All Christians Struggle with Sin - Romans 7:9-25 - October 19, 2008

Sunday School Lesson – All Christians Struggle with Sin – October 19, 2008

This is lesson three (3) in our series of Bible study entitled “This I Believe.”

Our scripture is Romans 7:9-25.

The title of our study says it all. All believers struggle with sin. In Chapter 7 the Apostle Paul shared his struggle between his carnal or flesh nature and his born-again Spirit. When believers are not aware that they are falling short of GOD’S requirements for them, there is little or no struggle. However, once a believer senses something is missing in his or her relationship with CHRIST, he or she begins to search. The HOLY SPIRIT will reveal areas that need to be addressed to build a more intimate relationship with CHRIST. These areas are often barriers or natures emanating from our carnal or flesh nature. Once these areas are revealed, the believer must decide if and how he or she will deal with them. Most often believers try to deal with them in their own strength and when they do, the more they realize how difficult it is. They become frustrated when they fail, which is good. When they realize their efforts are fruitless, it forces them to turn to CHRIST and ask HIM to give them the strength. That is exactly what GOD wants HIS children to do. HE wants them to see and understand that HE is their strength. HE wants them to yield the control of their lives to HIM and trust HIM to guide their lives. It is a daily, never-ending battle between the flesh and the born-again Spirit. The closer believers walk with GOD, the more Satan tries to trip them up and the more they are aware of how far they miss perfection.

I think all believers can relate to Chapter 7 and can have a sense of helplessness or frustration. That is where Romans chapter 8 comes to their rescue. When you study this lesson, you need to stay tuned and read next Sunday’s lesson which is Romans Chapter 8.

To me Chapter 7 is stage one (1) in the sanctification process. Believers are often unaware of their notions, natures and strongholds that are barriers to GOD, through the HOLY SPIRIT, being the LORD of our lives. Once we go through the process of Chapter 7 and see that GOD is our strength, we are keenly aware of our frailties. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 the Apostle Paul shares what it is like to walk in the power of GOD, yet in the flesh.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6:

3 For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not wage war in a fleshly way,[2] Lit war according to flesh 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 6 And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

This scripture highlights our dependence upon the power of GOD to defeat the desires of our flesh and by that power, through sanctification, believers are made complete. Many of us have strongholds in our lives that are extremely difficult natures to bring under the authority of GOD. GOD’S power is necessary for believers to demolish strongholds.

Let’s read Romans 7:1-8 as background to lead us into Paul’s discussion of the role of the law. Paul is speaking of the law given to Moses by GOD.

Verses 1-8 are an illustration from marriage to show the role of the law and what is required to be freed from the dictates and burden of the law. A clue is that dying to self frees a believer to walk in the newness of his or her life in CHRIST and experience the gift of grace.

1 Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers, are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives? 2 For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. 3 So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress. 4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the [crucified]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. body of the • Messiah, so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the flesh,[1] in the flesh = a person’s life before accepting Christ the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us[2] Lit of our members and bore fruit for death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way[3] Lit in newness of the Spirit and not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

7 What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.[4] Ex 20:17 8 And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.

The Apostle Paul is laying the ground work to describe the importance of dying to self. We know from this scripture Paul used the sin of coveting to make his point and he refers back to this sin in the scripture we are studying.

Let’s read Romans 7:9-11:

9 Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life 10 and I died. The commandment that was meant for life resulted in death for me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.

Paul has been building on a foundation of Christian fundamentals in his letter to the Christians in Rome:
- All people have sinned.
- Salvation is based upon grace through faith.
- CHRIST’S shed blood paid the sin debt and broke the barrier of sin, which opened the way to GOD through CHRIST.
- CHRIST’S shed blood justifies or cleanses all believers of all sin – past, present and future.
- Every believer has been made righteous through the shed blood of CHRIST and is free to approach GOD as-if-he-or-she-had-never-sinned.
- GOD knows believers will have their ups and downs as they journey with HIM on a daily basis. Grace allows believers to live each day with complete confidence and assurance while they are still in their bodies of flesh and going through the process of sanctification or dying to self or the flesh.
- Sanctification is the process of being freed from the slavery of sin and death but in that process the law shows believers how sinful they really are and need to totally rely upon CHRIST.

Paul said at one time in his life he was ignorant of the certain laws or commandments. We know from the previous verses that he is referring to the commandment of coveting. He was saying as long as he was not aware of the commandment, he was a happy sinner. However, once it was revealed to him that “coveting” was a sin, then he became keenly aware of how much he coveted. This knowledge or awareness, in essence, nearly killed him.

Let’s read Romans 7:12-13:

12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.

The Problem of Sin in Us

13 Therefore, did what is good cause my death?[5] Lit good become death to me? Absolutely not! On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure.

Once the sin of coveting was revealed to him, through the law, it made him aware of the sin but it did not make the law sin. Paul said since the law revealed his sin, the law is holy, just and good.

Since the law made him aware of his sin, did the law cause his death so-to-speak? NO! It was a good thing because it made him keenly aware of this sin and it was something that he had to deal with and bring under the control and authority of GOD.

Once Paul was aware of the sin, every time he coveted, it was like a bright neon sign flashing in his eyes. This was good because Paul’s desire was to serve HIS LORD and SAVIOR and it made him aware of how often he coveted.

The law is good to make believers aware of sin and how often they miss the mark. JESUS put an even finer point on obeying the law. JESUS said a person had to obey the spirit of the law. This means that GOD looks upon the heart and if a person breaks the law in his or her mind, he or she is guilty of breaking the law.

This can give a believer a feeling of helplessness. But keep reading because there is a solution to this problem.

Paul continued with a discussion I believe all mature Christians have. The closer believers try to follow CHRIST and desire to be all CHRIST wants them to be, the more they realize how far short they fall. This is very frustrating but it is a critical component of the sanctification process. It is the realization of the limitation we have in our own efforts to serve HIM.

Let’s read Romans 7:14-25:

14 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am made out of flesh,[6] Other mss read I am carnal sold into sin’s power. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me. 21 So I discover this principle:[7] Or law when I want to do good, evil is with me. 22 For in my inner self[8] Lit inner man I joyfully agree with God’s law. 23 But I see a different law in the parts of my body,[9] Lit my members waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.[10] Lit my members 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord![11] Or Thanks be to God—(it is done) through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.

Paul used the word “flesh.” We as humans like to blame something or someone for our problems. The devil made me do it. The law is spiritual and the flesh is flesh. The flesh is our earth suit that gets us around earth. The flesh is amoral, however, the mind is the battle ground. The sensations and pleasures the body enjoys appeals to our minds. In the mind we decide whether or not we will follow the desires of the flesh or the Spirit. Believers have a choice to allow the mind of the flesh to rule and seek the pleasures of the flesh or allow the Spirit to rule through the renewing of the mind. This is a major step in the process of sanctification. GOD never removes our freedom to choose.

Paul allows us to see the battle that went on in his mind. Most often we, who call ourselves spiritual people, do not want others to know that we struggle with sin. But I can tell you I do and every believer does. In fact the closer you get to CHRIST and serve him, the greater the battle.

One may ask, “Where is this victorious Christian life?” Paul tells us, it is CHRIST indwelling us through the HOLY SPIRIT. It is when we die to self. But self does not want to die. Of course, we have to function in the physical world.

Believers must be keenly aware of the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. When a believer allows the Spirit to rule, there is power but when the mind of the flesh rules, there is turmoil.

Paul stated that the law highlighted sin in his life, which was good. Because it showed him how much he sinned. He was helpless to control all this sin in his life. This dilemma forced him to look for a solution and he found it in the power of the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. Life is a struggle but this struggle can be overcome through the renewing of your mind by the HOLY SPIRIT. The HOLY SPIRIT gives believers the power and assurance of victory but it requires believers to make a decision. Who controls their lives, the flesh mind or the Spirit? CHRIST said we have to take up our cross daily and follow HIM. Our decision to allow HIM to lead and guide us is a daily choice.

This is the process of dying to the flesh nature and allowing the Spirit nature to rule. It is a daily struggle but through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT the struggle is put into perspective. It is no longer us but CHRIST in us that gives us victory.

When a believer tries to live by the law, they are a slave to the law. That is why he or she must, in essence, die to self and be resurrected with CHRIST to be free from the law and be free to serve GOD and do HIS will. The believer then becomes a servant of the Master and not the law.

Our next study is on the HOLY SPIRIT.