Commentary of the Book of the Romans
By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins
Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible
Bible Study Romans 7: 1-25
Text:
Released from the Law
7 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is master over a person as long as he lives? 2 For the married woman has been bound by law to her [a]husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law [b]concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.
4 So, my brothers, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were constrained, so that we serve in newness of [c]the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! Rather, I would not have come to know sin except [d]through the Law. For I would not have known about [e]coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not [f]covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, worked out in me [g]coveting of every kind. For apart [h]from the Law sin is dead. 9 Now I was once alive apart [i]from the Law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was [j]to lead to life, was found [k]to lead to death for me. 11 For sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
The Conflict of Two Natures
13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by working out my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would [l]become utterly sinful.
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, having been sold [m]into bondage under sin. 15 For what I am working out, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want, I agree with the Law, that it is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then the [n]principle that in me evil is present—in me who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God [o]in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a captive [p]to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from [q]the body of this death? 25 [r]Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Verse by verse commentary:
Verse 1: “ Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is master over a person as long as he lives?”
Paul's statement, "those who know law," refers to individuals familiar with legal principles rather than a specific code. This concept applies universally across various legal systems—Greek, Roman, Jewish, or biblical. The core idea is that the jurisdiction of law, or its dominion, ceases upon death. Regardless of the severity of a person's crimes, they are no longer subject to prosecution or punishment once deceased.
Verse 2: “For the married woman has been bound by law to her husband while he is living, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband.”
A wife remains legally tied to her husband for the duration of his life. However, upon his death, she is fully released from the legal obligations of that marriage, meaning she is no longer considered married to him.
Verse 3: “So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.”
A married woman is no longer bound by the law governing her actions after her husband's death. Widows are free to remarry, and Paul even advises younger widows to do so, provided their prospective spouse is a believer. Even those who have legitimately divorced are permitted to marry again.
Verse 4: “ So, my brothers, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”
Paul's brief argument (vv. 1–3) logically concludes with the statement "So," emphasizing the application of his points. The Greek construction of "made to die" highlights two crucial aspects: first, this death was a definitive event with permanent consequences; and second, God Himself initiated it, meaning "you were made to die." Through faith in His Son, God eternally frees believing sinners from the law's condemnation and penalty. This liberation occurs "through the body of Christ," as Christ, acting as a substitute for sinners, endured the death penalty the law demanded. Just as a widow in Paul's analogy is free to remarry, believers are freed from their hostile relationship with a condemning law. This freedom allows them to be "married to another"—specifically, to Christ. The result is "fruit," signifying a transformed life that exhibits new attitudes and actions.
Verse 5: “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.”
The term "flesh" in Scripture carries two distinct meanings:
Non-moral sense: Refers to the physical being of humanity (John 1:14).
Morally evil sense: Describes unredeemed human nature, the remnants of the "old man" that persist in believers until they receive their glorified bodies (Romans 6:6, Romans 8, Galatians 5, Ephesians 2, Romans 8:23).
To be "in the flesh" signifies a person who operates solely within the realm of fallen humanity—an unredeemed, unregenerate individual (Romans 8:9). While believers may exhibit some "deeds of the flesh," they are no longer fundamentally "in the flesh."
Sinful Passions
"Sinful passions" are the overwhelming urges toward evil thoughts and actions that characterize those who are "in the flesh".
Aroused by the Law
The law can paradoxically awaken an unbeliever's rebellious nature. When restrictions are imposed, it can provoke a desire to commit the very actions the law forbids.
Fruit to Death
The sinful passions that operate within unbelievers ultimately lead to a harvest of eternal death.
Verse 6: “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were constrained, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”
Being “released from the law” means freedom from its spiritual liabilities and penalties, not license to disobey God’s law. Because believers died in Christ, the law's condemnation and penalties no longer apply. To “serve” in this context is a verb form of “bondservant,” emphasizing that this service is not voluntary. Believers not only can do what is right, but they will. To serve “in newness of the Spirit” refers to a new mindset produced by the Spirit, characterized by a new desire and ability to obey God's law. In contrast, “oldness of the letter” signifies the external, written law that brought only hostility and condemnation.
Verse 7: “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! Rather, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law. For I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”
Paul clarifies that his previous negative allusions to the law, particularly regarding its role in arousing sinful passions, should not be seen as a devaluation of the law itself. Instead, the law's God-ordained purpose in a fallen world is to reveal the nature of human sin. It not only defines sin but also acts as a catalyst, provoking the very sinful reactions it forbids and condemns. Despite this, the law itself is "holy and righteous and good," serving as a faithful revelation of right and wrong. Its validity in measuring and directing moral behavior remains undiminished, as it brings us to understand the reality of sin within our moral and spiritual framework.
Verse 8: “But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, worked out in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the Law sin is dead.”
The word “opportunity” describes a starting point or base of operations for an expedition. Sin uses the specific requirements of the law as a base of operation from which to launch its evil work. Confronted by God’s law, the sinner’s rebellious nature finds the forbidden thing more attractive, not because it is inherently attractive, but because it furnishes an opportunity to assert one’s self-will. “Sin is dead” does not mean it is lifeless or nonexistent, but dormant. When the law comes, sin becomes fully active and overwhelms the sinner.
Verse 9: “Now I was once alive apart from the Law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died;”
Paul's experience, as he describes it, serves as a universal example of the interplay between sin and the law. He understood the law's promise of life for obedience and, in his own estimation, believed he was alive. However, his attempts to obey the law revealed a deeper truth: his heart's desires were constantly breaking the law, even unknowingly. This realization led him to conclude that he was spiritually lifeless and lost. He writes that sin, a driving force opposed to God and the law within him, "deceived me and . . . killed me."
Verse 10: “and this commandment, which was to lead to life, was found to lead to death for me.”
The law itself provides a clear path to divine favor and human contentment. However, when sin takes hold, the law leads only to misery, shame and death.
Verse 11: “ For sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.”
Here, as elsewhere in Romans, the shadow of Eden emerges in Paul’s language, subtly yet powerfully underscoring the pervasive influence of humanity's original transgression. This echoes through his discussions of sin, law, and grace, consistently pointing back to the foundational narrative of Genesis and its lasting implications for human nature and the cosmos. The echoes of Eden serve as a critical backdrop against which Paul develops his arguments for the necessity of Christ's redemptive work, ultimately offering a path back from the wilderness of sin to a renewed relationship with the Creator as intended for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Verse 12: “So, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”
The law, which mirrors God's holy character, serves as the objective standard for humanity's righteous covenantal response to Him. Furthermore, it is personally beneficial for each individual, as we are created in God's image, and thus, it is good.
Verse 13: “Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by working out my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.”
From this verse through the end of the chapter, Paul will discuss the two natures and their conflict. Some teachers believe these verses describe Paul’s life before conversion. Others believe they represent his current spiritual state. Yet others use these verses to be the foundation of a belief that subsequent to salvation your sinful nature remained but could be removed and destroyed with a second act of grace known by several names, e.g. entire sanctification, Baptism with the Holy Spirit, Holiness, or Christian Perfection. The last group comprises denominations from the Holiness Movement. I want to be transparent as the remaining verses are discussed. I was a part of a church from the Holiness Movement for decades. I taught and preached that a second act of grace was necessary and when received, one’s “old man” was destroyed, i.e. put to death. I was sincere, but one day, I was presented with an argument that came not from a third party but from my mind. In the Holiness churches, it was taught that through dying to self and full consecration and through faith your old man would have been put to death by the Holy Spirit. However, there was always the possibility that you could sin or commit another act of rebellion and your “old man” could come back to life. Then it hit me. The Holiness theology was giving man the power to undo something that God had done. God slew the old man in the second act of grace, but man brought him back to life. I was uncomfortable believing that man could be more powerful than God. Therefore, as these verses are explained, they will be viewed through the lens of the belief that two natures remain in the believer and will continue so until the physical death of the Christian.
Paul responds to his own question, asserting that sin within him, not God's law, led to his spiritual death. He explains that sin used God's good law to bring about this outcome, revealing sin to be "utterly sinful."
Verse 14: “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, having been sold into bondage under sin.”
Paul affirms the spiritual nature of the law, building on verse 12. He asserts that the law provides the standard for a life guided by the Spirit. In contrast, he describes himself as "fleshly" due to his inability to fully meet this standard. He sees himself as a moral work in progress, bearing the marks of both his past in Adam and his future in Christ. Paul acknowledges that, from the perspective of God's holy law, his bodily existence and behavior—even as a Christian—are "sold into bondage under sin," and he proceeds to elaborate on this point.
Verse 15: “For what I am working out, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.”
Paul effectively analyzes, though he cannot fully explain, the internal conflict between himself and the "sin that dwells within me." This presents a genuine and perplexing struggle between the forces of sin and grace in his life. He suggests that this indwelling sin is a transient occupant within him. While sin persists alongside his new identity in Christ during this earthly life, this new identity will ultimately lead to a complete victory over indwelling sin.
Verse 16: “But if I do the very thing I do not want, I agree with the Law, that it is good.”
Paul, in his discourse, delves into the internal struggle between his new, regenerated nature and the persistent influence of sin. He emphatically clarifies that the divine standard, embodied in the perfectly righteous law, is not the source or cause of his transgressions. Instead, his transformed self, now indwelt by the Holy Spirit, actively champions this divine standard. This new nature possesses a profound desire to fully uphold and flawlessly obey the law, recognizing its inherent goodness and the will of God it represents. The conflict arises not from a flaw in the law, but from the lingering effects of sin within his mortal body, a tension he articulates further in Romans 7 as the "law of sin" warring against the "law of my mind."
Verse 17: “ So now, no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.”
The Greek adverb for "no longer" signifies a complete and permanent change. Paul's new inner self, the new "I," strongly disapproved of the sin still residing in his flesh, unlike his old self. Some have misinterpreted Paul's comments as an abdication of personal responsibility for his sin, believing he embraced a form of Greek dualism. Dualism taught that the body is evil and the spirit is good, leading adherents to sin with impunity by claiming their sin was solely a product of their physical bodies, while their spirits remained pure. However, the apostle has already acknowledged personal guilt for his sin. "Sin that dwells in me" means his sin does not originate from his new redeemed innermost self ("I") but from his unredeemed humanness, his "flesh in me."
Verse 18: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not.”
In the life of a Christian, the flesh acts as a central base for sin. While not inherently sinful, it remains susceptible to sin and is thoroughly contaminated due to its fallen nature. "My flesh" denotes the unredeemed aspect of a believer's current existence.
Verse 19: “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.”
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you knew what the right thing to do was, and you genuinely wanted to do it, but you just couldn't bring yourself to follow through? Or perhaps, conversely, you found yourself doing something you knew was wrong, even though you wished you could stop? This internal struggle, this disconnect between intention and action, is a deeply human experience, and it's precisely what the Apostle Paul grapples with in Romans 7. It's a question that cuts to the core of our spiritual journey: why do we so often fail to live up to our own moral standards, and how does this relate to the law and our faith? This passage invites us to reflect on our own similar battles and consider the profound implications of our fallen nature and God's grace.
Verse 20: “ But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.”
Our inherent "old nature"—the flesh or sin nature or old man—is a persistent source of trouble, deeply ingrained and constantly vying for control even after conversion. There is a tension between good and sin, manifesting as selfish desires, pride, anger, and lust. Overcoming this fundamental challenge requires ongoing spiritual discipline, reliance on the Holy Spirit, and God's grace.
Verse 21: “I find then the principle that in me evil is present—in me who wants to do good.”
The term "principle" refers to an unchangeable spiritual law, not God's law.
Verse 22: “For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,”
The justified believer, through their new inner self, no longer aligns with sin. Instead, they joyfully affirm God's law, standing against sin.
Verse 23: “but I see a different law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin which is in my members.”
Even after salvation, the old nature persists; though the new nature diminishes its power, it doesn't eradicate the sin nature. The struggle described as "I see a different law" highlights the old nature's opposition to God, leading genuine believers to share Paul's heartfelt cry.
Verse 24: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?”
This is Paul’s cry from the previous verse. “Wretched man” expressed his frustration and grief, Paul laments his sin. A believer perceives his own sinfulness in direct proportion to how clearly he sees the holiness of God and perfection of His law. By “deliver” Paul meant “to rescue from danger” and was used of a soldier pulling his wounded comrade from the battlefield. Paul longed to be rescued from his sinful flesh. “Body of this death” meant The believer’s unredeemed humanness, which has its base of operation in the body. Tradition says that an ancient tribe near Tarsus tied the corpse of a murder victim to its murderer, allowing its spreading decay to slowly infect and execute the murderer—perhaps that is the image Paul has in mind.
Verse 25: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”
Paul, in answering the question from the preceding verse, summarizes the frustration he has been detailing since verse 14. He emphasizes that "I myself" refers to a single individual who, despite fully endorsing God's righteous law, finds their "flesh" still serving sin. This highlights that individuals experiencing new life in the Spirit, encompassing mind, body, and spirit, continue to carry the residual effects of sin. The battle continues as long the flesh is alive.
