Romans Chapter 7 Vs. 25

 

The Law and Sin

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Rom 7:25

I thank God... This is the answer to Rom. 7:24. Jesus Christ is the only deliverer from sin (Mat. 1:21; Rom. 1:16; Rom. 10:9-10; 1Jhn. 1:9).

So then with... This is a misplaced conclusion which has caused many false doctrines to be taught. It should follow Rom. 7:23 as the conclusion of the whole argument. It is not only the logical conclusion, but it starts out with the Greek: ara oun, therefore. It means, "to conclude, the sum of what I have said," etc. Many have used these words to prove Paul himself was not saved from sin. This would contradict all the arguments of Romans up to this point and what follows. He proves both before and after this that there is complete victory over the law of sin (Rom. 1:16-18; 2:8-11; 3:5-8, 3:24-31; 4:1-24; 5:1-11; 6:1-23; 8:1-13).

the mind I... is the new inner self, which longs to obey the law of God.

the law of... Sin operates in the members of his body, waging war against his desire to obey God’s law.

The first part of this verse answers the question Paul just raised. He is certain that Christ will eventually rescue him when He returns. The second half summarizes the two sides of the struggle Paul has described.

Paul’s answer to this question was triumphant and immediate: Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord! Paul in this answer was looking to the final triumph of Jesus Christ for His people. Just as believers are identified with Him in His death and resurrection by faith here and now, so they will join their resurrected and exalted Lord for all eternity in new bodies, free forever from the presence of sin (Rom. 8:23; Phlp. 3:20-21). Meanwhile, in this life, Paul concluded, I myself in my mind (noi; cf. noos in Rom. 7:23) am a slave (lit., “am serving as a slave”) to God’s Law, but in the sinful nature (sarki, “flesh”; cf. Rom, 7:5, 7:18, where sarki, from sarx, is also trans. “sinful nature”) a slave to the law of sin (cf. “slave to sin,” Rom. 7:14). While awaiting freedom from the presence of sin, believers still face conflicts between their regenerated minds (or new natures or capacities) and their sin natures or capacities.