Romans - Week 15

I Do It Anyway

READ

Read Romans 7:18-20

18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

Paul continues to contrast the old nature with the new nature. His old nature draws him toward things he does not want to do. He is not saying that the sin nature forces him do something, but that it draws him toward what he knows he should not do. By an act of the will, the apostle Paul—and every believer—must decide whether he will follow the urge of the old nature or new nature.

REFLECT

Do you notice this struggle in your life? Do you realize that you must choose which way you will go?

RESPOND

Read 1 Corinthians 3:2-4 that reveals how Paul could tell the Corinthians were living by the old nature instead of the new nature.

Principle of Life

READ

Read Romans 7:21-23

21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

Paul writes that when he wants to do right he does what is wrong. This is the frustration of a believer in Christ; an unbeliever has no such frustration. Notice that he loves God’s law that is in his heart. No unbeliever would experience that. Paul was fighting the battle of being a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.

REFLECT

Take time to reflect on your life. When was the last time you faced the struggle Paul is describing?

RESPOND

Are you sharing with someone else what you are learning? Hopefully you have a disciple who is willing to learn more from the Scriptures and about the Christian life. Do not keep this information to yourself.

A Miserable Person

READ

Read Romans 7:24-25

24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Paul here uses a figure of speech not seen in the translation. He was viewing the sin nature as if a dead body were strapped on his back. But he thanks God that the answer is in what Jesus has done for him. His mind has been transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit so he wants to do the right thing, but he realizes the sin nature is always tugging at him.

REFLECT

As a believer, do you realize you have the indwelling Holy Spirit to urge you and empower you to do the right thing?

RESPOND

Read John 14:16-17 in which Jesus told about the Holy Spirit He would send who would eventually be “in” believers.

No Condemnation

READ

Read Romans 8:1-2

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

As Paul was writing this letter there were no chapter or verse divisions. They were added later to help in referencing specific statements. So read directly on from chapter 7 to chapter 8 to see how Paul goes from frustration to rejoicing. It was a tremendous relief for him—or any believer—to realize in spite of the struggles living the Christian life there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. The Holy Spirit has freed believers in Christ from the power of sin.

REFLECTION

Think about all the relief you can experience by realizing Jesus has freed you from all condemnation.

RESPOND

Read John 3:18-21 that assures people there is no condemnation for those who believe in Jesus.

Fully Satisfied

READ

Read Romans 8:3-4

3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Paul explains why the law could not save: people were too weak in themselves to obey it. So Jesus took on a physical body to offer Himself a sacrifice for sin. He had to have a body to be able to die, and He had to be God for His death to be effective for all mankind. His death paid the penalty for sin that would fall on each individual. Although He paid the debt for all people, the benefits of His death are applied only to those who trust in Him as Savior.

REFLECT

Think on the fact that while Jesus was in a human body He was not only fully God but also fully man. Both were necessary for Him to accomplish salvation for mankind.

RESPOND

Read Philippians 2:5-8 that tells of Jesus giving up what He had with the Father to come to earth in a human body and die on the cross. Although He remained fully God, for the most part He gave up exercising the outward manifestations of being God.