Don't Do and Do Do

Romans 7:14-21
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin's power. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this principle: when I want to do good, evil is with me.
The passage at large talks about the ongoing struggle between our old sinful nature and our new spiritual nature. When we accept Jesus we are born again, we take on the nature of Christ which seeks to please the Father in everything. However, since we remain in these natural bodies we must continue to contend with the sinful nature which seeks to pleasure itself. So while part of me wants to obey God, another part does not. Therefore the sinful nature will always lead, or at least try to lead me to do things that my spiritual nature doesn’t want to do.
Verses 14 and 16 say the law is spiritual, and that it’s good. Why is the law spiritual and good? To most the law seems very unspiritual. It’s so cut and dry, so oppressive and restrictive, and the Bible elsewhere says the law is powerless to work salvation. So how is it good and spiritual? It is recognized as good and spiritual when you realize its purpose was never to save. Its purpose is to show us what screw ups we are and that we need a savior to save us. Matthew Henry says “It discovers the defilement, but it will not wash it off.” God knew when He gave the law to Moses that no one would be able to, or choose to, keep it in its entirety. Knowing that we would not keep it God instated the law so we would recognize the sinfulness in ourselves.
Seeing the real purpose of the law we are able to see how it is good. That’s why Paul says when he does what is wrong he must admit the law is good. It does its job. When I read the commands and requirements of God I realize what a wretch I am. Everything God says not to do, I do and vice versa. So how is it spiritual? When I read the law and it does its job I am closer to accepting Jesus as the savior the law shows me I need. This is a spiritual process and anything that helps me get to the point where I accept Jesus is spiritual.

I love that Paul says in v15 “I do not understand what I do.” After I have messed up in some way I am so confused. “How could I let this happen? How could I be so dark and godless after knowing His grace?” I understand it from a theological sense. I have two natures that don’t get along. But I still get confused with how I can continue to fail time after time.

Paul goes on to say that it is not him, but the sin that lives in him, which disobeys God. This verse needs to be handled very carefully, for it could become an excuse to sin. After any sin one might say “It wasn’t my choice, it’s the sin that lives in me.” Paul does not mean here that he has no option, or that he is under the absolute control of a mysterious creature inside him. This verse should be understood as follows. Since Adam and Eve every man is born with a sinful nature, the natural propensity to want to disobey God. Even after salvation that sinful nature remains in the body. So when we sin, that sinful temptation originated in our sinful nature. That nature is what tempts us and draws us to disobey. In that sense it is the sin that lives inside us that is causing us to sin. However, we must recognize that we now have the power to choose to give in to the sinful nature or not. It is therefore the sinful nature that acts out these wrong things, but when we give into them it is our choice.

Vs 18 Nothing good lives in me, that is in my sinful nature. What does this mean? Does Paul mean this literally? That seems unlikely. Even in the fallen nature we are still created in the image of God. Even unsaved mothers love their children. Unsaved men have been willing to risk their lives to pull people out of burning buildings. There are still inklings of God’s nature in us. Paul is using a literary tool called hyperbole. This is when you use an exaggeration to drive home a point, like “There were a million people in line at the store.” Paul is using hyperbole to show that human nature is extremely depraved and fallen. Paul uses his own struggle for evidence of this. When he wants to obey, he feels powerless to do so. Again, Paul’s statement that he “cannot carry it out” must be properly understood. I don’t think he is saying it is a literal impossibility to carry out, but that the desire to disobey is so strong that he will not choose to obey. Think of a person terrified of heights stuck on a skyscraper ledge. A heroic officer would stick their head out the window and tell him to carefully walk to the window. Now, that person has the ability to do just that. They can obey your instructions. But the fear that lives in them has crippled them to where they will not move and inch.

Verses 19-20 are reiterating points already made. Remember anytime something is repeated in the Bible that means the author is not being redundant, but trying to show the importance of something. Here Paul is emphasizing the fallen nature in us.

Paul says in verse 21 that when he wants to do good evil is right there with him. This is important. We must remember that neither Satan nor our sinful nature will ever take a day off. No matter how spiritual we are, or how close to God we get we will never reach a point when we no longer need to be vigilant in avoiding temptation (Prov 16:18, 1 Cor 10:12). Sin will take advantage of any opportunity it sees. There is nothing more annoying than a prayer time that gets interrupted by a wondering mind. There is no safe place or time. If you are breathing, there is the possibility of temptation.