Romans 7 Understood in 5 Minutes

 

Romans 7’s negativity has been virtually universally misunderstood as being Paul’s current state in Christ.

It is not our current state in Christ, as this post will show.

But, for the dominant many, who incorrectly hold this view, it does not contain occasional failure (Piper). Romans 7 contains total defeat (Schreiner).

“For I do not do the good that I want to do. Instead, I do the evil which I do not want to do.” Romans 7:19

Paul fell into sin when he wanted to do good, which was all the time – he did not want to do evil.

He declared himself a miserable wretch (Rom 7:24). Being a wretch is evidence of great and perpetual defeat, not of occasional error.

Our misunderstanding of Romans 7 has, in a twisted sense, made us feel good and off-the-hook. We personalize it this way:  “If Paul the super-apostle could not live the Christian life, then of course I cannot, and God doesn’t expect me to live it!”

So ironically, we are placing faith in failure and justifying sin!

What?

Utter nonsense.

Doesn’t sound much like victory in Jesus, does it?

Doesn’t sound much like more than conquerors, does it?

Doesn’t sound much like to him who overcomes, does it?

 

However, neither Romans 7’s context nor its very words have been discerned.

 

There are two lens that help discern Chapter 7’s meaning. The first is to note that it is bounded by two chapters based on Christ and His cross. Chapters 6 and 8 are founded on grace.

But chapter 7 is not so based. What is mankind’s default precursor to grace?

Law.

To prove this, count the number of times the word law is used in Romans 7’s 25 verses [see below at the end of the article].

It is recorded 23 times.

Add other references to commandment, letter, ordinance, the good that I would do, and implicit it pronoun references to The Law, and you will find that law words total 40.

Yes, law words occur 40 times in 25 verses, averaging 1.6 times per verse.

Is grace, our current state in Christ, the focal point of chapter 7?

No.

Law, the previous covenant before Christ, and why we had to die to The Law is its focus.

Paul’s audience was those who are living by God’s Law. He states this from the outset.

“Do you not know, brothers, (for I speak to them who know [and live by] The Law,) that the Law has dominion over a man as long as he lives?” Romans 7:1

 

The second lens is found two verses after Romans 7, where Paul delivers another staggering clue as to what he was communicating.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

How many laws does Paul reveal in this verse?

Two.

Which law overcomes?

The positive law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Which is our current state in Christ?

Again, it’s the positive law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Which law is defeated?

The negative law of sin and death.

Which of these two laws describes Romans 7, and is specifically mentioned in verses 23 and 25?

The law of sin and death.

Romans 7 lists 45 sin and death words, and is laden with their negativity [also see below].

 

What is Paul’s take-away from Romans 7?

Man living by The Law can only experience sin and death or, if you like a formula: man + law = sin & death.

So, if your continual Christian experience is Romans 7’s sin and death, then you are actually walking by The Law, not by The Person of grace, Christ Himself.

“For when we were [past tense] in the flesh [we are no longer in the flesh, Rom 8:9], the motions of sins, which were aroused by The Law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death.” Romans 7:5

Sin is only activated by taking opportunity, advantage of The Law. Sin gains a foothold by using and abusing The Law. Sin gets its power through The Law. Walking by The Law is what catalyzes sin in you.

Living by Christ is God’s antidote.

If you do not know what living by Christ is, and unfortunately this is the norm for most Christians, your only default is to continue living by The Law and experiencing its sin and death, misery and shame.

 

Our old misunderstanding, that Romans 7 describes our current state in Christ, has never served us well.

In fact, it has kept us under Satan’s foot as miserable slaves to sin!

In fact, it does a disservice to God Who delivered us totally in Christ Jesus.

However, you are no longer under Satan’s foot.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” Romans 8:37

 

You can learn to live by Christ here and now. He is in you to live together. He is not only in a distant heaven.

 

See Also:

Romans 7 Recipe: How to Make Sin (How and Why Sin Beats You)

To Whom is Paul Writing Romans 7?

Confused by Romans 7’s Present Tense?

Paraphrasing Romans 7

Conjugating Romans 7

Related Topics Links: Romans 7, Sinful Nature, Spirit and Nature

 

Source of the below charts: The Cross Divider free eBook [full context of freedom in Christ]: