Posted on 08/19/2014 2:56:45 PM PDT by Graybeard58
What does this part of the letter from Paul, to the Romans mean to you:
Romans 7, V 14-25
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 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.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 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.
Opinions?
Only Christ has the power to free man (and woman) from the power of sin.
There’s an old saying - the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
That we are to strive to keep God’s law spiritually and physically. However, our carnality fights against our spirituality and we need the spirit of Christ to subdue our carnality.
Man has a propensity to sin.The law of our flesh can overcome our desire to obey God’s laws; i.e. extreme hunger can tempt one to steal.
In the last verse, Paul seems to be thanking God, that in his flesh, he serves the law of sin.
Probably where that saying came from.
*God expects more out of me that I do.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
*Sometimes I act a fool but that ain't me.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
*I ain't mad when I the cops bust me.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
*I ain't bad, I'm just drawn this way.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
*Sometimes I'm ignorant for weeks.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
*Uhh.. what?
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
*So.. not my fault? Or what? Speak English!
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
So.. no good deed goes unpunished? Speak English!
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Uhhh.. Ok.
23 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.
Yeah, I got some arthritis.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Ibuprofen. Naproxen Sodium too.
25 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.
Thanks, indeed. But how you figure I've sinned?
Best translation and answers I was able to look up on the intarwebs.
Some truth and a lot of humor, thanks.
Reminder to self. I’ll check with my wife tonight. She’s is a bit of a biblical scholar.
Yup.
1. Why do you ask?
2. Seriously — you live in Congo?
I think he's thanking God for setting him free from his body of sin in the previous verse. The law of flesh is living according to the flesh....a slave of sin. Paul is saying that Christ let's him overcome the flesh.
It helps if you start at the beginning of the chapter.
It is a logical progression showing that we are not under the law, but rather under the new covenant of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice... However, he also shows in this argument that born again christians should not use this as an excuse to sin, because it can still lead to our physical death.
Just because we have Christ does not free us from the law unto our flesh... but it does free us from the “Law of sin and death” which directly governs our life after death.
Someone who has received Jesus as their savior cannot revoke their salvation by sinning... but they are not freed from the immediate consequences of sin, which brings judgment to the flesh.
I thought this passage was fairly clear: For Paul, our inner sense of morality conflicts with the impulses of “the flesh”, but the grace of Christ helps us to overcome those impulses.
God expects us to be holy even as He is holy. He has given us His Spirit to help us to be holy and His commandments to guide us.
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. Rom 7:15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Someone who is saved knows that the law is good, but we are weak. They desire to do the things pleasing to God but cannot.
Rom 7:17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Rom 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
We recognize our true nature-that sin dwells in us striving against God's Spirit. Unlike non-Christians, we desire to do the things of God but we don't always follow through in doing them. We don't share the gospel, tithe, do good works, etc. as much as we should when given the opportunities.
Rom 7:19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Rom 7:20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Not to follow God's will is evil in us and is sin.
Rom 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Rom 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
God expects us to be holy. We know we don't meet that requirement as we Christians sin deliberately all the while we have the Holy Spirit in us.
We are being refined. We sin, but we don't practice sin. This is what sanctification is all about.
No YOPIOS out of me.
Your Own Personal Interpretation Of Scripture.
and also, I think, he is trying to be reassuring to believers - saying, in the humblest way possible “even I, educated, with as much dedication and energy as any human could ever have, having even had an encounter with the Risen Christ, and *I* still have all the same problems, temptations and frustrations as anybody, so take heart”
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