The Conflict of Sin and Grace in Believers
Summary
In this evening's study of Romans 7:16-17, we delve into the Apostle Paul's profound exploration of the human condition in relation to sin and the law. Paul presents a duality within the believer, a conflict between the desire to do good and the reality of sin dwelling within. This duality is not found in the unregenerate person, who is unified in thought and action against the conscience. Paul argues that the law is good and spiritual, but it is not responsible for our failures. Instead, it is sin that dwells within us, overpowering even our enlightened understanding of the law.
Paul's first deduction is that if he does what he does not want to do, he consents to the law that it is good. This agreement with the law indicates that the law is not at fault for his actions. The second deduction is that it is no longer he who acts, but sin that dwells in him. This profound statement highlights the power of sin, which is more potent than human willpower or even the enlightened understanding of the law. Sin is not an external force but an inherent part of our nature, dwelling within us from birth.
Paul's analysis reveals the limitations of the law in delivering us from sin. Even with a clear understanding of the law's spiritual nature, we remain powerless against sin's hold. The law was never intended to deliver us but to reveal the exceeding sinfulness of sin, leading us to Christ. This teaching underscores the necessity of grace and the futility of relying on the law for salvation.
Key Takeaways:
- The duality within believers is a conflict between the desire to do good and the reality of sin dwelling within. This duality is absent in the unregenerate, who are unified against their conscience. This insight helps us understand the struggle of the regenerate person and the power of sin. [13:39]
- Sin is not an external force but an inherent part of our nature, dwelling within us from birth. This understanding challenges the notion that sin is merely a temptation from outside and emphasizes the need for internal transformation. [16:29]
- The law is good and spiritual, but it is not responsible for our failures. Instead, it reveals the sinfulness of sin and our need for grace. This perspective shifts the focus from blaming the law to recognizing our own sinful nature. [05:11]
- The power of sin is greater than human willpower or even an enlightened understanding of the law. This realization highlights the necessity of divine intervention and grace for true deliverance from sin. [18:03]
- The law was never intended to deliver us but to lead us to Christ by revealing the exceeding sinfulness of sin. This teaching underscores the futility of relying on the law for salvation and the essential role of grace. [41:50]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Introduction to Romans 7:16-17
[00:41] - The Carnal Man and Sin
[01:29] - Two Deductions from Paul's Argument
[02:13] - Consent to the Law's Goodness
[03:09] - Agreement with the Law
[04:01] - The Law's Role and Responsibility
[05:28] - Addressing Misunderstandings about the Law
[06:21] - The Doctrine of Grace and the Law
[07:26] - The Law's Limitations
[08:07] - The Problem of Sin
[09:44] - Sin Dwelling Within
[10:37] - The Duality in Believers
[12:37] - The Struggle with Sin
[15:23] - The Nature of Sin
[18:27] - The Power of Sin
[21:02] - The Inability of the Law
[25:53] - The Complexity of Sin
[35:39] - Conclusions and Reflections
[42:48] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Romans 7:16-17
Bible Reading:
- Romans 7:16-17
- Psalm 51:5
---
Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean when he says, "if then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good"? How does this statement reflect his view of the law? [02:13]
2. In Romans 7:17, Paul states, "it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." What does this reveal about his understanding of sin's nature and power? [09:44]
3. How does Paul describe the duality within believers, and why is this duality absent in the unregenerate person? [13:39]
4. According to the sermon, what role does the law play in revealing the nature of sin? [39:00]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Paul's acknowledgment of the law's goodness challenge the notion that the law is responsible for human failure? What implications does this have for understanding the purpose of the law? [05:11]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that sin is more powerful than human willpower or understanding of the law? How does this understanding affect one's view of personal responsibility? [18:03]
3. How does the concept of sin dwelling within us from birth, as discussed in the sermon, alter the common perception of sin as merely external temptation? [16:29]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the limitations of the law in delivering us from sin, and how does this point to the necessity of grace? [41:50]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced the internal conflict between wanting to do good and the reality of sin. How did you navigate that struggle, and what did you learn from it? [13:39]
2. Considering the sermon’s emphasis on sin's inherent nature, how can you work towards internal transformation rather than just resisting external temptations? [16:29]
3. How can you shift your focus from blaming external factors, like the law or circumstances, to recognizing and addressing your own sinful nature? What steps can you take this week to begin this shift? [05:11]
4. In what ways can you seek divine intervention and grace in your life to overcome the power of sin, as highlighted in the sermon? Identify a specific area where you need God's help. [18:03]
5. How does understanding the law's role in leading us to Christ change your approach to spiritual growth and reliance on grace? What practical steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Christ this week? [41:50]
6. Reflect on the duality within yourself as a believer. How can you better align your actions with your desire to do good, and what role does community play in supporting this alignment? [13:39]
7. How can you use the insights from this sermon to help others understand the nature of sin and the necessity of grace in their own lives? Consider a conversation you could have with someone this week. [39:00]
Devotional
Day 1: The Inner Conflict of Believers
Within every believer lies a profound duality—a conflict between the desire to do good and the reality of sin dwelling within. This struggle is unique to those who have been regenerated, as the unregenerate are unified in their opposition to their conscience. Understanding this internal battle helps believers recognize the power of sin and the need for divine assistance. The Apostle Paul highlights this duality in Romans 7:16-17, emphasizing that even with a desire to follow the law, sin remains a powerful force within. This insight encourages believers to rely not on their strength but on God's grace to overcome the struggle. [13:39]
"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: In what areas of your life do you experience this inner conflict between your desires and actions? How can you invite God into this struggle today?
Day 2: Sin's Inherent Nature
Sin is not merely an external temptation but an inherent part of human nature, dwelling within us from birth. This understanding challenges the common notion that sin is only an outside influence and emphasizes the need for internal transformation. Recognizing sin's deep-rooted presence within us calls for a profound change that only God can bring about. This perspective shifts the focus from external blame to an acknowledgment of our need for God's transformative power. [16:29]
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you blamed external circumstances for your actions. How can you take responsibility and seek God's help for internal transformation?
Day 3: The Law's True Purpose
The law is good and spiritual, yet it is not responsible for human failures. Instead, it serves to reveal the sinfulness of sin and our need for grace. This understanding shifts the focus from blaming the law to recognizing our sinful nature and the necessity of grace. The law's role is not to save but to point us toward the Savior, highlighting our inability to achieve righteousness on our own. [05:11]
"Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made." (Galatians 3:19, ESV)
Reflection: How have you relied on your own efforts to achieve righteousness? What steps can you take to rely more on God's grace today?
Day 4: The Overwhelming Power of Sin
The power of sin is greater than human willpower or even an enlightened understanding of the law. This realization highlights the necessity of divine intervention and grace for true deliverance from sin. Human efforts alone are insufficient to overcome sin's hold, and recognizing this truth leads to a deeper dependence on God's grace. Believers are encouraged to seek God's strength and guidance in their daily battles against sin. [18:03]
"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: Identify an area where you have been relying on your own strength to overcome sin. How can you invite God's power into this area today?
Day 5: The Law's Role in Leading to Christ
The law was never intended to deliver us but to lead us to Christ by revealing the exceeding sinfulness of sin. This teaching underscores the futility of relying on the law for salvation and the essential role of grace. The law acts as a mirror, showing us our need for a Savior and pointing us toward the grace found in Jesus Christ. This understanding encourages believers to embrace grace and live in the freedom it provides. [41:50]
"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24, ESV)
Reflection: How has your understanding of the law changed in light of its purpose to lead you to Christ? What steps can you take to embrace the grace offered through Jesus today?
Quotes
The fact that he regrets his actions, that he doesn't approve of them at all, means that clearly he agrees with what the law says about such actions. And that, of course, in turn means this: that his view of the law, therefore, is that the law is something which is essentially good and right in all its demands, in all its denunciations, and in all its condemnation. [00:54:41]
The law itself is in no way responsible for his failure in practice. He says, "There is my position: I do that which I would not. Well, the law isn't responsible for that. I am in agreement with the law that it's a good thing, and I prove that because I don't approve of what I do." [00:49:15]
Sin is something that dwells in us, takes up its home in us. In other words, we mustn't think of sin as being something that is outside. There are many people who think of sin like that, as you know. A man seems to be more or less neutral, and sin is that which comes, they think, from the outside as a temptation to us. [16:16:00]
The sin that dwelleth in me is something which is as powerful as this: it's more powerful than the voice of conscience. It is more powerful than a man's willpower. It is indeed as powerful as this: that it is more powerful even than the man who has now been given to see the spiritual character of the law. [18:06:00]
The Apostle is concerned to show that the law can never deliver and that our only hope is this, as he has already said in verse 4: "Wherefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that in order that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we may bring forth fruit unto God." [40:10:00]
The Apostle is dealing here with the law, what the law can do, what the law cannot do, the place of the law in God's whole economy and scheme and plan of salvation. So he draws that first deduction, and it is, from his standpoint, a most important one. So it is from ours. [07:32:00]
The Apostle is showing you what a terrible thing sin is, what an appalling thing that it's in us, that it is resident, that it dwells in us, and that it has this awful power that paralyzes a man, even the man who's come to see the true nature of the law. [38:55:00]
The Apostle is not excusing his sin; he isn't disclaiming responsibility for himself. What he is doing is he's making a confession. He says, "That is the truth about me. That's the weakness in which I find myself. This is the paralysis that I'm aware of. This is my useless struggling." [37:43:00]
The Apostle is showing us again the complete inability of the law to deliver us. Even when you see clearly the spiritual character of the law, that it is of God, that it is holy and just and good and spiritual and good, again, you see, it cannot deliver you. It completely fails. [39:13:00]
The Apostle is concerned to prove something else. Well, now, what is it? Well, surely he says this: he draws this deduction in order that he may say two things. The first is this: he shows in this way that the law itself is in no way responsible for his failure in practice. [04:41:00]
The Apostle is showing what the law cannot do in that it is weak through the flesh. Very well, you see, all along in his deductions, in his explanations, he keeps on reminding us that that is what he's concerned about. He's talking the whole time about the law. [42:04:00]
The Apostle is showing that the law was never given in order to deliver men. It was given that men might come to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, that they might be led by it, therefore, as a sort of pedagogue, a schoolmaster, to bring to Christ, not an end, but a means to an end. [41:40:00]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 25, 2017. Do you have any questions about it?