Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson II)

Bible teacher Charles Hodge sees a little of both the moral and judicial inference in this word “condemnation.” He offers that those who are in Christ are not liable to be condemned to die in their sins. This is not to be understood as a description of their present state, but of their permanent position. For Hodge, true believers have been placed beyond the reach of such eternal damnation. It is something they will never have to experience. Hodge knows that he has opened a subject that is often highly debated. But for him, the meaning of any proposition is best understood by the arguments given to sustain it. It is the same in this case. For Hodge, this whole chapter provides proof of the safety of believers, of their security not only from present condemnation but from future punishment. He quotes verse 38 of this chapter as proof: “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.” Now, for those whose eternal separation from God has been commuted, they are best described by referring to their relationship with Christ. If we maintain the second part of the verse as it is rendered in the KJV, then it also relates to their character. That would eliminate condemnation in the moral sense. The first assigns the reason of their security as being in Christ, the second helps us to determine why such security is theirs.¹

The great orator Charles Spurgeon looks at the whole chapter and sees it beginning with no condemnation, and ending with no separation. All in between is full of grace, mercy, and truth. This is like a spiritual banquet for those who hunger for more of God and His Word. Every believer may still have doubts and insecurities, but there is no condemnation. There may be many instances of chastisement and discipline, but no condemnation. Perhaps there may even be a frown on our heavenly Father’s face at times, but no condemnation. This is not an assumption or supposition, it is the bare truth backed by a powerful argument based on inexcusable evidence.²

John Stott notes that the opening statements of Romans 5 and Romans 8 complement each other. Chapter 5 begins with the positive declaration: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Chapter 8 begins with the negative counterpart: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Stott sees Paul then going on to explain that our not being condemned is due to God’s action of condemning our sin in Christ.³ Later on, Paul will argue that nobody can accuse us because God has justified us.⁴ Also, nobody can condemn us because Christ died for us, was raised to life for us, and is at God’s right hand interceding for us.⁵ When put together, we have justification with no condemnation. Furthermore, they are both securely grounded in what God has done for us in and through Christ Jesus. Something He will never change or ever deny.⁶

Then Douglas Moo makes the distinction between moral condemnation and criminal condemnation that was pointed out earlier. He says that the opening lines of this chapter take us back to Romans 5:12–21, where Paul showed how those who belong to Christ will escape the “condemnation” (katakrima) that came to all people through Adam’s sin. In Moo’s mind, Paul continues to use the forensic imagery that is so important to his concept of the Gospel. Now, because we are justified by faith in our union with Christ, the horrible sentence of spiritual death that our sins justly earned is canceled. We are thus transferred into a new regime of living. We no longer fear that our sins will ever enslave us and put us back on death-row.⁷

Jewish writer David Stern sees this chapter as a crown on the first half of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. I would rather refer to it as an anchor. But in any case, it is meant to resolve the issue raised in Chapter 7 of whether or not Christians should be under Mosaic Law as a way solving humanity’s overriding problem with sin. Stern feels that the answer is the Ruach HaKodesh (Spirit the Holy or Holy Spirit), who is operating in us if we are living in union with the Messiah Yeshua. Stern then states that he believes that the structure of Paul’s argument making Chapters 7 and 8 relate to each other is reflected best if Romans 7:25 and here in Romans 8:28 because they are joined with the words “although” and “nevertheless.” Stern believes that it should read this way: “Although with my mind I am a slave of God’s Torah, but with my old nature a slave to sin’s ‘torah,’ nevertheless, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua.‘”⁸

Another Jewish writer shares his understanding that there is no condemnation as seen from the judgment aspect of Torah for those who have been “baptized” into Yeshua’s death and resurrection, and who trust in God for their salvation. He tells us that just as the annual Jewish Feast of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) required a sacrifice which had to be “accepted in faith” by each individual Jew in order for their sins to be forgiven. The same applies to accepting God’s salvation through His sacrificed Messiah – the perfect and final Yom Kippur sacrifice. Therefore, for this writer the term “No condemnation” means having the freedom to serve God while still living in the flesh without the Law condemning anyone and sentencing them to death. The person who is baptized into Yeshua’s death and resurrection has been “freed” from serving what the Jews call Yetzer Hara (evil inclination, aka sinful tendency) by God’s gift of justification in Yeshua. While the believer is still confronted with this evil inclination, they are no longer under condemnation because of the selfless sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah. They don’t have to keep going back to the altar with a sacrifice, they now go to the fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins,⁹ that will cleanse away their sins.¹⁰

Verse 2: That is because in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free. It rescued you from the law that brings sin and death.

Now Paul points out that this acquittal from the death sentence does not need to be seen as something in the future but is present in the believer while living on earth. That’s why Jesus was able to tell the Samaritan woman He met at Jacob’s well: “You don’t know what God can give you. And you don’t know who I am, the one who asked you for a drink. If you knew, you would have asked me, and I would have given you living water… The water I give people will be like a spring flowing inside them. It will bring them eternal life.”¹¹ Later on, Jesus would tell those who followed Him: “It is the Spirit that gives life. The body is of no value for that. But the things I have told you are from the Spirit, so they give life.”¹²

This freedom brought by the Spirit was an essential part of Christ’s teaching. Jesus talked about the freedom from sin He came to offer those who believed in Him. At first, His words were met with doubt and suspicion, but this is what He told those who followed Him: “If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free… So if the Son sets you free, you are really free.”¹³ But that freedom is not given to make the person independent and on their own so they must provide a way to escape the penalty of sin, which is death. Rather, to give them the liberty to yield to God and His Word so that He is the one who will guarantee their eternal life. That’s why Paul could tell the Corinthians: “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”¹⁴

Early church scholar Theodore of Mopsuestia believes that the Apostle Paul is saying here that the resurrection takes place by the working of the Holy Spirit. That’s because Paul calls the Spirit the “Spirit of life,” signifying that the Spirit is the firstfruits of the eternal life which all believers will enjoy. For Bishop Theodore, God gave His Spirit to us as a token of our immortality, and our faith in Christ has permitted us to enjoy tokens of that life with Him while we live here on earth because He has set us free from death’s sentence and sin’s control. Clearly, Paul is using the things which are to come as evidence of what has been promised to us in Christ during the present age.¹⁵

When speaking of the law of the Spirit of life, as Paul defines it, John Calvin says the meaning can be found in this: the Law of God condemns men, but His Spirit sets them free. This happens because as long as people remain enslaved under the Law, they are burdened with the chains of sin. Consequently, they are exposed to death. However, the Spirit of Christ abolishes the sovereignty that sin once possessed in them. This then allows Him to harness the prevailing sinful desires of the flesh. At the same time, He delivers them from the peril of death. Paul clearly states that keeping the law with external acts of good works will not save anyone. On the other hand, he makes known the fact that when we are renewed by the Spirit of God, we are at the same time justified by grace. This, in turn, removes the curse of sin which is death. As Calvin sees it, the verse now has the meaning that the grace of regeneration is never unconnected from the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.¹⁶

Revivalist theologian Adam Clarke has a similar view. He writes that the Gospel of the grace of Christ, which is not only a law or rule of life but affords that sovereign energy by which guilt is removed from the conscience. As a result, the power of sin is broken, and its polluting influence removed from the heart. This is what Paul means by the term, “law of the Spirit of life.” In Clarke’s view, the law was empowered by a spirit of certain death hanging over those under its control. That’s why sin was the reason for their feeling condemned. Clarke notes that the Gospel proclaims Jesus Christ as Savior for those who believe, but at the same time, declares those who remain bound by the law as headed toward spiritual death. Jesus came to set them free to enjoy eternal life, but they must accept Him and His death as the key to such freedom.

So the Apostle Paul is able to say that whether it’s his new I, or his old I, still be trying to impersonate the real him, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set him free from the law of sin and death. That’s why he can have confidence that with the help of the Holy Spirit the new I will side with the real him to win the victory. It is necessary to understand that no sinner controlled by their fleshly ambitions, and having been sold under sin and as a captive to the law of sin and death can claim to be freed from the death sentence of sin. Either the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set them free, or they are still bound. No one can be a captive of sin and freeman in Christ at the same time. God has already made His choice, now what is yours?¹⁷

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson I)

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER EIGHT (Lesson I) – 10/18/17

Verse 1: So then, anyone who is in Christ Jesus is, therefore, no longer living under a death sentence.

Both the KJV and NIV use the phrase “no condemnation,” as do many other standard English translations. The New Life Version has, “the punishment of sin,” While the Amplified Bible renders it as, “no adjudging guilty or wrong.” It comes down to understanding the two words used in Greek for “condemnation:” One is “katakrisis,” which means to make a judgment on something as being right or wrong, good or bad.¹ The other is “katakrima,” which means having a judgment rendered with a sentence to follow.² For the English reader, it is obvious that “krisis” relates to our English phrase, “crisis,” while “krima” has an affinity to our English word, “crime.” Here in verse 1, Paul uses “katakrima,” meaning that we are no longer under the sentence of spiritual death brought on by Adam’s sin and perpetuated in us because we could not extricate ourselves from this curse on our own. This led the translators of the New Matthew Bible to render this verse as: “There is then no damnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” In the commentary of the 1599 Geneva Bible, they paraphrase the next line: “who are grafted in Christ through His Spirit.

Paul made this distinction clear in his letter to the Galatians where he tells them: “The law says we are under a curse for not always obeying it. But Christ took away that curse. He changed places with us and put Himself under that curse.”³ And he shares this message with the believers in Corinth: “It is God who has made you part of Christ Jesus… He is the reason we are right with God and pure enough to be in his presence. Christ is the one who set us free from sin.”⁴ And by being set free from the power of sin, we are, therefore, free from the penalty of sin – which is spiritual death. That’s why Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians: “In Adam, all of us die. And in the same way, in Christ, all of us will be made alive again.”⁵ Paul is talking here about the fact that we may physically die under the sentence of death due to Adam’s sin. However, while the body is destined for the grave, once we are born-again we will never spiritually die because the soul has been given eternal life.

Among the early church scholars, there are some, such as Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Pelagius, etc., who see Paul using the term “condemnation” in a moral sense. However, Bishop Diodore and Ambrosiaster apply the judicial connotation of “damnation.” Gennadius believes that having been released from the curse of a death sentence makes God’s grace look even more compassionate and forgiving.⁶ His grace implies that we need no longer walk around feeling like a condemned person because of the sins of the past. Paul may be the first writer to signify what became a movie title in 1995, – Dead Man Walking.

Reformer John Calvin offers his understanding of what Paul is saying here. He notes that after Paul describes the conflict that believers have within themselves, he returns to the theme of consolation which they need to hear. And that is, although they were still in a battle with sin, yet they were exempt from sin’s penalty of death because Christ paid the price to set them free. So why not live like free people. They no longer had to figure-in their certain demise as a factor in calculating their future. This life down here became only the first chapter in their promised eternal existence. So stop living for this world and start living for the world hereafter.

John Bengel points to the grammatical highlights that help us better understand what Paul is saying in this important verse. He begins by showing that Paul is writing about deliverance and liberty. Moreover, he does not employ the antithesis, “but there is now no condemnation,” rather he uses the conclusive “therefore, there is now no condemnation”⁷ because, at the end of the previous chapter, he was suffering in the final stage of a fatal sinful condition. Bengel believes that Paul returns from his admirable diversion of thought to the new way of the Spirit which he has pursued beginning in Romans 7:6. And, as proof of this, Paul uses the particle “now no condemnation,” which denotes that he is speaking in the present tense.⁸ We also see that the phrase in verse 1, “Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” as retained in the King James Version, but is missing in the New International Version. When we look at what Bengel points out, we can confirm that such a change in the text is permissible. Not only is this backed up by the most respectable Bible scholarship, but seems to have been a scribal, or clerical error. Whoever did the copying back then, before the printing press, inserted this phrase from verse 4. Whether this be the case or not it doesn’t matter because the statement is true regardless of where it appears in the text.

Adam Clarke also speaks about how the believer must not live as though they were comfortable in a worldly lifestyle. He credits Paul for having put in this one verse the power and virtue of the Gospel plan, which is to pardon and then sanctify. No doubt Paul felt this necessary since the Jewish law could do neither. It is only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the repentant sinner, already condemned by the law, can be forgiven and pardoned. Not only that but then the forgiven sinner can surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit and be sanctified for God’s glory and the Spirit’s full use. No longer does the sinner need to be afraid as though they are only out on parole. The sentence of death that would permanently separate them from God for eternity has been reversed. They are freely justified by the work of Christ on the cross. That means, they need not fear that if they were saved by works some of those works would fail the test at heaven’s gate and they would be barred from entering.⁹ They are now moving forward in sanctification so the flesh can be brought more and more under control of the spirit.¹⁰

Robert Haldane also writes concerning the cancellation of condemnation. He says that Paul’s statement that there is now no condemnation implies that there would have been condemnation to those to whom he wrote had they remained under the law. But now, through Christ, the penalty for sin has been paid and thereby the demands of the law have been completely satisfied. Paul explains in verses 2-4 how this exemption was completed. Then Paul distinguishes between conditions under the Law, and conditions under Grace, for the believer. Paul is referring to their natural and their supernatural status. Haldane points out that by nature we were all bound for punishment. But God, in His mercy, identified us as accepted through His Beloved Son and removed that penalty. Now that we are in Christ, we are no longer judged under the curse of the Law. Our Savior has carried it all for us to the cross. You are guaranteed that from the moment you believed in Him, you were ransomed from its curse because the price has been paid on Calvary. Not only that, but you have entered into a new covenant totally unlike the Law. This covenant is based on nothing but grace and pardon.¹¹

Albert Barnes shares his view that the Gospel does not seek to pronounce condemnation like the Law. Its main purpose is to pardon, while the central function of the law is to condemn. None of us could ever afford the price of deliverance. All we ever received was the wages of sin, – death. The object of the Gospel is to set us free from condemnation and to bring liberty to our soul. So the Gospel does not aim to enforce the death penalty. Its basic design and disposition are to provide an acquittal for all who believe, thereby freeing them from the condemning sentence of the Law. Little do people know that when the angels sang on the night of our dear Savior’s birth the song they sang contained an untold message that He came to save the lost and forsaken, lying helpless upon sin’s trash heap, clean them up and free them from the most fearful and terrible condemnation possible, eternal separation from God and His love.¹² That certainly fits in with what the angels did sing: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”¹³

For British Baptist preacher Octavius Winslow, when a person claims they are “in Christ,” it means they have been accepted by God, not on their own account, but on account of the work of Christ. And that work on the cross has resulted in their being justified to receive eternal life, not everlasting separation from God. And when they came to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, it required laying out on the altar all their wickedness, deficiencies, and guilt. The reason they were laid on the altar is because they must all to be sprinkled with His blood and done away with. Nothing they were lauded over that was that good, nor anything they might have been accused of that was so bad, did meet the requirement in fulfilling the request by the Father for a perfect sacrifice, without blemish or disfiguration. Like the thief on the cross, who was crucified openly next to our Lord, so the sinner must be willing to meet Christ openly so that all can see what a poor, helpless, ruined, and condemned sinner is being ransomed and rescued from the trash heap of sin. So that they could receive their pardon through the free mercy of God in Christ Jesus with great joy.

Winslow also added that to be “in Christ,” was subject to living a holy life, based on the influential principle of faith. They have surrendered to the will of God and the leading of the Spirit to be led into the blessed state described by the Apostle Paul: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”¹⁴ Not only that but to be “in Christ” also means being one with Him. To put it another way, to be in unison with Him based on everything He stands for and all that the Word of God says. It also denotes being part of the mystical body of Christ – the Church, of which He is the spiritual head, and the believers are individual members.

Furthermore, it is not only Christ dwelling within, but also our dwelling in Christ: “Christ in you the hope of glory”¹⁵ By having Christ dwell in us, we are easily identified as not one of the lost,¹⁶ but one of the found.¹⁷ Yes, to dwell in the heart of Christ is to rest in the pavilion of His love. It is to have found a hiding place in the shadow of the Almighty.¹⁸ There we can be better sheltered from evil and to find comfort there in times of sorrow. Being “in Christ” is a blessed state of existence. Who would not want to experience that? ¹⁹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

PREVIEW OF CHAPTER EIGHT

This is without a doubt one of the, if not the, most monumental chapters written by the Apostle Paul. Its brilliance of thought is overwhelming. It is a real masterpiece of Christian theology. It takes us from the starting point of being set free from sin’s dominion over our lives, which guarantees had we not been freed by God’s act of love our death sentence of eternal separation from God would have been carried out. However, to the point that as long as we hold on to that love, God will never allow it to be removed so that sin can reimpose that sentence of condemnation.

Paul touches on the consequence and association of man’s tripartite existence (body, soul, and spirit) and the effects of sin as opposed to the forces of righteousness. Man’s body, this is the seat of our carnal nature and its warring members. The soul, this is the core of our spiritual longings, for which the supreme sacrifice was given. And the spirit, the center of our expressions which provides life to the soul,¹ and animates the body. All of these have all been tainted by Adam’s sin and our own sins; all of which are groaning for redemption through Christ. That redemption offers the paradox of eternal life through death, the death of our sinful nature, and freedom through submission to the Holy Spirit. This helps fashion a hope by faith that this is the fulfillment of God’s destiny for all those who believe.

There are many times when verse 1 is misused to denote the absence of any condemnation in our hearts and conscience about our past sins because they have been washed away. Who, after being saved, have not thought of some sinful deed they committed in the past and felt sorry or grieved for having done it? So on the surface, we can see this interpretation as questionable. If our conscience is now unresponsive to condemnation, how will the Holy Spirit convict us when we do wrong or step out of God’s will and purpose for our lives; or when we dabble in the works of the flesh as Paul outlines in Galatians 6? But the Apostle Paul uses the correct word to explain what the condemnation is and it gives the chapter a whole new meaning.

To all my precious, faithful readers who take the 15 minutes each day to read the lesson, may God bless you. And to all those who take the extra time to look up the Scripture verses that are cited but not printed in the text, may even more of His blessings be on you. And any of you who consult the works in the footnotes to see what else these great scholars had to say on the subject, may God’s Spirit shower you with understanding. You don’t know how proud your heavenly Father is of your dedication and desire to know more about His Word. And from a human standpoint, you make me happy that the time was taken for research so that you could have these tools to work with.

We will begin Chapter 8 tomorrow. If you have any friends, know any pastors or Bible teachers that may enjoy these expositions of Romans. Even if they do not have a Facebook page, they can follow it right here on my blog. May God bless you and keep you and anoint you for His service.  Dr. Robert R Seyda

1 See Genesis 2:7

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER SEVEN

The Apostle Paul has several objectives in this chapter. For one, he wanted the Christian believers in Rome to better understand the relationship they had with the Law of Moses as compared to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And second, to better comprehend the dilemma a believer faces when they chose the Law over the Gospel and try to seek justification with God by works instead of justification by faith. That justification was necessary in order to become right with God so that the condemnation of eternal separation from God, which had been announced upon all who sin, could be removed. Then they could live free of such condemnation and willingly serve God with their whole heart and mind.

Paul had previously discussed how being baptized into Christ makes us dead to sin and sets us free to present our bodies as instruments of righteousness leading to holiness. For the benefit of his Jewish readers, however, since they knew all about the Law, Paul now carries this concept of dying to sin and freedom in the Spirit one step further. Jewish believers must understand that serving the Law in their flesh is a dead thing since they are now joined to Christ in their spirit.

To do this, Paul uses the illustration of a marital relationship. They were once married to the Law and served it faithfully just as a man would take care of and provide for his wife. But the Law, like the wife, has died. So through the grace of God, they have been given the gift of being married to Christ. Their previous marriage to the Law was based on a contract as any marriage is. But since the Law has died, that contract is now null and void. They have been married to Christ under a new contract. And this was to their benefit because the Law could not bring them into a right relationship with God. All they could do when they made mistakes was making up for their shortcomings with sacrifices. But that was only temporary forgiveness. They would need something greater in order to keep them from dying and being eternally separated from God. But under grace, the power of the Gospel and the blood of the Lamb of God has brought them into union with Christ and saved them from potential eternal separation from God.

But Paul faced the danger of his Jewish readers thinking that he was implying that because the Law could not forgive them and, in fact, even worked against them, that it was somehow sinful. Paul wanted no part of such a notion. He was quick to state that the Law was “holy, just, and good.” And by being holy, it made known all that was sinful and not pleasing to God. But instead of this prompting them to get in line so they would not offend God, there was a sinful tendency inside them which rebelled against such regulations and forbidding of certain pleasures. So instead of doing what the Law said, they did just the opposite. And by doing the opposite, they sinned against God and His Law. That was a shocking revelation of how their evil tendencies took the opportunity provided by the commandments to deceived them and lead them on the path to death and eternal separation from God in the world to come.

To make this even more graphic, Paul uses himself as an example of such a man living under the Law. He was dealing with a terrible dilemma. In his mind, he knew what was good and pleasing to God and really wanted to do it. But when he went to do what he knew was right, he ended up doing the exact opposite. He knew that the opposite of the Law was evil and tried his best to avoid it. That’s when he was alerted to this sinful tendency that ruled his heart and mind through the flesh. And each time this sinful tendency got into an argument with his heart mind, for some reason the lust of the flesh always won against the desires of the spirit. So he felt like a person who was chained in their flesh as a prisoner.

This brought on an even more startling reality. No matter what he did or how hard he tried, he could not break free. He became angry that the Law could only point out his faults and failures but could do nothing to rid him of this sinful tendency. Even those around him no matter how learned they were in the Law could offer no solution. So he had to look for some power greater than his own and stronger than this sinful tendency to free him. And praise God he found it! There was still hope! The Gospel told him that God had provided the solution through His Son Jesus Christ. So he needed to call upon Him and ask Him to save this wretched man. And that experience is what Paul deals with in the next chapter

When you read the Old Testament, you will find instances where the Hebrew word towb – “Goodness” is defined or described in the text. For instance, we read that “Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the goodness the LORD showed to Israel when He rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.”¹ Then there is God’s word to Israel through Moses, “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and goodness, death and disaster.”² King Solomon also warned, “Those who lead the righteous along the path of evil will fall into their own trap, but those who live right keep all their good things in their possession.”³ Here we see goodness as love making itself useful in responding to a need situations.

We also read where from the beginning after God set lights in the sky, one to govern the day and many to rule the night, it was His way of separating light from the darkness. So God labeled this as something good in the sense of being very appropriate.⁴ Israel also learned that God does things in various ways to benefit His people that are very good because they are very relevant.

We see this after Joseph’s brothers came down to Egypt and learned that the one they sold into slavery was now second in command. After Joseph revealed who he was, he told them, “You intended it for my harm, but God intended it for my good (benefit). He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”⁵ Even the Psalmist declared “Taste and see that the LORD is good; Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him!”⁶.

No wonder the Apostle Paul told the Christians in Rome that they should add goodness to their knowledge.⁷ And Paul reiterated to the Roman believers what he also shared with the Ephesians that one Fruit of the Spirit is goodness.⁸ So again we see how those show kindness will see how it becomes goodness when they put it into action. Goodness is love that is mature and responds to those in need. So don’t hesitate to let your love flow into the hearts and souls of others to the glory of God. Don’t claim to be kind if you cannot show it in goodness. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

A TRUE STORY OF TRUSTING GOD

Jonathan and Robert Loveall were the two sons of Andrew and Rebecca Loveall. Their parents served as missionaries in Central America, and administrators of a unique school, Escuela Integrada de Ninos Trabajadores. It was for street kids who helped support their families as shoeshine boys, souvenir sellers, tour guides, and food vendors for the tourist city of Antigua in Guatemala.

A few years ago, the three teens who attended the school, Elbert, Keven, and Arlyn, were babysitting Jonathan and Robert. Without warning, four masked robbers stormed into the Loveall home with guns. They tied up all five boys and threw them onto the kitchen floor. Then they began to ransack the house. In the middle of the robbery,  Andrew, the boys’ father, came home. The robbers shoved their guns to his face and demanded all of the family’s valuables! Usually, such home invasions end with the robbers killing all the witnesses.

Tied up on the floor, Keven, one of the babysitters, whispered, “Let’s all pray that Jesus will protect us and make the bad guys go away.” The five boys whispered their prayer together. Suddenly, for reasons that no one has ever explained, the robbers left without taking a thing. Why did they leave so abruptly? That’s what everybody kept asking themselves. Finally, little Robert, who was five at the time, said, “I know!” His father asked him to explain. Robert recounted: “Dad, when I was tied up on the floor, and we were all praying for you, Jesus told me not to worry. And so,” said Robert, ”that’s what I did. I quit worrying because he knew Jesus was going to take care of everything. And He did!”

If a young child can have that much faith in such a dangerous situation, shouldn’t we be able to have at least that much faith when we encounter everyday troubles and difficulties? No wonder Jesus told His disciples that unless they began to believe like a young child, they would never make it all the way to heaven. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XXVIII)

As Bible scholar Charles Hodge understands it, the conflict involving the believer’s soul should never result in a victory for sin, but always end in triumph for grace. As a consequence of such a potential victory, Paul was motivated to exclaim, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Certainly, this comes from a strong and sudden burst of deep gratitude. In thanking God, Paul intends to do so by way of Christ’s mediation at the Father’s right hand. And the reason he chooses this route is because the great blessing of deliverance he received from God came through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus does for us what neither the law nor our own powers could do. He is, and always will be, the only Redeemer from sin.

Hodge then examines Paul’s words from a doctrinal viewpoint. He emphasizes that it is important to keep this fact in mind: the believer’s victory over sin cannot be achieved by the strength of resolutions, nor by the active force of moral platitudes, nor by any resource within himself. Only by looking to Christ for help was Paul is able to conquer these sinful tendencies using Christ’s strength. This is the same as saying, victory over such sinful inclinations can never be achieved by way of a person’s will, but only by way of God’s Will. This is important because the force and magnitude of these sinful tendencies can be seen in their corruptible influence on the lives of even the most admired people around us. And no matter how much criticism that person receives for their actions, sin retains some power to the end of that person’s life.

This corruptible influence, although its presence and power are acknowledged, must never be used as an excuse for an individual’s offences. It can become one of the greatest aggravation components of guilt. When we say of ourselves what the Apostle Paul said of himself, “I am carnal,” which is another way of saying that he was completely controlled by his immoral fleshly passions, we are using the strongest language of self-condemnation and self-abhorrence. Although believers never reach the level of perfect sanctification in this life, nevertheless, they should keep moving forward and upward. By dealing successfully with this corruptible influence of sinful tendencies, it shows us the value Paul placed on making it to heaven to enjoy its eternal blessings.¹

Henry Alford feels that we must not overlook the phrase, “So then.” This will help us better understand this whole passage. It takes us back to the opening question in Romans 7:7, “Is the Law sin?” The Apostle has proven quite effectively that it is not. Rather, that it is right and holy. Paul discusses the relationship between Law and Sin. First of all, without the Law, there would be no sin. Secondly, when the Law expresses itself in forbidding certain actions, mankind’s natural aversion to the Law then causes their sinful tendencies to disobey. Such disobedience to the Law is “sin.” Sin then sets up a conflict in the believer’s life between the soul and the flesh. Paul declared that he was delivered by Christ Jesus from the condemnation of sin long ago, so he need not fear about dying in sin and being eternally separated from God. Nevertheless, this conflict between his spirit and flesh was a constant source of misery. It was like dragging around a dead body that should have been buried a long time ago.²

Preacher Charles Spurgeon marvels at God’s mercy that sent our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver a deadly blow to the serpent’s head, as He promised to do. But the effects of the wounded heel are still with us and has given us our sinful tendencies.³ This was not only needful but was necessary. Spurgeon gives us a very precise explanation in his homily: “Sin is a monster, and has immense vitality; but it is a broken-backed, broken-legged, broken-headed monster. There it is; it lies hissing and spitting and writhing, capable of doing us much mischief, but He that has wounded it will smite it again and again until at last, it shall utterly die.”⁴ What powerful words from a great preacher. Nonetheless, there are some who know that they have these sinful tendencies but do not hate them. Such individuals are acting like the devil trying to get on the road to heaven. It is not enough just to know that as a Christian these sinful tendencies are still active in the flesh, but proving that you are a Christian can be seen in your hatred for these evil inclinations. And it is your daily battle with these corrupt dispositions that prove you are a true child of God.⁵

Frédéric Godet feels enlightened by the special feature in the kind of deliverance the Apostle Paul is talking about. It is not just the pardon of sins through the blood of Christ, but the victory over sin through Christ crucified and risen.⁶ It is important that we see this distinction. Paul’s letter to the Galatians on the Fruit of the Spirit was written on this premise. The bulk of sin was dealt with on the cross, but the residue of sin is an ongoing process in the work of sanctification. Charles Ellicott reaches the same conclusion. He sees the deliverance Paul is talking about here as sanctification rather than justification. The battle for domination of the soul was won once and for all through justification. Now the battle for conquering the sinful tendencies of the flesh is an ongoing conflict. And in order for the believer to be loosed from the forced bondage of these inclinations, they too must be taken to the cross where justification was granted so they can also be crucified with Christ. This means, putting them under the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit.⁷

However, John Stott sees it from a different perspective. For him, Paul’s confession that he is still a slave to his sinful tendencies activated by the Law is a part of this verse, and it will stand there stubbornly in all the manuscripts, and no one will be given permission to erase or move it. It provides an appropriate conclusion to the whole discussion of the continuing conflict within New Testament believers who are attempting to live under Old Testament rules. This seemed to be the case of some Jewish converts to Christianity who were part of the congregation in Rome. There were still trying to get the Law to do for them what the Spirit had been sent to do. To put it the same way as other commentators, they were justified but not yet ready to move forward in sanctification.

Stott believes that when this is seen from a New Testament orientation, we find that under the Old Testament believers were married to the law, controlled by the flesh, and bore fruit of the flesh. However, under the New Testament, believers are married to the risen Christ, liberated from the law, and bear fruit of the Spirit. That’s why believers must stand guard so that they cannot be led away from the new order back to the old, from a person to a group, from freedom to slavery, from the indwelling Spirit to an external code, from Christ to the Law. When Paul talks about the Law, he is not suggesting that believers should be Old Testament Christians. They are regenerate for sure, but still living in slavery to the law and in bondage to indwelling sin. Instead, believers should be New Testament Christians. Having died to sin and risen with Christ in spirit, they are living in the freedom of the indwelling Spirit.⁸

Jewish writer David Stern makes us aware of an important factor in the English rendering of this verse from the Greek. The Greek text reads: “I am thanking to God through Jesus Christ, the Master.” To put this in a more readable form, it says, “I give thanks to God through Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord.” In other words, while Paul was thanking God for his salvation, he did so through his Lord Jesus Christ. So our question would be, should we do the same? In a way we do. When we pray, “Father, I thank you in Jesus’ name.” Or when ending a prayer, we say, “Father, this we ask you in Jesus’ name.”⁹

Another Jewish writer takes a different path in identifying what Paul is attempting to explain here. For him, a believer is never totally free of his Yetzer Hara (sinful tendencies) until he physically dies. That tells us then that even those who follow Yeshua are, to some degree, still slaves to sin. But because of Yeshua’s death on the cross, we are free from the mastery of sin and its potential separation from God for eternity. King David was saved by the same faith. Although his sin with Bathsheba was terrible and unforgivable under the Law, yet he could claim what was said in Psalm 119: “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart – they do no wrong but follow his ways.”¹⁰

For British Methodist preacher Charles Simeon, he was tired of hearing Christians complaining about troubled times, be they civil, domestic, or personal. At the same time, he had seen this same crowd rejoice together when some great occasion came, or some victory was announced. But he confesses that never once had he heard even one believer cry out: “O my inward wretchedness, what a burden they are to my distressed soul!” At the same time, he had also never seen one of them rejoicing and declaring Christ to be their beloved and all-sufficient Savior. In fact, even to suggest such thinking to them would cause some to turn away in disgust. Does anyone need more proof of how widespread unbelief and faithlessness is among those who call themselves children of God?

It was Pastor Simeon’s prayer that God would somehow make all of them aware of this horrible condition so that it would bring upon them a spirit of conviction and drive them to the altar seeking forgiveness and renewal. There is no reason for Christians to feel more sorrow in their faith than joy. But it’s because they refuse to be comforted. They are snug in their misery. It gives them grounds to cry and complain. Yet, if they would only consider their tendency to sin an occasion for repentance, and their repentance an occasion for joy, while they still may cry: “O wretched man that I am,” they would have just as much reason, if not more, to declare: “Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ.” So let this attribute of praise be our expression down here on earth until someday it will become our uninterrupted song of joy up in heaven forever.¹¹

END OF CHAPTER SEVEN

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XXVII)

As far as Scottish theologian Robert Haldane is concerned, this language used by Paul is suitable only for a regenerate person. Any unregenerate individual is indeed deplorable, but they do not feel the wretchedness Paul expresses here. They may even sense their misery and might be burdened with anxiety that paints the picture of a bleak future, but it’s not the same. The person Paul is describing here feels wretched because of the sinful tendencies ruling inside their body’s members. Such a feeling no unregenerate person has ever possessed. It is true, an unregenerate person may wish to be spared the pain of punishment and fear of danger, but instead of wishing to be completely delivered from their sinful tendencies they want to return to them as soon as possible. They get so much pleasure indulging in sin that they are willing to risk whatever consequences may be waiting.

In reference to the term, “body of this death,” some understand this as Paul referring to his natural body and is making a wish to physically die. But this would go against everything we know about the Apostle’s principles of living for Christ. We must see it as an expression on Paul’s part as wanting to be free from the control and the addictive nature of sinful tendencies that are causing him heartache and frustration. Here Paul refers to it as his “body.” Earlier, he referred to the same entity as his bodily “members.” And the reason he calls it a body of death is that its end is certain demise both physically and spiritually. Were it not for the coming of the Christ into the world, all hope would have been lost and all mankind being sent into eternal separation from God.¹

In the words Paul uses here, Albert Barnes recognizes an agonizing struggle between good and evil; a struggle which allows no peace and makes it a living nightmare. This can either produce despair or humility. To the believer, who is still under the influence of sinful tendencies, it is humbling. It is also degrading to their spiritual nature; a stain on their sanctification, and an ugly mark on their reputation as a child of God. How can anyone explain being under the control of such sinful inclinations when they are supposed to be under the control of the Holy Spirit? Furthermore, how can they continue to indulge in such sinful practices and still fold their hands in prayer or raise them in praise and worship to Almighty God? The resulting guilt and conviction are often too much for them to handle. They are overwhelmed with their wretchedness, and either want to give up and quite or instinctively cry out for relief. Is there something the Law can do? Can a family member or friend do anything to help? Will they be able to muster up enough strength from their conscience to form a plan that will deliver them? All such suggestions are vanity. They’ve been tried and failed. So this person should do what the Apostle Paul did. Turn to Jesus and throw themselves on the altar of His grace and mercy. He is the only One with the wisdom and power to deliver.²

Charles Hodge acknowledges that the burden of indwelling sinful tendencies was a load the Apostle could neither bear up under or lay down. He could only groan under its pressure, hoping he could find relief through a power greater than his own. “Who shall deliver me” is more than a courteous request. This is a desperate cry for help. There were no inner resources, so he had to appeal to an outer source beyond himself.³ In Charles Spurgeon’s estimation, the more sanctified a person gets, the more they cry out for help in this fashion. Even though they may feel low because of their addiction to sin and truly disgusted with what they look like, yet when they get their eyes on Jesus they see the One they must emulate. And the closer they grow to Christ, the more they begin to resemble His image. And the more they look and act like Him the less and less do sinful tendencies tempt and horrify them. If they keep going, they may never want to look at sin again; never have the slightest inclination to indulge in it. And when they pick up their cross to follow Him, the more they become dedicated to His will and purpose for their lives. So, the happier they are in Christ, the less joy they will find in sin.⁴

For Jewish scholar David Stern, this sounds like the anguished cry of a defeated person torn apart by an inner conflict that leads to a desperate question usually addressed to a blank wall or an empty sky: Who will rescue me? (“real me” or “my mind.”)⁵ The real me is irretrievably bound together with the “old nature” (verse 18). This makes it hopelessly feeble in opposing the old nature’s obedience to sin’s “Torah,” and from this body bound for death?⁶

In another Jewish writer’s eyes, being apart from God leaves no one with the capability to master their Yetzer Hara (sinful inclination) and free themselves from their body’s imprisonment to the desires of evil and the resulting wages of sin. He makes the point that Paul does not say, “Who will set me free from the Torah?” Rather, Paul pleads with God to deliver him from the bondage to his Yetzer Hara. This can only happen through the righteous work of Yeshua on the cross. This will now allow him to cooperate more fully with God’s Torah according to the Spirit of truth and holiness. That will make it possible for him to crucify the “spirit of the flesh” so that the Spirit of God can rule in his life.⁷

Verse 25: I thank God for His salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, in my mind, I am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful-self, I am a slave to the law of sin.

Now Paul announces the solution to the problem of the internal conflict between right and wrong, good and evil, spirit and flesh. It is none other than the liberating power of Christ Jesus. And for this, Paul thanks his Father in heaven. One Psalmist has a similar expression of freedom: “Oh, that mankind would praise the LORD for His loving-kindness and for all of His wonderful deeds! For He broke down their prison gates of bronze and cut through their iron bars.”⁸ And later we read where another Psalmist exclaimed: “O LORD, you have freed me from my bonds, and I will serve you forever.”⁹ And God made this statement to Isaiah: “Through you, I am saying to the prisoners of darkness, ‘Come out! I am giving you your freedom!’”¹⁰

For early church scholar Origen it appears that Paul is teaching us that the crucifixion of the flesh does not happen overnight. It is an arduous and gradual process. That’s because the grasp of old habits is so strong and the attraction of sin so powerful, even though our mind wants to do what’s right and has decided to serve the law of God, the lusts of the flesh continue to urge them to serve sin and obey its laws instead.¹¹

Martin Luther has an interesting view: Saints are sinners serving God. As he sees it, they are right with God because they believe in Christ whose righteousness covers them and is imputed to them. However, they are also are sinners in that they are unable to fulfill the Law and still have sinful lusts. They are like an ill person being treated by a physician. They are truly sick but hope that with the doctor’s help they can be made well again. Although they have not fully recovered, they still go on their way. It would be catastrophic if such a person would arrogantly claim they are now well and fully restored and refuse to continue their medication. Certainly, they would suffer a relapse that is far worse than what they had before they started treatment.¹²

John Calvin takes this one step further. The believer’s conversion and regeneration are never in doubt, but they are still undergoing the process of growing in their faith. The only thing that could make them impatient and want to give up is if this was not being directed by God. That’s what makes it possible for them to succeed in the end to become fruitful in His kingdom. This allows them to keep holding on to their sure hope of an eternal inheritance. Although the promise of the glory of heaven has not yet been delivered into their hands, they can be content with the measure of peace and contentment they already possess. This should give them every reason to have joy in their hearts.¹³ In other words, Paul’s cry for rescue was not that he become more perfect in himself, but become more and more sanctified in Christ.

Albert Barnes hears Paul saying that he thanks God for effecting a deliverance that he was too incapable and incompetent to complete. The rescue needed totally depended on the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. What Paul’s conscience could not do, what the Law could not do, and what unaided human strength could not do, had been accomplished through the power of the Gospel. That is the only place where one can expect to find complete deliverance. After seeing that the Law was insufficient to effect such deliverance, it only stood to reason that something greater than the Law was needed. So Paul is now prepared to give all glory and honor to God and His Word. The superiority of the Gospel to the Law can be seen in that the Gospel can help the believer overcome the sinful tendencies that plague them day after day. Once they obtain control, they can enjoy the victory that Paul identified to the Corinthians: “God is the One Who gives us power over sin through Jesus Christ our Lord. We give thanks to Him for this.”¹⁴

Robert Haldane believes that in every believer, and in no one else, these principles are at work — sin and grace, flesh and spirit, the law of the members, and the law of the mind. Some may take this as a reason to trash the claims of the Gospel. Others may use them as an alibi for sin. But neither one of these has any credence. Every Christian knows this is true and accepts whatever the Word of God has to say about it. Anyone who tries to misuse these principles as an excuse for their mistakes will, in fact, be profaning God’s Word. No one has the right to make the Word of God read as they want it to. There are many who twist what the Word says to serve their own purpose. They may be able to fool others and mislead the weak, but God cannot be fooled or taken advantage of. Never will the day come when God approves as righteous what He has always called sin. Some Christians may be so bold as to claim that they are still serving God even though they still play around with sin. Living the Christian life is not a game, it is a life and death reality. Adam and Eve thought they would only take a bite of the forbidden fruit, but ended up eating the whole thing. If God were not serious about obedience to His Word and Will, there would be no such thing as the Day of Judgment.¹⁵

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XXVI)

Jewish writer David Stern talks about understanding the law. For him, the Greek phrase nomos, (law), can have at least these three meanings: (1) Law in the sense of “legislation, statute;” (2) Law in the sense of “rule, norm;” and (3) “Mosaic Law – Torah.¹ So in these verses, Paul engages in wordplay using all three of these meanings. To Paul, sin is personified as having organized its own Mount Sinai experience, and there it was given its own version of a Torah which some people find themselves giving halfhearted devotion to with their old nature. It is a corrupt version of the law in that they interpret it to mean what they want it to mean in order to cover their shortcomings and excuse their sins.²

Another Jewish scholar also believes that when Paul speaks of law in verse 21 that is different than God’s Law (Torah) in verse 22. That’s because the first law Paul mentions refers to a “different law,” as he says in verse 23. This other law is the “law of sin,” which Paul also calls “the power of sin,” equivalent to the Hebrew Yetzer Hara (evil inclination), or even a “perverse Torah.” Paul teaches that believers should agree with and delight in God’s Torah, as it reveals God’s good will and His mercy.³ The “inner-man,” therefore, is the spirit that goes against the Yetzer Hara by crucifying it on the cross through Yeshua. In this way, a believer banishes the “outer-man,” from being in control of his bodily passions.⁴ He “agrees with the Torah,” proving by his observance of its commands that it is “holy, righteous, and good.”⁵ As contrasted to the “law in my members.” It’s a person’s will that makes the choice between serving their Creator or their Yetzer Hara. Once Yetzer Hara becomes master, the person’s mind and will are taken captive by their fleshly desires.⁶

Verse 24: What a miserable person I am! Who can liberate me from this dead body?

In desperation, Paul cries out with the same despair as those who’ve found themselves yearning to be free. It’s another way of saying: I can’t save myself from defeat; peace between these warring factors in my heart, mind, soul, and body is impossible. Can’t anybody help? It is important that Paul acknowledges that he needs help. That is the first step in rehabilitation. David came to this realization: “There was a time when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration.”⁷ And this was the heart of Solomon’s prayer: “When the people realize their sin and pray toward this Temple, hear them from heaven and forgive and answer all who have made an honest confession; for you know each heart.”⁸

This is a rhetorical question because Paul already knows the answer. But he’s asking so he can point out that only when the cry for help is made can anyone with the power to help respond. But the answer may not come immediately. David found this out during one of his most trying times. He tells the time when all hope seemed lost. He says: “Don’t forsake me now when my strength is failing. My enemies are whispering, ‘God has forsaken him! Now we can get him. There is no one to help him now!’ O God, don’t stay away! Come quickly! Help!”⁹ It is worth noting that these same thoughts were expressed when David’s royal Son was hanging on the cross at Calvary.¹⁰

Jewish philosopher, Philo of Alexandria, makes an interesting comparison between the soul and the body. If we take it the way Paul uses it, his soul – the “living body,” is carrying around a “dead body” – his flesh. Without the soul, the body would be dead anyway. But since the body has no interest in cooperating with the soul, in order to obey God’s law, it’s as good as dead.¹¹ But Paul was interpreting this from a spiritual point of view, with the soul representing his spiritual nature, and the body as symbolic of his sinful nature.

There is another ancient story that fits even better. We are told about Mezentius, king of a Mediterranean culture group known as the Tyrrhenians. He was especially noted for his cruel acts and godless heart. One terrible act was to put his subjects to death by tying a living person, wrist to wrist, foot to foot, and face to face, to a dead one. They had to walk around this way until they also died. We find this in the writings of the Roman poet, Virgil:

“Till cursed Mezentius, in a fatal hour,
Assumed the crown, with arbitrary power.
What words can paint those wretched times,
The subjects’ sufferings, and the tyrant’s crimes!
That blood of the murdered, O ye gods, replace
On his own head, and on his godless race!
The living and the dead at his command
Were coupled, face to face, and hand to hand,
Till, choked with stench, in spurned embraces tied,
The living victims weakened and died.”¹²

In this sense, Paul saw his sinful nature that had been put to death in Christ was still attached to him, and he had to drag it around face to face day after day. So he wanted to be delivered because the stench of its sin was driving him insane. Oh if only believers today could imagine the works of their sinful nature in that same light, they would want to rid themselves of such shame instantly.

In Chrysostom’s eyes, the law failed, and mankind’s conscience proved to be unequal to the task, even though it praised what was good and even fought against what was bad. So where will salvation come from?¹³ Another early church preacher believes that after Paul looked hard at the struggle taking place between his body against his soul and how a person can be imprisoned by this, he sought a way to escape so that the body of death may be transformed into a living body.¹⁴ And Patriarch Gennadius points out that Paul did not say “bad boy” or “mischievous guy” but rather “O wretched man.” The fact that he had contemplated the good with his mind but was still drawn toward evil by the passion of his flesh made him feel more like a victim meriting mercy instead of a criminal deserving punishment.¹⁵

In a book written by Augustine of Hippo, defending certain doctrines of the church, he sees what Paul says here about the “body of this death” applies only to that part of his being that still had the opportunity to live for God, not that part bound to die because of sin. He did not want the dead part taking the living part with it. That’s why Paul asks: “O death, where is your victory?¹⁶”¹⁷ Martin Luther interprets Augustine’s saying as a reference to Paul’s speaking of a spiritual death, not a natural death. Luther says that no one regards himself as a miserable man who is not spiritual.¹⁸ As such, this body of death is that part of the believer’s struggle in which his sinful tendencies are holding him back from reaching his goal of freedom from sin.

John Calvin sees Paul’s desperate cry for help as a voice of one panting and almost fainting because he cannot find the immediate help he so desperately needs. As unimaginable as it may seem, the godless who are in despair do not wish for such a merciful rescue from that which is dragging them toward the grave. Instead, they want to die quickly because they have become weary of their present life, and not because they are sick of sin. At the same time, it must be noted that although the faithful do reach a level of frustration and desperation at certain times, they still do not wish for a quick end to put them out of their misery. On the contrary, they run to God for comfort and submit themselves to God’s will. After all, it is better to live with momentary discontent while waiting for delivery or healing than to do what Job’s wife suggested, curse God and die.¹⁹ They have learned to carry their burdens to the Lord in prayer so that He can help them to concentrate on the coming victory instead of on their depression at having to go through such suffering. In this way, they blend their grief with joy because of grace and God’s love holds out promises for tomorrow that cannot be experienced unless you remain strong to see another sunrise.²⁰

Wesleyan scholar Adam Clarke sees the body Paul was speaking of as a whole mass of sin and corruption to which the soul is bound with unbreakable chains. If that isn’t enough, this dying body is terminal with immoral infections transfused through its whole being, and it is pressing the individual down with the bitter reality that it might separate them from God for eternity. They tried seeking refuge in the law but it offered no deliverance. They turned to other human beings for help but that only brought harsh criticism. But after hearing the redemptive message of Christ, like a dying person with their last breath, they groan for rescue. If Paul is describing his own case, it can be taken as a reference to the unexpected visit he received from Ananias who breathlessly told him: “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”²¹ Suddenly the door of hope swung open. Immediately, based only on this one prayer and his prospects for deliverance, Paul returned thanks to God for this new expectation of freedom received through salvation, all of which came through the Lord Jesus Christ.²²

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XXV)

Reformer Martin Luther sees active principles struggling for supremacy inside mankind. One will lead to eternal life, the other will lead to a dead-end. Luther is speaking in a spiritual sense. The Apostle Paul sees himself as a warrior fighting for the one and against the other. He knows that he will not be defeated by his sinful tendencies as long as his soul does not surrender to them, something his sinful flesh has already done. That’s why Paul takes the side of the spiritual man who strives to obey the Law while resisting his sinful passions.¹

Calvin agrees that there is a division in each believer’s soul resulting from the contest between Spirit and Flesh. In this conflict, morality – which represents the free-will Law of God – inspires them to righteousness. Meanwhile, immorality – which represents the oppressive law of Satan – instigates evil acts. In other words, the Spirit inspires obedience of divine law; the Flesh draws them away from obeying divine law. The Spirit asks for cooperation, the Flesh demands participation. And because of this constant push and pull, a person is torn between cooperative and contrary desires and becomes a divided being. The unregenerate person is in bondage and serves as a slave to evil tendencies. But a regenerate person walks hand-in-hand with the Spirit, who guides them by God’s will. That’s because the Spirit must be declared sovereign in order to win. Every believer should be on the Spirit’s side. But Paul had to admit he was unable to do so every time because he was still captive to the flesh. And for that reason, he was still tempted and driven by sinful tendencies.²

Adam Clarke adds the warning that although the believer has a desire for greater purity, it comes with the price of strict obedience to the revelation from God in the Old Testament which contains excellent and useful maxims. But this can never be achieved without the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus in the New Testament. It starts with every true believer admiring the moral law. They should earnestly desire to be in conformity to it. But they won’t be satisfied until they become more and more like Jesus through sanctification. They hate it when they fall short and feel as though they have betrayed the One who loved them and whom they admire, the Son of God. To make it even worse, they see that their evil tendencies are still alive and active in their hearts, minds, and bodies. It’s as if you can hear such frustration in the Apostle Paul’s voice after he finds himself still fighting a war that should have already been won.³

Clarke illustrates this war between the believer’s heart and mind as a city under siege by hostile forces. The city represents the believer’s soul. They are under constant assault from without. The enemy has one goal, and that is to continue the siege until it takes full control. So there are repeated, incessant attacks. Always harassing, battering, and storming the city’s gates. All these assaults begin to reduce the inhabitant to extreme misery. Never has a picture more impressively been drawn and more effectually furnished to show the sad sight of a believer’s soul being sacked, and then shamefully and painfully led into oppressive captivity.⁴

As a result, the one in captivity now yearns to be set free again. They blame themselves for being so careless and not being on guard at the gate of their souls against these enemies. Those who were born as captive slaves of sin cannot be in as bad a state of mind than this once free believer who is now back in sin’s clutches. Sin and corruption have finally triumphed. The believer’s conscience and reasoning now lay chained. They are ready to be sold as slaves.⁵ We can hear their screams for liberation which Paul will articulate in the next verse.

Robert Haldane is not as graphic as Clarke, but he too believes that one main characteristic of the regenerate person is that they delight in the law of the Lord. That is the same thing David told his son Solomon.⁶ The unregenerate man, however, hates the law because its demands go against his desires. He is hostile to anything God says and never wants to be subject to the law of God. That’s why he takes no delight in it. In Paul’s mind, the regenerate person represents the believer’s inner-man, while the unregenerate person represents the believer’s outer-man. Paul sees the inner-man as spiritual in nature and inspired by the wisdom of God’s Word, while the outer-man is physical in nature and depends for guidance upon human logic and instinct. And in spite of being saddled with these evil tendencies of the past, the believer is still conscious of God’s law and delights in being obedient to God’s will. This depiction of a believer’s inner warfare should come as no surprise to any Christian. Is it not part of every believer’s testimony? How can anyone strive in their sanctification to be all God wants them to be without having moments when holiness comes into conflict with worldliness? If you call yourself a Christian but have never experienced this battle, most likely you are not a true child of God.⁷

Albert Barnes also takes up Paul’s theme of his spiritual nature being a warrior fighting on the side of the law to preserve life, while his sinful nature is part of the lawless mob trying to hijack his destiny and lead him from life to death. He too joins Clarke in illustrating the believer who falls prey to their sinful tendencies as a prisoner of war captured in the battle of the spirit against the flesh. After all, is it not said that to the victor belong the spoils?⁸ Barnes feels that Paul represents himself as being in spiritual warfare. He shares that from time to time he was overcome and made an unwilling participant to the sinful tendencies of his heart. This may be strong language to some believers who tend to downplay any such inclinations. That’s because it can be painful. It speaks of the disastrous conflicts in the hearts and minds of those who wish to be all that God wants them to be. Why couldn’t God have arranged that all of these negative things be washed away in the new birth and baptism? As we have noted before, it was designed by God to help the believer develop the necessary strength, resolve, and courage to go all the way to the end and taste victory.⁹

Charles Hodge not only admits that the principle of evil is active, but that it can be overwhelming. Its intent is to take the soul captive. We see this in verse 14, where Paul calls himself as a slave being sold into sin. As such, he is not a willing servant, but a miserable, helpless victim. This should not be understood as sin always getting the upper hand. Rather, sin has power the soul does not have to free itself. Sin is always dressed for battle and remains an enemy in spite of all that a believer can do. For Paul, the soul is the center of a person’s personality. Understanding the law helps us open communion with the spiritual world. At the same time, the flesh is the center of a person’s existence. So the law is the battlefield between the soul and flesh. But reality sets in during this time of conflict, and the soul finds that it cannot free itself from the dominion or power of the flesh. That’s why redemption is needed. The conflict is, from first to last, a natural one. The flesh cannot contend on the spiritual level. And the combatants can be identified as person’s sinful tendencies and spiritual tendencies.¹⁰

Charles Spurgeon explores the issue of freedom in what Paul speaks of here as combat. For him, a believer who has committed themselves to following Christ because their sins are forgiven, want more than anything to be completely free from sin’s influence. They want to lead an unblemished life without sin. And by having this desire in their soul, they will never be satisfied until that desire is fulfilled. This shows that their spiritual nature delights in the law of God. But, much to their consternation, there is another force at work within them. As far as Spurgeon is concerned, this should open every believer’s eyes to the reality that there are, within our human nature, factors that could end up sending the best saint to hell if sovereign grace does not stand in its way. That means, there is a little of hell’s tormenting flame within the heart of every child of God, and only the great and merciful God of heaven can provide the answer to putting out this fire.

Spurgeon contributes this warring between his own heart and mind to the light God sent into his soul through the Gospel. He likens his spiritual nature and sinful nature to Cain and Abel, the Egyptians and Israelites in a battle for the soul. One following the will of man and the other the will of God. He goes so far as to say that if there be a little David in your heart, there will be a big Saul too. This battle will go on as long as believers are in this world. The sinful nature will never ask for a truce or make a peace treaty between itself and the spiritual nature. The sinful nature lies in ambush, preparing to strike at any opportune moment. But freedom from such a deadly foe cannot be achieved without help.

Spurgeon also thinks that the sinful nature brings people into captivity in other respects. While the battle rages between the sinful tendencies still leftover from the previous life are fighting against the new spiritual tendencies imputed into the believer’s heart by the Holy Spirit at their new birth, the fog of doubt can cover the battlefield and cause havoc with the believer’s mind. As a result, they may begin to ask themselves, “Am I really a child of God?” If their answer is “Yes,” then they follow this by saying: “If that’s true, why am I this way?” Other questions begin to ensue. Why can’t I pray and believe like I want to? If I am truly a child of God, why do I feel listless when it comes to my devotion to God and His Word; I shouldn’t shuffle into the House of God, slouch down in my seat, go through the motions of praise and worship and have no enjoyment in doing so? Why do I get upset at those around me who seem to feast on the occasion and sing for joy from their hearts?

That’s why Spurgeon has a miserable person like this crying out in agony, “Oh, what a captivity the soul is brought into when it allows inbred sin to cast any doubts upon its safety in Christ.” The feeling of captivity can come whenever we sense that sinful thoughts or ideas begin to flood our mind. It can really be disturbing if we consider sinning even for a moment. As a result, we may then notice that we don’t feel like serving the Lord, our prayers become cold and routine, we have little joy in the company of other believers and even less in the godless society around us. Even the singing of Gospel hymns and the preaching of the Word of God become boring. This should make us have empathy with the Apostle Paul when he cries out, “Who can deliver me from this dead body I’m dragging around.”¹¹ Fear not, the answer in the next verse will be the solution for everyone.¹²