Romans 7: The Sinfulness of the Righteous

 Romans 7

The Sinfulness of the Righteous

Romans 7 is an important chapter in the Bible that deserves a proper look. People have often debated whether or not this is post-conversion or pre-conversion and most have agreed that the person in question is actively falling into sin despite not wanting it. 

I personally maintain another view. 
In this blog I wish to present this view the best way I can.

In short: I believe that the man in Romans 7 is a post-conversion Christian who is having victory over sin and actively resisting the law of sin that is still in him and doing what he doesn't want.

In my own personal life this view fits like a glove. Before I even knew of this interpretation, I thought in the same manner on the Christian life from experience. I had formulated similar things to myself from my own experience and the writings of Ellen White.

And when I came across this interpretation of Romans 7 from someone named David Leone it made perfect sense. And the more I looked at the context of Romans 7, the more it seemed logical.

Today it seems to me to be a perfect combination of the victory over sin camp on the one side and the broken sinner who presently needs grace camp on the other.

But enough about how I came to this view. Let me make my case in the best way I can.

Starting off, we should look at the preceding chapters of Romans 7. 

In Romans 1-3 Paul proves that everyone is under sin. His entire point can be summed up in this:

[Rom 3:9 NKJV] 9 What then? Are we better [than they]? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

Then in Romans 3-5 he mainly talks about justification by faith and the grace of God.

In these chapters the emphasis is on how God justifies the sinner and constitutes him righteous by faith. Romans 3 gives an introduction, Romans 4 gets into it deeper and uses Abraham as an example and Romans 5 looks at it from the perspective of Adam.

Then in Romans 6-8 sanctification becomes the main theme. In Romans 6 he talks about how the old man has legally died in Christ in His death. He talks about walking as a new man since we have also resurrected in Him. Our old natural man is the body of sin by which we were slaves to sin. 

But His death and His life are imputed to us. Therefore we should walk like it:

[Rom 6:1-11 NKJV] 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be [in the likeness] of [His] resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [Him], that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For [the death] that He died, He died to sin once for all; but [the life] that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He continues by showing how:

[Rom 6:12-14 NKJV] 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

In this passage Paul is talking about the lusts of the flesh. He does not write as if all these lusts are gone. The old man is still there. 

But we do not let it reign. We don't obey its lusts though they are still there. We present ourselves as alive to God, since this is our new identity in Christ. We have fruit to holiness:

[Rom 6:22 NKJV] 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

A similar pattern can be seen in Galatians. 

Paul first talks about justification in chapter 1-4. 
But in Chapter 5-6 he starts talking about sacntification.

And he uses similar language:

[Gal 5:16-18 NKJV] 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

We want to do what is right. And in the Spirit we do not fulfil the lust of the flesh. But I, my old man, is still doing what I do not want. The flesh is still lusting against the Spirit even though I am not giving in.

Then we get into Romans 7.

Paul starts of talking about marriage. We will not get into what law he is talking about in this passage or what he exactly means, but for now the language of marriage and sinful passions or lusts are important to take note off:

[Rom 7:1-6 NKJV] 1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to [her] husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of [her] husband. 3 So then if, while [her] husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another--to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not [in] the oldness of the letter.

Christ is our Husband in our new life. Our sinful passions were aroused by the law. And when we were without Christ they actually bore fruit to death. But now we serve God and bare fruit to God. 
Our sinful lusts are still there, but they are under control. In this marriage relationship with Christ it is bad to lust after what is wrong, but we do not give in to those lusts. We now love Him.

But Paul elaborates on these lusts. He identifies it with a transgression of the law that would have given us the death penalty:

[Rom 7:7-12 NKJV] 7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all [manner of evil] desire. For apart from the law sin [was] dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which [was] to [bring] life, I found to [bring] death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed [me]. 12 Therefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

The old man, the flesh, has evil desires. And on virtue of those desires we deserve that even though the law itself is good.

He concludes:

[Rom 7:13-14 NKJV] 13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

The law is good, but we are carnal, sold under sin. Our old man, our flesh, our nature is sinful. We are lusting for what is evil and wrong. This is the I or the old man. But in Christ we have a new life that is not I, but Christ who dwells in me. And in this life we do not let those evil desires have dominion over us, even though they are still there and even though they are a transgression of the law that even goes as far as the lust itself.

It is with this background that we get into the core of Romans 7.

Before we do I want to give a little bit more information. In Romans 7 two Greek words are used for the word 'doing'. 

The first is poieo which is just the regular word for doing. The second is katergazomai which is more about working something out or to perform something.

In this context katergazomai which we will denote with k would be about the actual fruits we bear. We walk in the Spirit and do not do what our old man is lusting after. In sanctification it is the power of the will that is on the side of God. And therefore we are not letting sin reign in us. 
Poeieo would just be the regular word for doing. And I, the old man who is sold under sin, do what is evil and what my sanctified will does not want.

The YLT translation actually makes a nice distinction between this word. It translated k as 'work it' and the other word as simply doing.

The LSB even translates k as 'working it out'. 

Finally, the word that is used for understanding is translated as I allow not in the KJV which seems to be an accurate translation in this context. We do not know or consent to sin since we are married to Christ. We do not allow it.

With all this in mind let us go through Romans 7. We will use different translations for extra clarity.

[Rom 7:14-15 KJV] 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

I, who is carnal and sold under sin, the flesh, do what I hate. The flesh is carnal and cannot please God. I want to do good, but my flesh does evil. But even though I do not do what I want, I do not allow this old man.

The will in Romans 7 is on the side of God. And Ellen White correctly states:

As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings. COL 333.1

Yes, there is a victory. Yes, sin is not reigning in us. We do not allow it and we hate it. But the flesh still has evil desires and does what we do not want it to do.

He goes on:

[Rom 7:16-20 LSB] 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want, I agree with the Law, that it is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good [is] not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.

I do not want evil. I agree with the law that it is good. But my flesh is still doing the thing I don't want. 
But it is no longer me working it out. But the sin that dwells in me is still doing it. There is nothing good in my nature, in my flesh. I want to do good and I am no longer working out those evil desires, but the sin that dwells in me cannot do good. It is simply evil and a transgression of the law in and of itself.

He goes on to describe this experience:

[Rom 7:21-23 LSB] 21 I find then the principle that in me evil is present--in me who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin which is in my members.

This is what sanctification looks like. It is a great war. It is joyfully concurring with the law of God that it is good like the psalmist did and which the flesh would never admit, but seeing evil present with you. The law of sin is still in your members and the more you do good, the more it becomes very visible. 
And this is why the more you obey Christ, the more you realise your own sinfulness and your evil inside of you. Yes, the Spirit gives you a new life and new lusts. But the lusts of the flesh do not disappear in this war.

He concludes:

[Rom 7:24-25 LSB] 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Our flesh is serving sin. This sinful flesh will never become holy. It always has the law of sin and is inherently evil. It is the old man that had to die and which has died in Christ.

But in Christ we are made alive and we serve Him. We serve Him with the mind and we obey the law of God. We are liberated from the flesh to walk in the lusts of the Spirit. 

But even in our best obedience and in our best sanctification we still call ourselves a wretched man. We realise we have a body of death, a body of sin, evil desires, a law of sin dwelling in us. We see ourselves as sinners.

Exodus says this about the holy things of Gods people:

[Exo 28:38 NKJV] 38 "So it shall be on Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

It still has iniquity.

And Ellen White says:

The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin, ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the intercessor who is at God’s right hand presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censor of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censor the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned. 15LtMs, Ms 50, 1900, par. 17

The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of his character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves. Those whom Heaven recognizes as holy ones are the last to parade their own goodness. Men who have lived near to God, men who would sacrifice life itself rather than knowingly commit a wrong act, men whom God has honored with divine light and power, have confessed the sinfulness of their own nature. They have put no confidence in the flesh, have claimed no righteousness of their own, but have trusted wholly in the righteousness of Christ. So will it be with all who behold the Saviour. YI June 5, 1902, par. 9

This is the life of the Christian. And this strikes the perfect balance between obedience and true humility and brokeness.

Romans 8 simply continues where Romans 7 finished off:

[Rom 8:1-4, 7-8 NKJV] 1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God [did] by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ... 7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Jesus came in the likeness of this sinful flesh. He did not have the evil desires that would have been a transgression of the law. He did not have the law of sin. Yes, He was tempted and went through the same kind of fight as we. But He was also spotless.

We, however, are falling short even in our perfection. Though we may imitate Christ in this life and completely surrender ourselves in perfection to the will of God, we will never equal the righteousness of Christ.

Ministers especially should know the character and works of Christ, that they may imitate Him; for the character and works of a true Christian are like His. He laid aside His glory, His dominion, His riches, and sought after those who were perishing in sin. He humbled Himself to our necessities, that He might exalt us to heaven. Sacrifice, self-denial, and disinterested benevolence characterized His life. He is our pattern. Have you, Brother A, imitated the Pattern? I answer: No. He is a perfect and holy example, given for us to imitate. We cannot equal the pattern; but we shall not be approved of God if we do not copy it and, according to the ability which God has given, resemble it. Love for souls for whom Christ died will lead to a denial of self and a willingness to make any sacrifice in order to be co-workers with Christ in the salvation of souls. 2T 549.1

What encouragement! What gems of knowledge!

When we see our sinful flesh raging against the Spirit we may become discouraged thinking that we are still lost. But instead we do not have to give in. If you see the flesh warring against the Spirit, you may well be on the right track. Do not give in to it. The Spirit is given to enable you to resist it. 
Do you see yourself as a sinner? Do you but see your own corruption and nothing good in your flesh? So it was with saint Paul. 
Yes, you are a sinner. Yes, you are terrible. But you are sensitive to sin. You realise you are wretched, naked and poor. You don't emphasize your good works much because this is simply a duty. But you see sin as exceedingly sinful. 
But Christ is your righteousness. He is your Mediator. He came to save the sinner, not the Pharisee who was proud in his own sinlessness. He loves you, justifies you purely by grace. Do not look to yourself, but to Christ who stands in heaven. 
He went through a similar battle and can sympathise you but He is also holy enough to stand as a perfect substitute.

God gave His Son to die for you and He resurrected so that you could be set free. Yes, you deserve death. But that death penalty was satisfied 2000 years ago. Yes, you need righteousness to live. But that perfect righteousness was already lived 2000 years ago. 

Lay a hold on this and you will not be ashamed on the day of judgment. We believe Christ is doing an investigative judgment right now to see who is worthy to receive the Kingdom. 
Will you be able to stand?
Do you want to stand?
Do you want to be safe from the wrath of God against sin?

There is only one way to stand.

[Rom 5:1-2, 9-10 NKJV] 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ... 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.