Spiritual Law, but I am of flesh (1) (Romans 7:14-16)

Spiritual Law, but I am of flesh (1)

 

 

 

[Romans 7:14-16]

 

Let's review the book of Romans again. Here's the structure of Romans:

 

Romans 1-11: Deals with doctrine.

Romans 1:1-17: Introduction to Romans.

Romans 1:18 - 3:20: Addresses sin.

Romans 3:21 - 5:26: Discusses justification.

Romans 6:1 - 8:30: Covers sanctification.

Romans 8:31-39: Addresses glorification.

Romans 9-11: Discusses predestination.

Romans 12-16: Focuses on practical application.

 

Today's passage, Romans 7:14-16, is part of the section on sanctification within the structure of Romans.  Romans 7:14-16 says: "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.  For I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good."  Today, we will focus on Romans 7:14: "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin."

 

Romans 7:14a says: "For we know that the Law is spiritual ...."  Here, the essence of "the Law" refers to the Ten Commandments (Exod. 20:1-17).  It is considered spiritual because these commandments were written by God Himself on stone tablets, which He personally engraved (32:16).  Besides the Ten Commandments, the other laws found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, though not directly written by God, were recorded by Moses under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21), and therefore, they too are spiritual.  2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness."  2 Peter 1:21 - "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Romans 7:14b says: "For I am of the flesh, sold under sin."  Here, "I" refers to the apostle Paul [the word "I" appears 6 times in Romans 7:14-16].  Scholars suggest three possible contexts when Paul uses "I": (1) "I" refers to Paul before he believed in Jesus, when he was an unbeliever.  (2) "I" refers to Paul as a recent convert, shortly after believing in Jesus.  (3) "I" refers to Paul at a mature stage of faith.  Among these scholars' claims, I believe that the third interpretation, where "I" refers to Paul at a mature stage of faith, is valid.  The reason is that when Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, he had already been through significant experiences.  After being imprisoned with Silas and experiencing an earthquake that led to their release (Acts 16:25-26), Paul spent three months in Greece, particularly in Corinth ("Achaia" - Acts 20:2-3).  During his imprisonment in Philippi, where execution was imminent, Paul demonstrated mature faith by praying and praising God alongside Silas.  Therefore, when Paul stated in Romans 7:14b that he was "of the flesh, sold under sin," he was not an unbeliever or a recent convert, but rather at a stage of mature faith.  In such a mature stage of faith, when the apostle Paul said that he was "of the flesh, sold under sin," we understand that he recognized the existence of two laws within himself: "the law of God" (v. 22) and "another law in my members" (v. 23).  These laws were in conflict within him.  Romans 7:21-23 states: "So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me."  Here, Paul discovered a principle: that while he desires to do good, evil is present within him.  His inner self delights in God's Law, but there is another law at work in his physical body, waging war against his mind and making him a captive of sin within him.

 

We Christians are currently engaged in a spiritual battle.  Right now, our inner selves delight in God's law and desire to live according to it, but our physical bodies have another law that causes us to disobey God's Law and behave according to the desires of the flesh, like those who belong to the flesh.  With these two laws at war within us, we must live according to the guidance of the Spirit, fighting against the desires of the flesh and overcoming them.  We must fight and overcome the other law within our flesh using "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).  Galatians 5:16-25 says: "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."  Therefore, may we all be able to make this confession of faith like the apostle Paul: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Tim. 4:7-8).