Paul's Epistles Part 16 – What I hate and What I do

Paul's Epistles

Part 16 – What I hate and What I do

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons. In Chapter 6 we looked at Paul telling us to be Dead to Sin, and Alive in Christ and that we are Slaves to Righteousness, Released from the Law and Bound to Christ.

Today we will take a look at Romans chapter 7, and how we are Released from the Law and Bound to Christ.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Romans 7:7-25

 ⁷ What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ⁸ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. ⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. ¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ 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. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

                   I.            THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW

a.      What shall we say then?

                                                                         i.      In verses 1-6 of this chapter, Paul has shown that the Believer is no longer under The Law

                                                                      ii.      In the remainder of the chapter, he shows that a Believer who puts himself under the law, failing to avail himself of the resources of Grace, is a defeated Christian.

b.     Is the Law therefore sin?

                                                                         i.      God forbid.

                                                                      ii.      Man's condition is not caused by The Law of God, for The Law is Holy; rather it is exposed by The Law.

                                                                   iii.      Paul says, "I had not known sin if it were not for The Law."

                                                                     iv.      The Law of Moses only defined what sin is, but gave NO POWER to overcome sin!

c.      Evil Desire

                                                                         i.      If the Believer tries to live for God by means other than the Cross, he will be ruled by "evil desires"; and no matter how dedicated he might be otherwise, he will not be able to stop the process in that manner, and it will get worse and worse.

                                                                      ii.      The Law of Moses fully exposed what was already in man's heart; which was one of the reasons God gave it.

                                                                   iii.      Paul's sin nature continued to be revived because Paul was trying to live for God in his own power.

                                                                     iv.      He states that he was "dead in the commandments", meaning, he failed to obey them no matter how hard he tried.

                                                                        v.      If the Apostle Paul could not live for God of his own strength, neither can you.

               II.            SINFUL NATURE (WHAT NATURALLY OCCURS)

a.      The Law is Spiritual

                                                                         i.      But we are unspiritual, a slave to sin

                                                                      ii.      The Law is totally of God, and from God, who is Spirit

                                                                   iii.      We are slaves to sin because of Adam's fall

                                                                     iv.      which has affected all of mankind

                                                                        v.      Which means, no one...not even Spirit Filled Believer's can keep The Law of God if they attempt to do so outside of faith in the Cross.

b.     The dilemma of Paul, and us all

                                                                         i.      I do not understand the things I do. (failures)

1.      These are NOT the words of an unsaved man, rather, a Believer trying and failing.

                                                                      ii.      What I want to do, I don't do...

1.      Why?

2.      Paul explains that the Believer is to be married with Christ.

3.      However, is being unfaithful to Christ by spiritually co-habiting with The Law, which frustrates the Grace of God.

4.      This means, the Holy Spirit will NOT help such a person, and that guarantees failure.

                                                                   iii.      but what I hate, I do

1.      refers to the sin in Paul's life

2.      which he doesn't want to do

3.      and in fact, hates

4.      but finds himself unable to stop

c.      I know that in me, dwells no good thing

                                                                         i.      Paul speaks of his flesh

                                                                      ii.      We have a SIN NATURE

                                                                   iii.      Nature, meaning what comes "naturally"

                                                                     iv.      This, because of Adam's fall

                                                                        v.      The Law revealing this state of our flesh, and the need for the Spirit of God (salvation through Christ) to redeem our souls.

            III.            THE BODY AND THE MIND

a.      I delight in the Law of God

                                                                         i.      in my inner being.

                                                                      ii.      Spiritually, Believers line up with God and His Law

                                                                   iii.      However, outwardly, our flesh is still "unredeemed", and therefore weak, and the moment we take our eyes off Christ, we fail.

b.     I find this Law at work (Law of Sin and Death - Romans 8:2)

                                                                         i.      Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

                                                                      ii.      However, I see another Law at work (The Law of Sin and Death desiring to USE MY BODY AS AN INSTRUMENT OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS)

                                                                   iii.      The Body waging war against the Law of my mind...making me a prisoner of the Law of Sin at work within me.

c.      What a wretched man I am!

                                                                         i.      Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

CONCLUSION

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's Law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Job 19:25 "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth."

Our souls redeemed with Salvation, and our new bodies will be given to us after we die, and this flesh returns to the dust from which it came.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!