Brief Summary:
Paul shows that it is not
the Law that brings death, but the unbelieving Jew, who acknowledges that the Law is good, succumbs to the
power of sin, because he is under its power.
(Romans 1:13-25)
Detailed Summary:
In light of what
Paul has written in the previous verses about how the Mosaic Law caused him to
realize that he is spiritually dead, Paul anticipates another objection:
Romans 7:13a - Did that which is good [referring to the Law which is described in
the previous verse as holy, righteous, and good], then, become death to me?
Note this
objection is similar to the one addressed in verse 7a:
c.f. Romans
7:7a -
What shall we say, then? Is the law sin?
Again, the
apostle then answers with an emphatic NO!
Romans 7:13b - By no
means!
Paul shows that
it is not the Law that brings death, but the unbelieving
Jew, who acknowledges that the Law is good, succumbs to the power of sin,
because he is under its power.
Paul affirms that the Law is spiritual, that it is he, under the power of sin who is responsible
for sin and resulting death:
Romans
Paul then depicts the confusion that ensues as he on
one hand, acknowledges that the Law is good, and he wants to obey
the Law, yet continues to break the Law:
Romans
Since the Law
is good, and not the cause of evil, and he himself desires to obey the Law and yet continues to not to obey
the Law - Paul concludes there must be a third factor involved: sin.
Romans
Note: by using
language that it is no longer I, but sin - Paul is not saying that he is not
responsible for his sin. He is only concluding that since he, in one sense,
wants to obey the Law and yet does not - there must be a third opposing factor
involved. He identifies that third factor as indwelling sin.
Here Paul, lamenting his wretched condition, asks how
he can be delivered.
Romans
At this point, it appears, Paul cannot resist such a
question coming from an unbeliever and responds (briefly) from his Christian
perspective with what he knows to be the solution to the unbeliever's dilemma.
Romans 7:25a - Thanks be to God--
through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Paul then returns
to expressing the unbeliever's dilemma - summarizing what he has said to this
point.
Romans 7:25b - So then, I myself in my
mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of
sin.