Struggling with Sin: Paul's Cry for Deliverance

 

Summary

In our exploration of Romans 7:21-23, we delve into the Apostle Paul's profound struggle with the law and sin. Paul articulates a duality within himself: the desire to do good, yet the presence of evil that thwarts his intentions. This internal conflict is not merely a repetition of previous statements but a nuanced understanding of the law's role in the Christian life. Paul is not diminishing the law's greatness; rather, he clarifies its purpose and limitations. The law is spiritual and good, but it cannot save us from sin's power.

Paul describes a principle, almost a law, within himself: when he desires to do good, evil is present. This is not a reference to the law of God but a different kind of law, a principle of sin that operates within his members. This principle is so consistent and pervasive that it acts as a law, governing his actions and leading to a perpetual struggle. Paul delights in the law of God inwardly, yet he finds another law at work in his members, warring against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to sin.

This struggle is not merely theoretical but a lived experience for Paul. He acknowledges the inward man, the mind illuminated by the Spirit, which delights in God's law. However, the law in his members, the sinful nature, wages war against this delight, leading to a sense of captivity and defeat. This is not a description of an unregenerate person but a believer who recognizes the spiritual nature of the law yet struggles with sin's power.

Paul's cry of "O wretched man that I am" is a cry of anguish and exhaustion from this relentless battle. It is a recognition of his inability to overcome sin through his own strength. This cry is not a future hope but a present plea for deliverance. The passage challenges us to acknowledge our own struggles and the need for divine intervention to overcome the law of sin in our members.

Key Takeaways:

- The law is spiritual and good, but it cannot save us from sin's power. It reveals our need for a Savior who can deliver us from the law of sin and death. Understanding the law's limitations helps us rely on God's grace rather than our own efforts. [01:53]

- Paul's struggle with sin is a universal Christian experience. The presence of sin within us is a constant battle, even for those who delight in God's law. This struggle highlights the need for ongoing reliance on the Holy Spirit for victory. [04:18]

- The inward man, illuminated by the Spirit, delights in God's law, yet the sinful nature wages war against this delight. This internal conflict is a reminder of the tension between our redeemed spirit and our fallen flesh. [12:23]

- Paul's cry of "O wretched man that I am" reflects the exhaustion and despair of trying to overcome sin in our own strength. It is a call to recognize our need for Christ's deliverance and the power of the Holy Spirit. [37:23]

- The law of sin in our members is a persistent and controlling principle that requires divine intervention for victory. Acknowledging this reality leads us to depend on God's grace and the transformative work of the Spirit. [25:35]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Introduction to Romans 7:21-23
- [01:02] - The Role of the Law
- [02:08] - Paul's Experience with Sin
- [03:24] - The Dual Struggle
- [04:58] - Understanding "The Law"
- [06:22] - The Inward Man
- [07:26] - The Principle of Sin
- [08:27] - The Law of Sin in Members
- [10:19] - Delighting in God's Law
- [12:04] - The Inward Man Explained
- [14:11] - The Mind and the Members
- [16:20] - The Outward and Inward Man
- [19:22] - The Captivity of Sin
- [25:35] - The Warfare Within
- [37:23] - The Cry for Deliverance

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 7:21-23
- 2 Corinthians 4:16
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

---

Observation Questions:

1. In Romans 7:21-23, what does Paul identify as the "law" that is at work within him, and how does it affect his actions? [00:14]

2. How does Paul describe his relationship with the law of God in Romans 7:22, and what does this reveal about his inner conflict? [05:50]

3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the term "inward man" as used by Paul in Romans 7:22? [12:04]

4. What does Paul mean by the phrase "bringing me into captivity to the law of sin" in Romans 7:23, and how is this explained in the sermon? [25:35]

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Paul's struggle with sin in Romans 7:21-23 reflect the universal Christian experience, and what does this suggest about the nature of the Christian life? [04:18]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that understanding the limitations of the law can lead to a greater reliance on God's grace? [01:53]

3. How does the sermon explain the role of the Holy Spirit in helping believers overcome the "law of sin" in their members? [13:55]

4. What does Paul's cry of "O wretched man that I am" reveal about his understanding of his own spiritual condition and need for deliverance? [37:23]

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced an internal struggle similar to Paul's. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now in light of this sermon? [04:18]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of relying on God's grace rather than our own efforts. What are some practical ways you can remind yourself to depend on God's grace daily? [01:53]

3. Consider the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. How can you be more intentional about seeking the Spirit's guidance and strength in overcoming sin? [13:55]

4. Paul's cry for deliverance is a plea for divine intervention. Is there an area in your life where you feel captive to sin and need to cry out for God's help? How can your small group support you in this? [37:23]

5. The sermon discusses the tension between our redeemed spirit and fallen flesh. How can you cultivate a mindset that delights in God's law, even amidst this tension? [12:23]

6. Identify a specific "law of sin" that you struggle with. What steps can you take this week to address this struggle with the help of the Holy Spirit? [25:35]

7. How can you encourage others in your small group who may be experiencing similar struggles with sin, and what role can community play in overcoming these challenges? [04:18]

Devotional

Day 1: The Law's Limitations and Our Need for Grace
The law is spiritual and good, but it cannot save us from sin's power. It serves to reveal our need for a Savior who can deliver us from the law of sin and death. Understanding the law's limitations helps us rely on God's grace rather than our own efforts. The law acts as a mirror, showing us our shortcomings and pointing us to the grace of God that is available through Jesus Christ. This realization is crucial for believers, as it shifts the focus from self-reliance to dependence on divine grace. [01:53]

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own efforts rather than God's grace? How can you shift your focus to depend more on His grace today?


Day 2: The Universal Struggle with Sin
Paul's struggle with sin is a universal Christian experience. The presence of sin within us is a constant battle, even for those who delight in God's law. This struggle highlights the need for ongoing reliance on the Holy Spirit for victory. Every believer faces this internal conflict, where the desire to do good is met with the reality of sin's presence. Recognizing this struggle is the first step towards seeking the Holy Spirit's help in overcoming it. [04:18]

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where you feel the tension between your desire to do good and the presence of sin. How can you invite the Holy Spirit into this struggle today?


Day 3: The Inward Man and the War Within
The inward man, illuminated by the Spirit, delights in God's law, yet the sinful nature wages war against this delight. This internal conflict is a reminder of the tension between our redeemed spirit and our fallen flesh. The inward man represents the new creation in Christ, while the sinful nature represents the remnants of our old self. This battle is ongoing, and it requires vigilance and reliance on the Spirit to experience victory. [12:23]

"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." (Galatians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you experienced the tension between your redeemed spirit and your sinful nature. How can you better align your actions with the desires of the Spirit?


Day 4: The Cry for Deliverance
Paul's cry of "O wretched man that I am" reflects the exhaustion and despair of trying to overcome sin in our own strength. It is a call to recognize our need for Christ's deliverance and the power of the Holy Spirit. This cry is not one of hopelessness but of realization that true deliverance comes from outside ourselves. It is an invitation to surrender to Christ and rely on His strength rather than our own. [37:23]

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25a, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel exhausted from trying to overcome sin on your own? How can you invite Christ's deliverance into this area today?


Day 5: The Persistent Law of Sin
The law of sin in our members is a persistent and controlling principle that requires divine intervention for victory. Acknowledging this reality leads us to depend on God's grace and the transformative work of the Spirit. This principle of sin is not easily overcome by human effort, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers can experience freedom and transformation. [25:35]

"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a persistent sin or habit in your life. How can you actively seek the Holy Spirit's intervention to break free from this pattern?

Quotes

I find them a law that when I would do good evil is present with me for I delight in the law of God after the inward men but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [00:00:19]

What he was concerned to show to us in the previous three verses 18 19 and 20 as we saw last week his main thrust there is to explain why it is that he performs evil acts though he doesn't want to do so now what he's doing particularly in these verses that we're looking at tonight is this he is showing why it is that he fails to do what he wants to do. [00:03:35]

What I find is this that invariably when I would do good evil is present with me that's what he's concerned to say this is something he says which seems to operate in me as you see the laws operating in nature as the night follows the day as you get Springs on the northern winter that sort of law I find he says that the moment I would do good evil is present with me. [00:08:11]

I delight in the law of God after the inward man now here is a very significant statement again take her first of all this word delight you've noticed that there is a progression in the statements that he makes about the law he started off in verse 14 by saying we know that the law is spiritual in verse 16 he says I can the law that it is good but now he goes beyond that he says I did lighten it. [00:10:32]

I delight in the law of God after the inward men now that year we come to the most important term the inward men this play is a very great part in the discussion about the exact interpretation of this passage and those who hold the traditional reformed view after lean very heavily upon this in their endeavor to prove that this is the regenerate men even at his very best. [00:11:55]

I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind now then there you see is a further explanation of what means by the n-word men the inward man is surely synonymous with the mind I delighted in the law of God after the inward man then he puts that in verse 23 by saying what is in the law of my mind yes there's something against that. [00:12:52]

He later you see in the same verse calls it the law of sidon the law in his members and the law of sin are the same thing they are identical now then here is his picture this first thing that this does is to wage this war against this spiritual view of the law and his desire to keep it because you know delights in it but unfortunately doesn't stop at that that would be bad enough. [00:24:34]

The fact that this perpetual warfare was going on i say would be terrible enough to contemplate in and of itself that the moment the good asserts itself the other asserts itself and does it with its devilish strategy but he goes beyond it it isn't merely that the law in the members is warring against the law of the mind he says it brings me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [00:25:00]

What makes him say all wretched men that I am is the persistence of defeat is the feeling that he is down rather than up that it's failure rather than success I cannot see how any other exposition of verse 23 can possibly lead us to verse 24 if he is merely describing the fact that there is a calm clicked in the life of the believer in verse 23 that doesn't lead him to say all right your men no no there is nothing that leads to this accept defeat. [00:36:38]

He cries out saying who shall deliver me now in a most amazing way again Robert Holden says at this point that this shale refers entirely to the future he emphasizes the shale meaning this says Holden that he knows that nobody can do it now but that it is going to happen he says this is the Christian man at his best he knows that he'll never be delivered while he's in this life and in this world but he knows that at the end in death Christ will finally deliver him out of the body and it's thraldom and they'll have the glorified body shell he says is entirely future. [00:38:17]

Here is a man in anguish in failure and exhaustion says who will deliver me who came deliver me that's what he saying that that's a part of the very question he's not a man making a pronouncement about what's going to happen he's crying up in despair for deliverance the body of death we needn't stay with this this is the same as the law of sin in my members the thing he's just been talking about at the end of verse 23 says this is the trouble that this other law in my members is bringing me into captivity to this law send us in my members who shall deliver me from this law of sin that is in my members which he calls this body of sin this body of death. [00:39:46]

He is not bemoaning the fact that there's anything in in contrary to his godly is Christ the cross the spirit they have not mentioned here at all you see and another exposition you have to import all that but it's not here not here at all it's in the next chapter in great profusion but not here and yet we are concerned about the man who is here this is the man we're dealing with the man who is in a position that he simply can cry up hmm can shall will deliver me there yes what this tells me is that our good friends these great men because of a controlling theory which they began can allow themselves to have to resort to these devious ways of attempting an exposition now we'll go on with this next time God willing we'll just glance at the remaining statements and then gather up all these evidence that we've been garnering and accumulating. [00:42:47]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 25, 2017. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?