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Contents
Romans 7:7-25 ................................................................................................................................1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1
Literary Context .............................................................................................................................2
Author ..............................................................................................................................................2
Recipient and Genre .........................................................................................................................3
Immediate Literary Context .............................................................................................................3
Surrounding Literary Context ..........................................................................................................3
Exegetical Analysis .........................................................................................................................4
Obedience to the Law ......................................................................................................................4
Sin Exposed .....................................................................................................................................4
Rebellion ..........................................................................................................................................4
Spiritual Law and Internal Struggle .................................................................................................5
The Law is Good ..............................................................................................................................5
Christ Sets Us Free...........................................................................................................................5
Application ......................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................7
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Romans 7:7-25
Romans 7 flows directly from Romans 6 telling us how Christians have died to sin,
only by Christ have we been freed from it and the Law of Moses.1I n Romans 7:7-25, the Apostle
Paul analyze the relationship between the Law and sin. In this passage, Paul shows his internal
struggle with sin, and conviction.
The Law doesn’t produce sin (7:7-12) and our passions don’t make the Law sinful
(7:7). The Law makes sin palpable (7:7). Paul wants the believers in Rome that Jesus Christ
abolished the Law because it was sinful. By itself, the Law doesn’t produce our spiritual death,
instead sin is the cause of it (7:13). Sin is in all of us, the Law points of what is evil, but we are
helpless to fight against it without Christ (7:15-20, 25). We are captive to sin not only in our
minds, but also in our flesh (7:24-25).
Introduction
Samuel Coleridge calls the Epistle to the Romans as “the most profound work in
existence.”2The Epistle to the Romans is Paul’ most extensive theological writing.3 In Romans 7,
Paul contrast the Law and sin, by sharing his own internal battle. This brief exegetical paper will
examine how the law doesn’t make us holier and instead we can be more subject to temptations.
1 Leither, Charles. “The Context of Romans 7. Is Paul Talking about When He Was Lost or Saved? Charles
Leiter.” I’ll Be Honest. October 11, 2016. Accessed June 4, 2019. https://illbehonest.com/thecontext-of-romans-7-is-
paul-talking-about-when-he-was-lost-or -saved.
2 Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, and William G. T. Shedd. The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge:
With an Introductory Essay upon His Philosophical and Theological Opinions. Vol. VI. New York: Harper, 1854.
3 Towns, Elmer L., and Ben Gutierrez. The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey. 2nd ed. Nashville. TN:
B&H Academic, 2016.
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Literary Context
Author
An unlikely person to become an apostle, Paul’s first relation to the young Christian
movement was of a persecutor.4 Paul was introduced by the Apostle Luke as Saul (Hebrew
name) during the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60). Saul was born in the Roman city of
Tarsus (Acts 21:39-40) or Jewish parents (Acts 23:6; Phil 3:6). He was a Roman citizen (Roman-
Greek name “Paul”) who had studied as a Pharisee under Gamaliel in the city of Jerusalem (Acts
22:28). In all of the Epistles, he introduced himself as Paul.
Paul a strict Pharisee, persecuted the church beyond all measure.5 In his view,
Christians were to destroy the Law, customs, and Jewish traditions. It’s possible Paul never got
married as he encouraged others to say single (1 Cor. 7:7-9; 9:5). In his own account, prior to his
conversion Paul was a blasphemer, unbeliever and chief sinner (1 Tim. 1:12-15).
As Paul persecuted the church, he requested letters to arrest Christians in Damascus
(Acts 9:1-18). While in route to Damascus, Christ appeared to him and hear Him speak (Acts
9:4). Soon after his baptism, he began to preach and became a witness for Christ. Paul authored
thirteen books of the New Testament. His life was not easy as he suffered at the hands of the
Jews, was persecuted, shipwrecked three times, left for death and physical ailments. In Acts
Luke recorded three missionary journeys of Paul. We are not sure when Paul die, but Christian
historians agree he was martyred, and most likely beheaded as that was the punishment for a
Roman citizen.
4 Hultgren, Arland J. “Paul’s Pre-Christian Persecutions of the Church: Their Purpose, Locale, and Nature.”
Journal of Biblical Literature 95, no. 1 (1976): 97-111. doi:10.2307/3265475.
5 Bruce, F.F. Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Paternoster Press, 2000.
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Recipient and Genre
Paul’s letters begin with his name, who the recipient was, greeting, blessing and
thanksgiving for what God was doing in their churches. Paul wrote to the Romans from the city
of Corinth around 54 A.D. during his third missionary journey. For long to visit Rome and
minister there (Rom. 1:13-15). At the time, Rome was the most powerful city in the world, at the
center of the Roman Empire. Persecution of Christians had not begun.
According to Charles R. Swindoll, the letter to the Romans stands as the clearest and
most systematic presentation of Christian doctrine in all the Scriptures.6 Paul addressed sin and
death, salvation, grace, faith, righteousness, justification, sanctification, redemption, resurrection,
and glorification.7 Gunter Klein argued that the letter was written in order to address the need of
an apostolic foundation.8
Immediate Literary Context
As we arrive to Romans 7, Paul shares his inner struggle with sin (7:19). Paul describes
his own experience as a Christian and becomes an example for others to follow. He uses the
personal pronoun of “I” and numerous present tense verbs (7:23, 25). Ultimately, Paul addresses
the relationship between the Law and our sinfulness.
Surrounding Literary Context
In Romans 6, Paul pursue the question of why believers should not continue to sin once
we are saved by our faith in Christ. We affirm our faith, by an act of obedience; “We were
buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the
6 Swindoll, Charles R. “Romans.” Book of Romans Overview – Insight for Living Ministries. Accessed
June 27, 2019. https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/romans.
7 “Intro to Romans.” Biblica. November 09,2016. Accessed July 6, 2019.
https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-romans/.
8 Donfried, Karl P. The Roman Debate. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2011.
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dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).” Since we are
risen, we don’t need to follow sin, but we have a daily struggle with it.
Exegetical Analysis
Obedience to the Law
Paul begins Chapter 7 with the following question: “What then shall we say? That the Law
is sin?” Paul clearly states the Law is not sin. The Law let us know what sin is! If we “live by
the Law” we can become what Paul used to be; a zealot for the Law, critical of those who
doesn’t followed it verbatim, and proud (7-8). We are rebellious from the moment we are born,
and that sinful state drive us to sin (8). Jesus didn’t abolish the Law (He fulfilled), because we
are under God’s grace (6:14). Our corruptive nature indwell sin.
Paul points how the Law condemns, and condemnation had shown him what sin is. At the
same time, by knowing what sin is, sin can encourage us to do what is wrong. The Law can’t
deliver us, it may cause death via our wickedness (9). Sin is the disease the brings death, but the
Law can take us back to Christ our Savior.
Sin Exposed
Our sinful nakedness is exposed in the Law. Paul described his own experience in verses
7-11, but never went in details on what the struggle was. It’s my opinion that the struggle took
place as a hypocrite Pharisee (Mat. 23:23-24), especially with the persecution of Christians, and
it was his death (10). Sin lied to Paul and seized an opportunity (11). But he emphasizes the Law
is holly, righteous and good (12).
Rebellion
Paul presents a rhetorical question, “Did that which is good, then, bring death to me?
(13)” He finds himself wanting to follow the Word, but instead he returns to our sinful nature.
Sin deceives and can takes control. Sin can use our knowledge and move us into breaking God’s
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commandments. His commandments let us know that obedience matters, who we are, who God
is in Himself, who God is to us and where we are.9
Spiritual Law and Internal Struggle
Paul writes that the Law is spiritual (14). Jesus taught this in the Sermon of the Mount
(Matt. 5-7). The Holy Spirit reveals that we are flesh, and therefore sold into sin like a slave into
bondage to his master. The Law exposes sin, that goes back to the fall of men (Gen. 3). Our
sinful desires hunt the pleasures of the flesh and alone we are helpless.
Paul defines himself as someone who “doesn’t understands his own actions” by doing the
opposite of what he knows is right (15). We continue to live under the yoke of sin. Paul desired
to do good, but instead does was is not (16). He proceeds by saying, he is not responsible for his
sinful actions, that it’s sin who is responsible (17). There are times our sin wins over our desire
to do good (18). We have an unspiritual mind and body that only by Christ can we become
righteous.
The Law is Good
But, as we live in holiness and seek what is good, we see in it, that the Law is good. We
grow in grace as our faith and knowledge increase. Just as a crack foundation lets water in,
corruption lets evil come. Our conscience provides warning, and failure to listen destroy our
spirit (22).
Christ Sets Us Free
Alone we are unable to free ourselves from sin. We are set free by Christ alone. Paul
thanks God for Christ, as only by His sacrifice we know salvation. With our minds and heart, we
serve the Lord, but our flesh calls us to sin (24-25).
9 DeYoung, Kevin. “5 Reasons to Obey the 10 Commandments.” Crossway Article. Accessed July 10,
2019. https://www.crossway.org/article/5-reasons-to-obey-the-10-commandments/.
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Application
We are born into sin, and corrupt. It’s not the Law the made us this way, but our body and
mind constantly desires wickedness. We alone are helpless to fight the desires of the flesh. But,
upon knowing the Law, we are fully aware of what is good and evil. Only by Christ sacrifice we
are free. The Holy Spirit convict our wrong doings.
We will never be immune to sin, and we have to wrestle with it each of our days. Christ
give us strength and the gift to salvation. Christ move us to be emotional and spiritually healthy.
Christ has free us from sin, and it’s our duty to stay the course, to continue in His steadfast love
we are victorious in Him. God Bless!
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Bibliography
Leither, Charles. “The Context of Romans 7. Is Paul Talking about When He Was Lost or
Saved? Charles Leiter.” I’ll Be Honest. October 11, 2016. Accessed June 4, 2019.
https://illbehonest.com/thecontext-of-romans-7-is-paul-talking-about-when-he-was-lost-or
-saved.
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, and William G. T. Shedd. The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor
Coleridge: With an Introductory Essay upon His Philosophical and Theological Opinions.
Vol. VI. New York: Harper, 1854.
Towns, Elmer L., and Ben Gutierrez. The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey. 2nd ed.
Nashville. TN: B&H Academic, 2016.
Hultgren, Arland J. “Paul’s Pre-Christian Persecutions of the Church: Their Purpose, Locale, and
Nature.” Journal of Biblical Literature 95, no. 1 (1976): 97-111. doi:10.2307/3265475.
Bruce, F.F. Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Paternoster Press, 2000.
Swindoll, Charles R. “Romans.” Book of Romans Overview – Insight for Living Ministries.
Accessed June 27, 2019. https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-
epistles/romans.
“Intro to Romans.” Biblica. November 09,2016. Accessed July 6, 2019.
https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-romans/.
Donfried, Karl P. The Roman Debate. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2011.
DeYoung, Kevin. “5 Reasons to Obey the 10 Commandments.” Crossway Article. Accessed July
10, 2019. https://www.crossway.org/article/5-reasons-to-obey-the-10-commandments/.
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