Romans 7:15-8:4 - part 2

2. The law of indwelling sin (Rom 7:23):

Another law clearly seen in Romans 7 is that of indwelling sin. This refers to our old natures still within us. Paul freely admitted that this law was at work within himself when he says:

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin...For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not...For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want...I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good...For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man...but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members (Rom 7:14, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23).

Does this mean that Paul was not the true man of God that Scripture presents to us? No, because he doesn't discuss his general manner of life, but his problem — the problem we all have — with sin.

We see this as well in Galatians 5:17:

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Paul's honest confession should humble us because it comes from a man who was undoubtedly more godly than we are. But knowing about the law of indwelling sin should also encourage us. It's almost like God is telling us: "Write this down, cement it in your mind: In you (in your old self) is no good thing — it is totally corrupt. But it has been crucified with Christ."

Therefore, we won't achieve victory over sin through subjective examination of our old nature, much less in attempts to improve it, but only in an objective focus on Christ, in whom we now stand before God, justified from every sin, past, present and future.

(to be continued)