Romans – The Play Part 9, Ep 1

Romans 7:16-17: But if I do the very thing that I do not wish to do, I agree with the law, confessing that it is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. This is a verse I will refer to in a minute and say to you that the word indwells here is the same word used in the Scripture when it speaks about an indwelling Holy Spirit and the Lord indwelling you—something or someone who has literally taken up home inside you.

Verse 18-20: For I know that nothing good dwells in me. Then that’s true. Nothing good dwells in me—that is, if I am speaking of me being the flesh. For the wishing, the wanting, the desire to do good is present with me, but the doing of good—I just can’t find it. For the good that I want to do, I don’t do. I practice the very evil that I’m against. But if I am doing the very thing I don’t wish to do, I’m no longer the one doing it, but sin that is living in me—that is, in my flesh.

Verse 21-22: I find then that principle, this law—alright, here’s the law, an irrefutable law. The only thing that can outdo this law are two things: a greater law or death. Death ends all laws. I find then a principle, a law, that evil is present in me—that is, in my flesh—the one who wishes to do good. For I myself joyfully concur with the law of God – my inner man – now that’s not my flesh, my inner man. Are you with me here in verse 22? My inner – not my inmost, but my inner man – agrees with the law of God, whereas that which is in my flesh does not agree with the law of God.

Verse 23: But I see a different law—there’s the law of God; there’s this law of evil. I see a law. It is working in the members of my body. He’s referring again to his flesh, to his body. And it is at war with the law of my inner man. With the law of my what? Say it. Mine. Making me a prisoner, a slave of the law of sin which is in my body. So, I’ve got a law of sin in my body. I’ve got a principle of evil present in me, keeping me from doing what I want to do. And I have sin dwelling in me—all over here in the area of my flesh.

I have an inner man, and my inner man has a law that is in my mind. Are you following that? Okay, try to keep those together, but then I see this law of sin in my body. It is greater than the law that is in my mind, which agrees with the law of God, which is outside of me. Inner man, law of mind, agreeing with law of God—but I have the sin dwelling in me. I have the law of sin in my members, and it is making me a slave, pulling me off.

Verse 24: Wretched man that I am, who is going to free me now that I am a slave to the flesh? Who is going to free me from this flesh, this body that is literally incarnated death, that is pulling me around with it—not I’m pulling it around with me, but it’s pulling me around with it? He throws up his hands. Actually, this is where Romans 7 ends.

Verse 25: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. I think this should be read: Thanks be to God; it is through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, on the one hand, I myself with my mind (inner man) am serving the law of God, but on the other hand, with my flesh, I am serving the law of sin.

Verse 8:1-3: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Say, Amen. For another law has set me free from the law of sin in this—the law of the Spirit. For what the law of Moses, the law of God, could not do because of my flesh, God did. And I think I will just stop right there. God did.

Last time, we learned that God was for us. Say Amen. Now then, we are going to find, finally, the engine of the Christian life. We’re not going to call this message How to Live the Christian Life, but this is definitely the engine for living the Christian life. And this is going to get a little touchy, and I am really concerned that everybody gets a clear understanding of what’s going to be said here this evening, because it will actually set the course for the rest of our lives. Those of you who are listening on the tape and there in that little camera—you’re sitting inside that camera right now—you’re going to someday, you’re going to come here, or you’re going to have this in your home, and you’re going to sit down. You’re going to watch this message; this is where everything begins. Everything we do works from this point onward. In fact, many of the messages I brought to you on the beginning of all things—so we talked about the origin of spiritual things and where so many of our terms came from—they originated not in this realm, but in another realm. All of that works toward tonight, and tonight goes on to be worked out in all of our lives forever.

Romans 1, 2, and 3, we were in big trouble. Big trouble. The Jews were trying to fulfill the law of God. Let’s just—we’re going to put the law of God right over here, okay? Jim, just stand here a minute, would you? Come over here. No, bring the book with you. Definitely, Jim. Alright, good. Jim, just stand here with the law of God. Alright, good. Now, this brother has got the law of God. When I point over here from now, I want you to imagine this is the law of God over here; that’s where it is. Alright, thank you, brother, very much. And I point over there—remember, Jim, you can sit down now. Oh well, I’ll have you back up here in a minute, I’m sure. That’s the law of God.

The Jews were trying to fulfill this law of God over here—all of that. The Gentiles, in turn, were all trying to do good deeds in hopes that they’d have committed more good deeds than bad deeds when they stood before God. Basically, it is the same thing. It is man’s innate need, desire—consuming desire—to do good. It’s what it is.