvi-
ous difference between people and animals.
No other creature on earth has been given this
power of choice. Monkeys cannot reason ab-
stractly; they move by instinct. Man thinks,
and man chooses. Understanding Romans 7 29
It is very likely that no other inherent
power of mind or body is so deeply rooted as
the power of choice. In bestowing this gift, the
Creator laid upon each person the responsibil-
ity for his own salvation. Even though the fall-
en nature alone has no power to stop sinning,
it does have the power to choose to stop sin-
ning. Even the most vile and degraded of men
may yet decide what actions to pursue.
Often the will has been weakened and trau-
matized by wrong choices and external pres-
sures, but it remains the one human alternative
by which deliverance can be initiated. Here it
must be emphasized that the desire to make
right choices is a result of God’s grace acting
on the mind. Not everyone is willing to give up
the enjoyment of sinful indulgence. This is why
some will need to pray, “Lord, make me willing
to be willing,” or even, “Lord, give me enough
faith to believe that you can increase my faith
and help my unbelief.”
How true that our greatest enemy is self.
Here within is where the most desperate bat-
tles are fought in the conquest of sin. It is only
when the self surrenders its way and becomes
willing to accept God’s way that we are enabled
to choose right over wrong. The contest over 30 The Flesh and the Spirit
the control of the will lies at the heart of every
victory and every defeat.
It is not a sin to struggle, nor is it wrong
to be tempted. Conversion does not remove
temptation, but rather makes it possible for the
struggle to culminate in victory. This is why
Jesus warns us, “Watch and pray, lest you enter
into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Then there must be a clear perception
that our decisions and initial actions against
sin do not in themselves obtain the victory.
Deliverance is only made possible as divine
power responds to the active choice not to sin.
How often we limit the Lord by refusing to do
what He has given us the power to do ourselves
in overcoming sin. We have a mind, and we
have a will. By choosing not to sin and putting
that decision into action, the way is instantly
opened for God to move against the enemy
and secure our deliverance.
Is there a struggle, then, in subduing the
flesh and escaping from the authority of sin?
Indeed, there will be continual conflict in re-
sisting the inherited propensities to disobey
God. But the encouraging thing is that none
of these efforts need to end with defeat. God Understanding Romans 7 31
causes us always to triumph as we exercise
the natural weapons of decisive action against
the enemy.
Taking a Stand
Paul did not intend for us to linger too
long in the anguished pathways of chapter 7.
It is a necessary place to pass through, but it
is not made for Christian dwelling and living.
After the law has shown us our need for the
cleansing grace of Christ, our relationship with
the law changes. No longer is there the clash
between what must be done and what cannot
be done.
Although chapter 8 still speaks of the
law—the very same law—the futile struggle to
keep it is finished. The carnal mind, which was
not subject to that law, has now been changed
into a spiritual mind. As children of Adam,
we will possess his fallen nature until we are
translated into glory when Christ returns, but
the converted mind no longer is forced to obey
the dictates of that fallen nature. The power
of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for every
Christian to choose not to sin. By daily dying
to self and sin, the justified believer is enabled
to overpower completely the propensities of 32 The Flesh and the Spirit
his fallen nature and to live a life of total obe-
dience to God. The One who has condemned
sin in the flesh now fulfills in us the just re-
quirements of the law, making obedience not
only possible, but a glorious privilege indeed.
Thanks be to God!
The word carnival comes from the Latin
word “carne,” which means flesh. In around
a.d. 400, the great Roman Coliseum was often
packed with spectators who had come to view
the violent games. The bloody entertainment
consisted of watching human beings and wild
beasts battle one another to the death. The as-
sembled multitude wildly reveled in such sport
and roared with delight when a person or beast
was brutally slain. This is from where we get
the world carnival.
But on one day, when the vast Coliseum
crowd was watching a bloody gladiatorial bat-
tle, a Syrian monk, Telemachus, took action.
Deeply grieved and outraged by the utter dis-
regard for human life, he boldly leaped into the
arena in the midst of the butchery and cried
out, “This thing is not right! This thing must
stop!” Because he interfered with the entertain-
ment, the emperor of Rome commanded that
Telemachus be run through with a sword. Thus Understanding Romans 7 33
he died. But through his courage and death, he
kindled a flame in the hearts of thinking per-
sons. History records that his sacrifice caused
attendance to decline and soon cease altogeth-
er. Why? Because one man dared to speak out
against the evil celebration of carnage.
Despite the popular opinions that appeal
to our passions, Christians cannot live for the
flesh and still walk in the Spirit. We must speak
out against sin, even when unpopular.
But the good news is that though we all
travel through the wilderness experience of
Romans 7, we can enter the Promised Land
of chapter 8. Let your soul feast upon the milk
and honey of freedom, victory, and adoption
into the family of God. It is the very best place
to pitch your tent and remain forever. Paul
reserves his choicest words, his most unre-
strained language, to portray the joy and se-
curity of those who are controlled by the Holy
Spirit. Meditate long and often upon these
verses, which depict so beautifully the experi-
ence that God desires every one of His children
to manifest moment by moment:
“The Spirit itself beareth witness …
that we are the children of God. Heirs 34 The Flesh and the Spirit
of God and joint-heirs with Christ.
… And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love
God. … For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son. … If God be
for us, who can be against us? How
shall he not freely give us all things?
… Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? … We are more than
conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, Nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature, shall be able
to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(Romans 8:16–39).
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