Romans 7:13-25 - Internal Conflict With Sin

¹³ Was this [commandment] then, which was intended for my good, [actually] responsible for my [spiritual] death? Certainly not! But so that sin could be seen as [truly] sinful, it produced [spiritual] death in me through something that was good [i.e., the commandment against sinning]. This was so that, by means of the commandment [against sinning], sin could be seen as extremely sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law of Moses is spiritual [i.e., from the Holy Spirit in origin and character], but I am fleshly, sold as a slave to sin. [Note: "Flesh" throughout this section refers to a person's natural inclinations to sin]. ¹⁵ For I do not [really] understand what I am doing; I practice what I do not want to and I hate what I do. [Note: This highly controversial section (verses 14b-25) is here viewed as the struggles of the apostle Paul after his conversion, and by extension, of all Christians. See Bruce, pages 150ff; Murray, pages 255ff; Lard, pages 236ff]. ¹⁶ But if I do what I do not want to, I agree with the law [which condemns such conduct] that it is good. ¹⁷ So, now I am not [really] the one doing this, but [it is] sin which is living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh, for the desire to do good is present in my heart, but the ability to carry it out [consistently] is not. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good [things] I want to, but I practice the evil [things] I do not want to. ²⁰ But if I do what I do not want to, [then] I am no longer the one doing it, but [instead], it is sin which lives in me [i.e., that motivates such conduct]. ²¹ So, I find this principle [at work]: [Although] I want to do what is good, evil is [always] present [and often wins out]. ²² For in my heart I am delighted with God's law, ²³ but I see a different law [at work] in my body, waging [spiritual] warfare against the law in my mind. It brings me into captivity to the law of sin in my body. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to [spiritual] death? ²⁵ Thank God [that I can be rescued] through [the power of] Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, I personally [try to] serve God's law with my mind, but [all too often] I serve the law of sin with my flesh [i.e., submitting in weakness to my human desires].