Romans 7:15 – I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (NLT)
In verse 15 Paul speaks of a situation in life where we often find ourselves – behaving in a way in which we know is wrong, an action that we dislike, yet we feel powerless to change. Maybe this is anger towards someone, a grudge we can’t let go off, or a habit that holds us captive. Whatever the situation, we all have found ourselves there. Looking at verse 15 alone, one would think we are powerless to change. That’s the point! On our own, we are powerless to change.
As always, we should read more than one verse to gain a proper biblical understanding. Paul states in verse 17 that what causes us to become stuck in such a behavior is sin living within us. Here is a biblical truth we cannot ignore – sin wants to live within us. Paul tells us in verse 18 that we will always lose to sin – on our own. Verse 24 asks a question that each Christian must ask: “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?”
The answer is in verse 25: “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Now the Scripture wasn’t written in chapters and verses as we have it today. Many of the books and letters were one continuous work. Unfortunately, when the Scriptures were divided into chapter and verses, it caused us to miss something powerful in a passage because the key to understand the passage is in the next chapter. Here in Romans, we quit reading at the end of chapter seven, but the first verse of chapter eight holds a key to understanding this passage. Consider the end of chapter seven and the beginning of chapter eight together: “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus”.
Because of our faith in what Jesus has done for us, there is no longer any condemnation for those who belong to Jesus! This is no excuse for our not trying to better ourselves, but when we fail, and when our hearts truly desire what is right, our sin is no longer held against us. This, my friends, is Good News!
Today, let us do our best to live the life that God desires, but let us also know that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus! Amen!
Posted by Ramón Torres
Sadly it seems so many people even Christians think they have no control over what they think, do, or say. The devil made me do it. How can we claim Christ and continue to behave as if we don’t know him. I believe He has forgiven me and He expects me to behave like I believe the Good News…His Kingdom come His Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…2.6 Billion Christians….believing and behaving like Jesus…we could through Him change the world…🙏🙏🙏