Romans 7:21-25 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.… We have here — I. PAUL'S EXPERIENCE. 1. That there were within himself two conflicting principles. 2. That these principles were under the direction of opposing intelligences — "Warring." The conflict is not a collision between blind forces. In every war there is intelligence on both sides. The "law of the mind" is under the direction of the "Captain" of our salvation. That of "the members" is under the direction of the devil. The "Holy War" in the "Town of Mansoul" is more than a poetic dream. 3. That the tendency of sin is to make men slaves to itself. When sin is indulged in for a length of time the power of resistance is weakened, and man becomes the helpless prey of the foe. Witness the miser, sensualist, opium eater, drunkard, etc. The grasp of sin is a tenacious one. It rallies, too, after many a defeat, and clings with deadly obstinacy oftentimes to those most "valiant for the truth." II. PAUL'S EMOTIONS IN THE FACE OF HIS EXPERIENCES. He felt — 1. "Wretched," 2. Loathsome. Sin was as hateful as a corpse is to living men. 3. Helpless. "Who shall deliver me?" 4. Hopeless. The whole verse seems a wail of despair. "Who shall," etc. III. PAUL'S DELIVERANCE. "I thank God," etc. The darkest hour is nearest the dawn. This deliverance was — 1. From God. God alone is able. "Who can forgive sins but God?" It is He only who giveth us the victory, etc. 2. Through Christ. Paul knew of no other way. His good moral life (Philippians 3), his mental culture (Acts 17), his zeal for the cause of God (2 Corinthians 11); in none of these does he hope. IV. PAUL'S INFERENCE FROM THE WHOLE. "So then with the mind," etc. Victory is at hand. The enemy is routed from the citadel. 1. The better part of his nature — the immortal part — was in the service of God. 2. Only the inferior part — the mortal members of the flesh — were in any sense in the service of sin. (R. T. Howell.) Parallel Verses KJV: I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.WEB: I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. |
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