An Ongoing Struggle

Paul is describing the struggle of the Christian life, the conflict “between himself as a new creature in Christ, the new man, and that old, sinful, un-Christian nature that he nevertheless retains in some measure,” according to Dr. James M. Boice. This struggle, Boice adds, “is part of what it means to be a Christian in an as-yet-unperfected state.” The fact that none other than Paul himself endures such a struggle makes this point nicely.

Boice notes that, in Romans 7:14–24, Paul says essentially the same thing three times. In verses 14–17, the passage we examined yesterday, he states the problem in general terms. But in today’s passage, he looks at the problem from different angles. First, in verses 18–20, he examines his compulsion to do what he does not want to do. The problem for Paul, in simple terms, is that “in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells.” He cannot find the ability to do good and ends up doing evil, even though he wants to do good. Again, as we saw yesterday, the problem is the “flesh,” the sinful nature. God has delivered him from slavery to sin so that he now desires to please God. But his sinful nature opposes this new desire. Thus, he is driven to do the opposite of what he wishes. Second, in verses 21–24, Paul focuses on his inability to do what he does want to do. He truly wishes to please God, and he even goes so far as to say that he “delights” in God’s law in his “inward man.” But in the ongoing warfare, the sinful desires of the old nature prove stronger than those of the new nature.

The one cold comfort for Paul is that “if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” In other words, the desire to please God proves that he is indeed God’s child, and only the lingering presence of his sinful nature gets in the way of loving obedience. And yet, this bothers Paul so greatly that he calls himself a “wretched man.” He is at his lowest point, overwhelmed by his inability. He needs help, as do we all. Boice writes: “The struggle Paul speaks of is a struggle we all face and will continue to face—if we are Christians. And the defeat he speaks of is the experience of all—even when we are well along in the Christian life—apart from the Holy Spirit.” We cannot overcome our sinful natures and gain the ability to serve and please God other than through the power of the Spirit.