Romans 7:21-25a

Scripture Verse

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.

Many things stand out about the famously challenging final verses of Romans 7, far too much to unpack here. But what strikes me most is that Paul seems to be externalizing all his sinful impulses. He describes evil as an alien force: as “right there with” him and a foreign “law at work within” him (vv. 21, 23). He does not say, “I am lawless”, instead, he insists, “It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (v. 20). Commentaries often interpret this “mind” versus “flesh” struggle as a metaphor for the believer’s internal conflict – the paradox of being saved yet still battling old desires. But if this is merely a battle between “new and old loves”, why does Paul so clearly refuse to take responsibility for the evil within?

Paul identifies his true self with his mind (“I myself in my mind”) which is a servant to God, but reviles his “nature”, which is a servant to sin (v. 25). Put another way, Paul identifies with who he is, his spiritual reasoning. But he cannot deny what he is, a human being with a fallen nature. Romans 6 illustrates this idea clearly: though believers have a new identity and freedom in Jesus (6:1–11), our bodies do not, retaining “mortal sin” (6:12). The self is renewed, yet human nature persists in its frailty. Now Paul’s lack of personal responsibility is explainable – when he says “Evil is right there” with him (v. 21), and he “sees another law at work” in him (v. 23), he means that it is literally there, in his fallen body.

With one question answered, another arises. If indeed our fallen natures are unchangeable, and always tempting us, what are we to do?^[1] Paul asks the same question – in this passage he longs for a permanent end to our ongoing struggle with our fallen desires. He cries in anguish: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” Thankfully for us he quickly answers his own question: “Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” The promise of the end of our sufferings, through Jesus’ deliverance, marks a turning point in Paul’s train of thought (as it does in our lives!). Chapter 8:18–24 contemplates rapturously on our promised future glory through the redemption of our bodies: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. (…) Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies”

While our souls are currently saved, we battle our nature. But our rescue is promised in Jesus. How encouraging it is to know that one day we will come into everlasting peace. The redemption of our bodies awaits us!

Prayer:

Dear God, thank You for Your great plan, that has saved our souls and restored our relationship with You and Your creation. Thank You for the promise of the plan that is yet to come. We eagerly await the day when all our sufferings will end, and we will be healed and made new!