Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 686-1516

“Preaching the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)”

THE STRUGGLE WITH THE FLESH - PART 2

(Rom 7:20-25) 11/18/07

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

I. THE BELIEVER POSSESSES AN INDWELLING PRINCIPLE OF SIN (20-21)

A. Paul declares that his tendency to do evil comes from indwelling (present participle fr. oikéō - to live or inhabit) sin. Paul is not shirking his personal responsibility of sin. Rather he is simply declaring that even though he possesses a new nature, there remains in him a sin principle.

B. The principle is this, that while he is desiring to do good, evil is present with him. This principle is the same one found in vs. 23 and is called the, “law (principle) of sin.

C. The Greek word for “principle” is nómos and can mean a law as in a code to live by (i.e. Law of Moses - 2:12; 7:7) or it can be a truth or rule that governs one’s life.

D. Paul has found a governing “sin principle” at work within him. This principle of sin comes from the sinful or evil (kakós - bad or base) tendencies of the flesh.

E. The principle of sin is also described as something that will be continuously present (pres. pass. of parakeimai - to lie or be beside) with Paul in his post-conversion state. This principle of sin is ever-present with him because he is, “of flesh” (7:14).

F. There are several other principles found in the book of Romans:

1. The Principle (or law) of Faith (Rom 3:27)

2. The Principle (or law) of Sin (Rom 7:21, 23, 25; 8:2)

3. The Principle (or law) of the Mind (7:23, 25)

4. The Principle (or law) of the Spirit (8:2)

G. All believers experience the principle of sin. No matter how hard the believer tries, the sin principle will always be present with him in this life.

II. THE BELIEVER POSSESSES THE NEW INNER MAN (22)

A. Here Paul explains (“for” - gár - explanatory) his desire to do good (vs. 21) by showing that he delights in God’s law in the inner man.

B. In addition to having the principle of sin in himself, Paul also demonstrates delight (sunédomai - to rejoice or delight with oneself or inwardly) in the law of God and in the things of God. This delight comes from his inner man, the other aspect of Paul.

C. The inner man is the deepest recesses of a redeemed person. It is the heart, mind, soul, and spirit of the believer, which was spiritually dead, but has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

D. The inner man is the believer’s new nature and is being renewed by the Holy Spirit (2Co 4:16) and strengthened by the Holy Spirit (Eph 3:16).

E. What sets the believer apart from the unbeliever is that the believer has a new nature with new tendencies. The believer may struggle with the principle of sin, but his inner man delights in the things of God and has new desires acceptable to God.

III. THE BELIEVER EXPERIENCES WAR BETWEEN THE TWO (23)

A. Paul reiterates the principle of sin mentioned in vs. 21. He argues here that while he delights in the law of God (vs. 22) another principle is present, i.e. the principle of sin. It is not only present, but it actually wages war (antistrateúomai - carry on a continuous military campaign) against his new nature.

B. The principle of sin (the flesh) and the principle of the mind (new nature) have opposing desires and therefore are in constant conflict with each other (Gal 5:17).

C. The term that he uses for the new nature is the, “law (principle) of the mind.” This term explains that the believer’s mind (noús - mind, understanding, reason) is new (2Co 5:17) and is capable of spiritual perception and making spiritual judgments (1Co 2:14-16).

D. Not only does the principle of sin wage war with the principle of the mind, but it makes it a prisoner (aíchmalotízō- to take or lead captive). This further proves that Paul in and of himself cannot resist the sin principle or obey the Law.

E. All believers will experience the conflict between the principle of sin and their new nature. There is victory in Christ over the sin principle, but it will be a continual battle for the believer.

IV. THE BELIEVER EXPERIENCES FRUSTRATION BETWEEN THE TWO (24)

A. Due to the intense conflict, Paul emphatically cries out in frustration. He sees his wretchedness and cries out for deliverance.

B. Wretched (talaíporos) is an expression of suffering from spiritual or emotional misery. Paul’s misery was the indwelling sin principle and the constant conflict it caused.

C. He cries out for deliverance (rúomai - drag or draw out of danger) from sin principle within (“body of death” cp. 7:5). Paul very well could be referring to the old Roman form of capital punishment that chained the corpse of a murder victim to its murderer.

D. Believers will find themselves in extreme frustration from time to time because the principle of sin is not letting them do what they desire.

V. THE BELIEVER EXPERIENCES VICTORY THROUGH CHRIST (25)

A. The answer to Paul’s dilemma is through Christ. Even though the war has been won by Christ, the battle with sin in this life wages on.

B. Paul gives thanks to God that victory now is possible through (día - agency) Christ over the principle of sin (Rom 8:2). Paul also gives thanks to God that through Christ he will ultimately be rid of the principle of sin (Rom 8:23; Phi 3:21).

C. In this life, there are two opposing principles within Paul. On the one hand, with his regenerated mind (the inner man), Paul is serving (douleúō - to be a slave, to serve) God. On the other hand, his flesh is serving the principle of sin.

D. The believer will always have a conflict with internal sin in this life. The believer also has victory over the sin principle (Rom 6, Rom 8), but will not be completely free from it until heaven.

VI. APPLICATIONS

A. The believer’s struggle with sin causes him frustration over his true state of the flesh (Rev 3:17).

B. The believer’s struggle with the flesh is not an excuse to sin.

C. The believer’s struggle with sin is an evidence of his new nature with its new desires.

D. The believer’s struggle with sin is a constant reminder that victory is not in himself but through Christ (Rom 1:21 cp. 6:17-18; 1Co 15:57).

E. The believer’s struggle with sin is a motivation to look for Christ’s return and ultimate victory (1Jo 3:2-3).