Oswald Chambers said that 1 in a thousand men will rightly understand Romans 7. I haven’t heard anyone speak on it that does understand it.
If we look hard at Romans 6 and 7, we can get the right understanding of it. I’ll try to order the understanding clearly, then just say that the believer needs to go read themselves, and in the power of the Holy Spirit they will clearly see what is meant.
God went to great length and detail using Paul’s mind to stress this truth so that the body of Christ would know.
I see a sinful church today. Sin is walked in and tolerated and called good. One of the big reasons is that overwhelmingly Romans 7 is used to justify a sinful life. This is a deadly lie and Lord, if it is Your good pleasure, get this truth to as many as will hear, because You have warned that fruit depends upon it and rewards do as well.
Paul explains in Romans 6 that when we believe, we have an opportunity while we are still alive in the flesh, to be crucified with Christ in His death. If we will crucify the old man, that is the old sinful nature, Adam, in us, then we will be alive in the likeness of His resurrection.
Paul goes on in a pleading manner to reason with the believer… how can you live in sin when you have died in His death? He is pleading with the believer to walk in the newness of life now and stop serving sin. Period.
Romans 7 explains how a person before the law has no idea he is dead in sin. He sins and doesn’t even know or care. But once the law is introduced to a person, suddenly he is overwhelmed with his sinfulness. Paul said we don’t even know we lust until the law comes to tell us we shall not lust.
The law of God is a teaching instrument not a saving instrument. It is a spiritual thing. It shows the heart that it is hopeless and dead.
It shows the heart that is willing to repent, that it is in desperate need of a remedy. There is an awakening to do right but an inability to do right, which leads to desperation. This is repentance.
The heart at last exclaims: Who will save me from this body of death!
Paul gives the answer with thanksgiving: Jesus Christ.
So the church has not heard this truth because of the lack of repentance. Paul is clearly saying that once repentance comes to a heart… and this is by sheer will not by the force of God. But once repentance does come to a heart, Jesus can then forgive and deliver from sin.
It is the believer’ choice to crucify his flesh. If he does then he can walk in the Spirit and no longer fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
A believer has the power to walk in cleanness. He is not a slave to sin unless he loves sin.
Believer, study these truths hard and decide to be crucified with Christ today. Walk in the light as He is in the light and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Your rewards depend on it.
You will either bear fruit to life or fruit to death.
How many believers have I seen bearing fruit unto death…Saved yes, but all they bear is fruit unto death. A love of sin is the only reason.