Down an Unfamiliar Road

READY FOR A NEW TRADITION

A woman once told this story, and it really spoke to me, I hope it says something to you. She remembered how she hired a plumber to come out to a farm where she was restoring an old farmhouse. She didn’t know it, but he was leaving another house after fixing a broken water pipe, and it had been a long, tiring job with a lot of problems. On the way to the farm, he had a flat tire and that caused him to arrive late, losing an hour of work. Shortly after he started to work on the farmhouse his big plumbing wrench broke. And then, at the end of the day when he got ready to go home, his old, beat-up pickup truck refused to start.

So the lady had to drive him home. He sat in stony silence all the way. But upon arriving at his house, he graciously invited her in to meet his family. As they walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree. He reached up and touched the tips of the branches with both hands. When he opened the front door, it seemed that he underwent an amazing transformation. His wrinkled face broke out in a big smile as he hugged his two small children who came running to him and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward a short visit, he walked the lady back to the car. As they passed the little tree, her curiosity got the better of her. So she asked him about what he did earlier, reaching up and touching the tips of the branches. “Oh,” he said, “that’s my trouble tree,” “What do you mean by trouble tree?” The farm lady asked. “I know I’ll always have troubles and problems on the job, it happens to all of us, But there’s one thing I make sure of, those troubles don’t belong in my house to worry my wife and the children. So that’s why I hang them up on this tree every time I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning, when I reach up to take them with me again, a funny thing happens. There aren’t as many troubles left hanging there as I hung there the night before. I guess God does take care of them.”

Not only is it a fact that many people bring their troubles home and dump them all over their spouse and kids. Some even throw them at their pets. But often, the same is true in reverse. People take their troubles from home and dump them all over their boss and coworkers. So maybe we should pick out a place near the door of our house, apartment, or workplace, and call it our “Trouble Tree.” We too may find out that during the night, God does take some of them down, so we don’t have as many the next morning. How can we believe such a thing? Listen to what St. Peter himself told us: “Let God have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XVIII)

Frédéric Godet believes that we must take the notion of flesh here in a moral sense. That’s because it embraces, as it does in all cases, those occasions when the flesh works against God’s will. It reveals what is divine and what is devilish in every believer as a whole person. Paul felt that his basic nature was controlled by the flesh, from hunger to lust. The flesh, in self-complacency, is inclined to seek self-satisfaction in everything. One’s natural will is harnessed by this tendency. Incompatibility between his nature and that of the law forces action. Such action is more than doing the things a person likes to do. It demands absolute self-consecration to the Word and will of God.¹ Believers all recognize that the Law is spiritual. It is given and inspired by Divine will. Yes, regenerated sinners are capable of communion with God, but they are also communicating with their basic nature which tends to be in direct opposition to divine instructions. Being so earthly and sensual, this part of their nature is in slavery. But they must remember that they were redeemed from the slave market of the devil and are now servants of the Lord God.²

Swiss theologian Karl Barth believes that Paul’s call for recognition of the Law as spiritual is the first requirement of a righteous person. They need to know where they are coming from and where they are going in their spiritual life. Paul knew that life is short and finds himself dealing with conviction at the same time. This introduced an intolerable tension between his carnal nature and spiritual nature. He finds himself engaged in a conflict from which there is no escape. Yet it is good for him because it is the battle for his very existence. A demand is made on him to do something to hasten his victory over the natural tendencies that are causing so much warfare. Not only is this right, but also necessary for survival. So the question is asked, “What am I going to do?” It’s at that moment the Spirit of God rises up in his life to take control. It’s like building a wall around his soul. It becomes a fortress that cannot be occupied by the enemy. So it is decision time. Go with the natural tendencies or stick with the Spirit’s will? He and he alone can decide. Whatever his decision, he must live with it. He cannot pass it off on someone else to decide.³

Douglas Moo speaks from an Evangelical point of view on this thought. To him, Paul is characterizing the two chief actors in the drama that he unfolds. They are his “spiritual nature” and “sinful nature.” The law of Moses is considered spiritual because it is of divine origin.⁴ But Paul complains, “I am unspiritual. I feel like a slave sold to sin.” By using the phrase, “unspiritual” Paul is speaking of his natural tendencies. He uses this same phrase when he identifies those he calls “carnal” Christians.⁵ So he is not identifying himself nor those he calls carnal as being unregenerate. In other words, he is speaking of the sinful tendencies that every believer must deal with. In his case, he admits that they got the best of him at times and made him feel like a slave to sin. In such cases, he’s no better off than those who have never escaped sin’s tyranny⁶.⁷

Jewish scholar David Stern addresses the need to recognize, as Paul did, that the Torah was inspired by the Holy Spirit. This identifies Paul as a Messianic Jew who retained a high view of the Torah. Among Jews, this was a requirement. It was an axiom to which all agree without further demonstration. Yet Paul confesses that he was still somewhat bound to the old nature, literally, “I am fleshly” or “carnal.”⁸ What made him feel that way? It was the Torah. But was the Torah at fault. No! What Stern is saying here is a fact, whether we’d like to admit it or not. We can be a spiritually-minded prayer warrior, a faithful church-goer, and a dedicated Bible reader on the inside, but we still must deal with the deprecated temple on the outside that houses our souls – called the flesh, with all of its faults, failures, and foibles.

Verse 15: I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do the good I want to do, and I end up doing the evil I hate.

The Apostle Paul continues his confession of an internal conflict between his conscience and the law. Doing what was right was an option along with doing what was wrong. The choice had to be made, either by something with an unsure nature – sin, or something with an eternal nature – the Law. Paul was aware of the Greek and Roman writings of his day, and we find one interesting statement by a contemporary Roman poet, Ovid, who wrote: “Discern this, how affection persuades, I see the right, and I approve it too; Condemn the wrong – and yet the wrong I pursue.”⁹ Also, the Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, who lived during Paul’s time, gives us these instructions: “He who fails to obtain the object of his desire is disappointed, and he who incurs the wrath of his dislike is wretched.”¹⁰ This does not mean that Paul borrowed from Ovid or Epictetus, but it does prove that even the non-Jews were aware of this inner struggle.

Paul explained this later to his protégé young Timothy:  “God’s truth stands firm like a great rock, and nothing can shake it. It is a foundation stone with these words written on it: ‘The Lord knows those who are really His,’¹¹ and ‘A person who calls himself a Christian should not be doing things that are wrong’.¹²”¹³ So the same dynamics that existed under the Law, also exist under Grace. The main factor is that the Law could provide no forgiveness while God’s love and mercy do so through Christ.

While this did not eliminate the conflict Paul experienced, it did shed light on what needed to be done to conquer this rebellious force operating within his heart and mind. This same truth was seen while Solomon was king. At the dedication of the Temple, Solomon prayed a prayer of dedication. While doing so, he goes into a long narration that was meant to remind the children of Israel of their past actions and God’s responses. Then, while on his knees with his hands stretched out toward heaven, he concludes with this request of the LORD: “If they sin against you (and who doesn’t?) and you become angry with them and let their enemies lead them away as captives to some foreign land, whether far or near, and they come to their senses and turn to You and cry to You saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong’; if they honestly return to You and pray toward this land that You have given their fathers, and toward this city of Jerusalem that You have chosen, and toward this Temple that I have built for Your name, hear their prayers and pleadings from heaven where you live, and come to their assistance.”¹⁴

David also understood this problem, and prayed to the LORD: “How can I ever know what sins are lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. And keep me from deliberate wrongs; help me to stop doing them. Only then can I be free of guilt and innocent of some great crime.”¹⁵ This may have also inspired the Apostle John to write: “If we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.”¹⁶ The believers in Galatian no doubt were dealing with the same internal conflict: “We naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do, and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has His way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures.”¹⁷

But Paul didn’t want to give up and he didn’t want others to give in. So he tells the Philippians: “I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be.”¹⁸ So it is a case of us running away from something, but it is also a case of our running toward someone. The Psalmist saw it this way for those who sincerely want to do what is right even though they have sinful thoughts: “Light is sown for the godly and joy for the good.”¹⁹ That’s why King David pleaded with the LORD: “Help me to refuse the low and vulgar things; help me to abhor all crooked deals of every kind, to have no part in them.”²⁰ His son Solomon expresses a similar thought: “If anyone respects and fears God, he will hate evil. For wisdom hates pride, arrogance, corruption, and deceit of every kind.”²¹

Early church teacher Origen recognizes that Paul intends to show that even the man who is unregenerate and sold under sin may try, by their natural instincts, to resist their evil tendencies. But since these tendencies rule, it’s difficult for them to submit easily to his moral authority. This often occurs when someone, for instance, decides not to react to provocation, but in the end, their anger gets the best of them, and they surrender, even if it goes against their will. In other words, they get angry even when they do not want to get angry. Someone whose spiritual nature has not yet been awakened most often will be defeated in such instances, even if they don’t like it. This happens because their will has no assistance from the Holy Spirit, so it is not strong or resilient enough to retain control. Sadly, this remains the case even when they reach the point of death in their struggle to do what is right.²²

One anonymous early church writer wonders what Paul meant when he said, “I don’t understand why I act the way I do.” Could it be that he really doesn’t want to know? Or is it that he hurt someone but doesn’t want to be hurt himself? Or could it be that there are things he desires which he knows are wrong but does not want to cheat himself out of getting them? That seems to be what Paul is saying when he states: “I don’t do the good I want to do.” Is that another way of saying: what I love to do is attractive, but what I hate to do is more attractive. Even for the unbeliever, sometimes the sin they committed is detestable. But because they couldn’t resist they resort to either denying they did it or pretend that it is not that bad.²³ This scholar touches on something that is still the culprit today among many who sin: People don’t want to recognize the cause of their wrongdoing, and, therefore, do not feel they should be held responsible for the sins they commit even though they know it’s wrong.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XVII)

Jesus made it very clear what evil tendencies were. On one occasion, He told His followers that a man’s desire to commit adultery with another man’s wife has already been done in his heart.¹ That’s why the writer of Hebrews informed his readers: “The Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword – it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart.”²

Even before the Law was given, God confronted mankind over matters of conscience dealing with right and wrong. After He challenged Adam and Eve to tell Him why they were hiding instead of meeting Him out in the open, they confessed that for the first time they both realized they were naked. Adam blamed it on Eve, Eve blamed it on the serpent. Then, after Cain murdered his brother Abel, God confronted Him. His lame excuse was he didn’t know he had any responsibility for his brother’s welfare. The list can go on and on. Even the patriarch Job confessed that after getting to know God, all his righteousness evaporated and he said: “I had heard about You with my ears, but now that my eyes have seen You; I detest who I am and repent in dust and ashes.”³

The great prophet Isaiah also had a moment where, after witnessing the awesome six-winged Seraphs singing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD Almighty,” before God’s throne, he reflected on himself and it was enough to make him cry out: “My doom is sealed, for I am a foul-mouthed sinner, a member of a sinful, foul-mouthed race; and I have looked upon the King, the Lord of heaven’s armies.”⁴ Later on, Isaiah confessed: “Since the world began no one has seen or heard of such a God as ours, who works for those who wait for Him. You welcome those who cheerfully do good, who follow godly ways. But we are not godly; we are constant sinners and have been all our lives.”⁵ In Christ, and through the Holy Spirit, this is what we call “conviction.” But the sense of sin’s awful presence does not come from the law, but from God’s grace and mercy calling us to repent and ask forgiveness. No doubt that’s how Peter felt, and it caused him to fall to his knees before Jesus and plead: “Get away from me, Sir, because I am a sinner!”⁶

Chrysostom is quick to agree that Paul clears the law of all blame. He holds it in high honor. And by calling it spiritual, he praises it as a proponent of virtue and a prosecutor of vice. This is the whole meaning of being spiritual – directing people away from sin toward holiness. This is what the law did by admonishing, reprimanding, and chastising those who practiced sin, while, at the same time, recommending every godly virtue available. So the question may be: How then was sin produced if the teacher is so admirable? It wasn’t due to any lack of enthusiasm on the part of the teacher, but from the lackadaisical and unenergetic attitude of the pupils.⁷ Were I able to have conversed with the great Chrysostom I may have asked him, instead of blaming their sin on laziness would he approve of calling it their inherited sinful nature from Adam.

After reading this verse, early church scholar Constantius is convinced that Paul has made an important admission. He does not claim any exemption as a holy Apostle but admits that even he is subject to things that are all too common among mere humans. By saying that the law had a spiritual message that he had not previously discerned, he identifies himself as one who only looked at the legal content. By doing so, Paul condemns himself for sinning by the weakness of his will to do otherwise. He was not forced into it by the law.⁸ And Bishop Cyril of Alexandria recognized that the dictates of the Spirit are one thing, but the desires of the flesh are another. They end up fighting against each other and can never, ever reach an agreement. So if mankind possesses a carnal mind, and the law communicates on a spiritual level, then it is easy to see why they don’t communicate effectively. So can the law ever learn to tolerate those who cannot break free from sin’s power? This is where wisdom is called for. If a person is convinced that they live in sin’s captivity, they will realize they are nothing more than a slave. That’s when the law is given an opportunity to awaken the desire to be set free.⁹

Paul has been trying to point out that before the law came mankind was “amoral.” In other words, they didn’t know the significant difference between right and wrong and really didn’t care whether or not what they did was ethical or virtuous. But after the Law arrived, mankind proved to be “immoral.” Now that they were aware of what God said was right and wrong, they did what was wrong anyway. To bring this into practical living. For instance, you attend a seminar, and on a display table there are items such as pens, pads, etc., and the sign reads: Free! If you take three or four of each without knowing that the provider meant that attendees should take only one of each, then your act was amoral because you didn’t know. But if the sign says “Free! – only take one of each,” but you go ahead and take three or four anyway, then your act is immoral because you now knew the rule.

For Martin Luther, Paul provides ample proof that he is a spiritually wise man. He knows that he is capable of immorality, and is displeased that he must confess such failings. But he still praises the Law of God because he recognizes it as being effective. But for Luther, someone who is aware of such sinful tendencies but nevertheless prides themselves as being spiritual, they are immoral fools.¹⁰

John Calvin sees Paul begin to compare what the law says with what man does. His object is to help everyone more clearly understand from where the sting of death proceeds. He does this by using an unregenerate person as an example. They live in darkness and ignorance about their sin, but when a person is born again, those same tendencies are still around. While the spirit inside would gladly obey God’s rules, it must struggle to do so. But keep in mind that Paul is only drawing a comparison here. We could say that he wanted everyone see what they used to be, what they are now, and what they should be in the future when it comes to being right with God. Since believers must continue to deal with the discord between their spirit and their flesh, can’t they arrange to agree? The emphatic answer is, No! They were not meant to fellowship with each other. That would be like asking why darkness and light can’t get along? Why do they insist on it being one or the other? Here we can see darkness as a symbol of evil and light as a symbol of holiness; one is of the devil and the other of God. They were never meant to get along with each other.¹¹

In Robert Haldane’s analysis, Paul is describing himself as a dual personality and points to two distinct natures operating within him. This is not just Paul, it is a universal truth respecting all believers. When grace came, sin was moved from its position of dominance but was not entirely evicted from the heart and mind. There was, then, in the Apostle Paul, as in every Christian, what can be called the field of operation for two competing armies.¹² As a result of this warfare, and these opposing principles still fighting within, no Christian is ever exempt from the collateral damage that occurs to their sense of being sanctified and committed to God’s will and ways. Every believer who is aware of this plague in their heart must also be fully convinced of its potential for good or possible harm.¹³

Albert Barnes agrees that the remainder of this chapter has been the subject of a lot of controversy among Bible scholars. The real question is whether Paul is describing his state before or after conversion. I have read arguments on both sides. There are no outright, uncomplicated answers either way. But Barnes feels that after giving attention to all that was available to him on the subject, he came to the conclusion that Paul is describing the state of a person under the influence of the Gospel, as the operations of the mind subsequent to conversion.¹⁴ Barnes is pointing out that some scholars believe Paul is talking as a Jew, others think he is using himself as an example for all mankind, others think he meant his condition, and, therefore, all people’s condition before he and they met Christ. Paul’s intentions will be made clearer as we continue with this chapter.

Charles Hodge believes that Paul is wanting to explain why a believer may still be subject to a power which, by themselves, they cannot overcome. It results in a constant struggle. All because they want to be free. But no matter what they try sin always seems to assert its authority from time to time. Every believer must be keenly aware of this conflict and resist ever becoming enslaved again. Although they endeavor to submit to God and His will, there is a tendency within their fleshly members that causes them to be subject to the law of sin. So in their distress, they begin to distrust of God. This can result in hardening of the heart for things that are holy, and an increase in their attraction to the unholy things of this world because of self-pride. This is the time to wake up to the indwelling evil tendencies and their potential for sin. The real struggle should not be just to keep from overcoming its influence but to be free from it ever taking control. With this comes a realization – they cannot emancipate themselves on their own. That’s when they need to appeal to a power greater than themselves. That is why God gave the Holy Spirit, just for this very reason.¹⁵

For preacher Charles Spurgeon, the law of the Lord must be seen as something far more critical than it seems to be. It cannot be taken as a mere set of does and don’ts. Its implications are far more serious because it affects the secret thoughts and purposes of people’s hearts and minds. Their imaginations are also subject to domination. The Psalmist declared: “Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in Your eyes, O Lord, my Rock and the One Who paid my ransom.”¹⁶ Paul’s admission that because he is mere flesh and blood, that is the source of all the mischief, not some irksome law. The Law serves a good purpose, it’s the right thing to do. It’s the immoral-minded person that’s the problem because in spite of knowing what is right they continue doing what’s wrong.¹⁷

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XVI)

Reformist John Calvin takes a dramatic step in suggesting that “sin” must be regarded the same as, what was called, “bad behavior” before the law was announced. But as soon as the law was promulgated, then such bad behavior obtained its own identity as sin. So what was once seen as a misdemeanor is now designated as a crime against God, and, therefore, “sinful behavior.” That’s because it perverted the goodness of the law and changed it from being constructive to being destructive. This is what happens when something is changed by contamination. What may have contained elements in its own nature that were beneficial to the user, because of pollution it has become hurtful to them. This is why the law was so important. It was vital that the atrocity of sin to be openly revealed by the law. In many cases, it was considered excessive even by worldly standards. That’s why, once this truth was known, there are absolutely no excuses left. They are all invalid.¹

Although Calvin makes his explanation seem somewhat complicated, put it in layman’s terms it implies that sinful tendencies lay dormant in mankind’s nature and what they caused them to say or do was understood based on their own perception of right and wrong. But when the Law was given, those same tendencies had the opportunity to turn toward what was right and obey the law. But to the contrary, they turned away in rebellion and transformed something meant for life into a weapon for death. In a way, we can see how this relates to cancer. Normal cell reproduction becomes unrestricted and begins to multiply into tumors which put pressure on nearby tissues and can lead to death. So is the cancer of our sinful tendencies.

As far as Bible scholar Adam Clarke is concerned, people cannot have a full understanding of what sin is except through God’s law. That’s because the law serves a dual purpose. It not only helps us see the detestable and destructive nature of sin, but also serves as rules for living. There is little possibility that mankind could have discovered, on their own, the true stigma of sin in order to produce a sense and need for repentance. Also, without that awareness, it would have been impossible to see the necessity of Christ’s death as Savior. When no challenges are made to one’s conscience by the light of the Holy Spirit, there is little chance a person can see themselves as slaves under sin’s control. This would then keep them from recognizing God’s law and the commandments as holy, just, and good.²

With that understanding, Clarke applied this reality to his day and age. And he saw that there was no true repentance taking place where the moral law was not preached and enforced. Ministers who preach the Gospel only to sinners, at best do what the God lamented to the prophet Jeremiah: “They offer only superficial treatment for the wounds of the daughter of my people.”³ In other words, they don’t confront the believers directly. Yes, the law can be a beautiful instrument in the hands of a faithful minister, to alarm and awaken unregenerate sinners. But they must also show that everyone who sins is breaking the law, and consequently fall under its curse. So unless they flee to the refuge hope holds out through the Gospel, they are doomed. This gives us, even more, reason to accept the fact that Jesus Christ is the End of the Law for justification to them that believe.⁴

For Albert Barnes, the sense of what Paul says here is that by the giving of the commandments and their application to the mind sin was completely exposed. That’s because it was riled up, inflamed, aggravated, and showed to be excessively malignant and deadly. So here is the bottom line: that the disposition of the Law is to awaken wicked tendencies out of their slumber into active existence so as to reveal their true nature. That’s what needs to be done, and is all that the Law is asked to accomplish. It is not then requested to sanctify the soul. That is beyond its power. So here we see the design of the Apostle Paul. Namely, that sin be seen for what it really is.

This is the only way a person can become acquainted with their true character. A person should never deceive themselves into thinking this is not necessary. It is part of God‘s plan to diagnose and expose the secret tendencies of the heart. Without this revelation, they would have no reason to look for a remedy. Just as a person who does not know they have cancer or diabetes asks a doctor for a prescription or treatment. Why should they worry about living if they don’t know there is a disease inside that could kill them? So it is with sin. No wonder God often allows people to plunge into sin to show who they really are. This is to alarm them that without help they will suffer the consequences of their own sinful deeds.⁵

In Charles Hodge’s mind, there is nothing more inconsistent with true faith than self-complacency. The truth is, the more sanctified we become, the clearer will be our views of the benefit of God’s law. Consequently, the clearer we can see with the light of the law the deeper we can look into the darkness where sin is hiding. Not only that, but our humility must grow as well. No matter what our experience as believers may be, if it does not correspond with Biblical expectations and results, we cannot really call ourselves Christians. So unless we have experienced what Paul experienced, we do not share Paul’s beliefs and convictions. That also means, we cannot expect to get the same reward.⁶ Hodge also sees some doctrinal implications in what Paul writes. One of them is that the law of God is a transcript of His own nature – holy, just, and good. The clearer our view who God is, what God is, and what God can do, the deeper will be our sense of our own unworthiness. Sin is exceedingly wicked. Its depravity is often manifested when it comes into contact with holiness. That arouses its harsh opposition and criticism. So it is with the holiness of the law. Instead of what is forbidden causing it to shrink back in contrition, it makes it all the more hostile and insistent. That should no doubt alarm us and make us take notice of what we are doing. But worse than that is the fact that sin is very deadly. It can take away all the meaning of life and why God created us. And such a state of mind cannot continue without bringing misery and despair.⁷

In one of his sermons, Charles Spurgeon pointed out that the law and sin are something like medicine which many physicians prescribe for their patients. After diagnosing a potentially fatal disease in the patient’s body, the doctor wants them to take this medicine to combat this terrible disease. Its evidence may be seen on the skin. It may also cause severe pain. And sometimes a person does not know it is there at all. It can be a silent killer. Left untreated, it would have brought death. But by being treated it only has the potential of causing death. So the whole purpose of the treatment is to cure the disease and put it into remission or eradicate it totally from the body.⁸ So Spurgeon is letting us know that as soon as the truth in the Law enters a person’s heart, their rebellious nature kicks against the restraints of the law, and such revolt is called sin. In other words, it is the reaction of mankind’s imperfect nature coming into contact with God’s perfect Law.

John Stott offered an illustration that exemplifies a man being caught red-handed breaking the law. He is arrested, brought to trial, found guilty, and sentenced to prison. He cannot blame the law for his imprisonment. True, it is the law which convicted and sentenced him. But he has no one to blame but himself and his own criminal behavior. In similar fashion, Paul exonerates the law. The villain here is evil tendency. And because of its perversity, when the law provoked it by saying, “No,” it rebelled and became belligerent. Those people who say that the problem is with the law, are quite wrong. The law is not the problem, its a person’s evil tendencies that enjoy sinning. This contention and conflict between evil tendencies and holy law show two things. First, the strength of the law to hunt down and expose these evil tendencies hiding inside hearts and minds. Secondly, the weakness of the law seen in its inability to offer forgiveness and salvation. This is true not only because the law has no such authority unless it is kept to perfection. But we cannot keep it because of indwelling evil tendencies.⁹

Douglas Moo feels that what Paul is doing here is summarizing what he taught in Romans 7:7–12. The main point being that because of the law it enables us to see sin for what it really is. The purpose is to identify the desires of our evil tendencies as sin, and to convince us that sin is fatal. In other words, the law is misused as an instrument that brings about sin instead of holiness. Holiness comes as a benefit of being in a living relationship with Christ, but sin fractures that relationship and eternal separation from Christ can be the result. This verse also reveals another factor. It helps people refocus on the law, evil tendencies, and sin. Instead of seeing the law as the problem, they can now see that the problem begins with them.¹⁰

Verse 14: We know that the law is spiritual, but I am not. I’m mere flesh and blood. Sin rules me as if I were its slave.

Clearly, Paul is drawing on his own experience in order to explain the hopelessness of seeking salvation by good works. For as anyone who has gone on a diet in order to lose weight will tell you, that your figure looks so much different in a picture or a video than it does in a mirror. In the mirror, you see what you want to see, but in a picture the facts and reality are more than your self-perception can dismiss. Paul is confessing to the same paradox in the way he viewed his spiritual status. He thought he had mastered the effort of developing a spiritual nature, when in fact he was carnal to the bone. Furthermore, he discovered that instead of having control over his sinful tendencies, they had full control over him, even to the point of making him a slave to their power.

Paul had reached the point where he discerned the difference between what the law said about works and what it said about wants. To put it another way, deeds cannot always be a mirror image of decisions. A person may be involved in helping a fellow farmer harvest his crop, but volunteered with the intent of stealing part of the harvest. This is the real issue that the law deals with. That’s why we read: “You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources.”¹¹ It doesn’t say with you hands or your feet, but with your heart and mind. That’s why, after the prophet Nathan told David that God knew all about his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, he made this confession: “I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness.”¹²

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XV)

When it comes to our evil tendencies and sin, let’s look at it like this way: A homeowner has never had a problem with ants in the house. But suddenly he spots one, and then another, and then a whole army. Like most people, he will set up traps or put out poison. But when that doesn’t slow them down, he starts tracing them back to where they came from, and then forward to where they are going. He finds out that the kitchen garbage container is uncovered. He also learns that ants love dead insects, grease, seeds, and sweets. So now what is the answer? Not only to cover and seal the garbage container but if possible put it outside if it contains leftover food. Likewise at the ant hill. Do something to cut off the source of the infestation. When we take those ants as a metaphor for our evil tendencies, the same action must be taken. Not only find out what attracts those tendencies, and block access to them. Furthermore, those tendencies come from our leftover sinful nature. The best remedy for that is to feed the spiritual nature until it takes charge of the tendencies to keep them from gravitating toward satisfying the things of the flesh.

So we can see that this verse incorporates an answer to the question in 7:7, “Is the law sin?”¹ It is no mystery that Paul calls the law holy, just, and good. That’s because its purpose is good and its very nature is to promote good which then leads to happiness. If obeyed, it would produce satisfaction everywhere. But that’s the problem, disobedience is the cause of misery and condemnation of the guilty. So stop blaming it on the Law.² To see a most beautiful description of the law of God, read Psalm 19:7-11.

In Frédéric Godet’s analysis, we see Paul being credited with removing from the law all suspicion of blame for a person’s failures and put it squarely where it belongs on the individual’s choices. No matter what claims, alibis or excuses are made by the individual who committed the sin, nothing will invalidate the character of holiness belonging to the law. By using the term “law,” it is obvious that Paul is pointing to the Mosaic system in its entirety, the commandments, and each article of the code in particular. In referring to the law as holy, Paul uses the Greek word hagios which in Scripture has a broad sense of perfect love for what is Godly. Thayer, in his Greek Lexicon, offers a definition of “holy” in its moral sense, meaning, pure, sinless, and upright. And that is how it is used here.

And when it is applied to God Himself, it speaks of His will with goodness. And when used on God’s creation it signifies voluntary consecration to God, the one Being who is perfectly good. Because it is set aside for this purpose, that’s what makes the law holy, precisely because it demands such consecration. The same goes for the commandments because each one demands this same allegiance in its particular case. So when we speak of holiness or being holy, we find the two characteristics included in holiness are being Just and being Good. The law and commandments are Just because they regulate relations between different beings for their benefit. We can see this expressed in verse 10, “was intended to bring life.”³

Karl Barth raises an urgent question which weighs heavily upon a person after they realize that although they are religious, they are still in danger of rebelling against God because of what they must deal with as a citizen of this world. So the question is: “What, then, are we to do?” First of all, may God never stop questioning us! May He box us in with questions on every side! May He bar every exit and cut us off from using any excuses or alibis. May the center of our lives be bounded by a ring of questions! This is a similar thought spoken of by the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tse.⁴ The reason is that the answer to our question will not come from the outside, but the inside. That’s why the questions must keep coming until we discover the answers. And may it never cease until God is satisfied that we know what we need to know about Him and ourselves.⁵

Jewish scholar David Stern has trouble with those who think that Paul was only looking for a way to escape from his responsibility to Jewish Law only to make Christianity easy for pagan converts. If so, they will have trouble proving it after reading this verse. Paul proves that he had neither a non-Jewish view of the Law nor did he have any desire to abolish it. Paul had a lifelong high regard for the Torah.⁶ This had been with him from his youth since his parents were Pharisees.⁷ It is what no doubt led to his studies at the feet of Rabban Gamli’el in Jerusalem.⁸ So there is no reason to suppose that his conversion to Yeshua changed all that. Even Yeshua did not come to abolish the Torah.⁹ So many false reports concerning Paul’s disdain for the Law could have been proven as nonsense had this verse been contrasted with everything else he writes about the law. Here is a rule to remember: God’s holy Torah for holy living will not change. Why? Because God Himself will not change.¹⁰ With that being understood, then we can say that holiness will not change. For the rest of this chapter and well into the next, we will see that Paul still had a high regard for the Torah.¹¹

Another Messianic Jewish writer feels that it must be understood, as repeated over and over, although the Torah stirs up sin it is not sin itself. It is the revelation and instruction of the Holy One who gave it, and He is sinless. This provides an answer to the question of Romans 7:7, “Is the law sin?” The Torah is God’s will for Paul as it was for Yeshua,¹² and for all who follow the Messiah. When Paul talks about deliverance, it’s not from the law but from sin and death. Following what Yeshua already said, the observance of the Torah has not been abolished for His followers.¹³ Just as God’s faithfulness is not voided by Israel’s unfaithfulness. That means the soul of the Torah is not contaminated because man’s heart and mind are infected with disobedience.¹⁴ But keep in mind, Jesus embodies the whole Torah, so by obeying Him we fulfill all the demands of the law and eliminate sinning.

Verse 13: Does this mean that something that is good brought death to me? No, it was sin that used good commandments to bring me death. This shows how terrible sin really is. It can use a good command to produce a result that shows sin at its very worst.

Here Paul defends the purpose of the Law. The responsibility for one’s spiritual death is blamed on sin that reveals how hopelessly lost a person is, and how impossible it would be to save themselves from the punishment of sin. Paul explained this same truth to the Galatians: “Well then, are God’s laws and God’s promises against each other? Of course not! If we could be saved by His laws, then God would not have had to give us a different way to get out of the grip of sin – for the Scriptures insist we are all its prisoners. The only way out is through faith in Jesus Christ; the way of escape is open to all who believe Him.”¹⁵

The Apostle James preached the same truth: “Remember, when someone wants to do wrong it is never God who is tempting him, for God never wants to do wrong and never tempts anyone else to do it. Temptation is the pull of man’s own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterward to the death penalty from God.”¹⁶ So again, the old excuse, “The devil made me do it,” is out the window; that defense is like a bucket with a big hole in the bottom that cannot hold water. God does not make you sin. Even Satan does not force you to sin. The Law and the Word of God do not cause you to sin. You and you alone are responsible for sin in your life.

Early church theologian Didymus believes that Paul is focused on Adam. And the reason is, that although he was made in the image of God,¹⁷ yet he turned away from life and chose death instead.¹⁸ By using the term “death,” Paul is talking about more than the common death of our bodily members but spiritual death as well. And spiritual death refers to the ultimate eternal separation from God.¹⁹ Ambrosiaster believes that Paul’s wording here suggests that before the law was given, there were a limited number of transgressions. But that is not what the Apostle means by saying more sin came after the law, in fact, there was much more serious sinning after than before. This merely implies that as more and more sins were revealed once the law was issued, the attacks and tricks of Satan grew more frequent and clever.²⁰ Chrysostom compliments Paul on the way he accuses sin. By doing so, Paul shows how excellent the law really is. Each commandment showed just how evil sin is. But the Apostle also takes the opportunity to show how grace is so much more marvelous than the law. Grace is not in conflict with the law. In fact, it is superior to it.²¹

Under Roman Catholic teaching today we find agreement with this assessment. It says that far from improving the sinner, law purposely encourages sin to show how it transgresses or violates specific commandments.²² So when a person who has not yet experienced the justifying grace of God, or when a believer reverts to dependence on law as the criterion for their relationship with God, they will recognize a rift between their being good like the law says and their actual performance that is contrary to the law. Being unable to free themselves from the slavery of sin and the power of death, they can only be rescued from defeat in this conflict by the power of God’s grace working through Jesus Christ.²³ The one thing left out of this commentary is the recommended way of accepting God’s grace for such a rescue and deliverance.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XIV)

Charles Hodge offers an idea on how sin’s modus operandi misled Paul, completely deceiving him, and caused all his expectations to end in disappointment. This happened because the Apostle was led to expect one thing while experiencing another. He anticipated a holy life, but found spiritual death; he awaited fulfillment, but was given only failure; he looked for holiness, but found increasing corruption. In other words, he imagined that the law would deliver all these desirable virtues so he could feel eternally secure. You can only imagine the heartbreak when he discovered that his devotion to the law had produced the exact opposite effect. Sin, therefore, was using the law to victimize, leaving him empty and disappointed instead of being holy and blessed. Sin follows a similar pattern. It also promises to deliver the joys and pleasures of sin. Everyone who has been delivered from sin knows how it always mocked expectations and imitated hope. Paul was not alone, such is the experience of every believer in the ordinary progress of their inward life. They often turn to the law for help in constructing a temple to worship their own righteousness and strength, only to find out that all the law does is aggravate their efforts by not meeting its promises because they never met their vows.¹

Karl Barth has a philosophical way of looking at the role of the Law. As he sees it, the law has proven to be an occasion for sin to raise its ugly features and insist on making it something other-worldly. They try to clothe their time here on earth with the garment of eternity. This is an attempt to make themselves look holy through human achievement. Furthermore, this is what led to a form of worship where they are speaking to God instead of God speaking to them. Then they have the gall to call such worship a “religion.” In the process, worshipers find life here on earth questionable, and that puts their religion in doubt. So out of desperation, they lift their hands in prayer and then slump in weariness. They do this over and over to no avail. All of this describes living under the law in a futile attempt to become right with God on their own so as to justify their deserving eternal life as a reward.²

John Stott takes this a little further by outlining three devastating effects of the law in relation to sin. First, it exposes sin, then provokes sinful tendencies, and finally condemns the sin committed. That’s why Paul told the Corinthians that this defines the law as the power of sin, with its resulting sting known as death.³ However, this does not constitute thinking of the law as sinful, nor to assign to it the responsibility for sin. Instead, it is our sinful nature that responds to the law by sinning. When seen that way, then the law is exonerated, and sin receives the blame.⁴ How often do we find people who blame their misdeeds and mistakes on the rules? Like the person who gets a speeding ticket blames it on the cop who tracked them with radar. Or the person who is fined for not returning an overdue borrowed item. They blame it on the policies of the lender. Paul is saying, you cannot blame your sin on the Law, but you must realize and confess that it was your own sinful nature that rebelled against the Law which was designed to protect you from harm.

Verse 12: Now the law is holy, and what it commands is holy and right and good.

A recent translation of this verse from Hebrew by Jewish scholars reads as follows: “For what reason the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good?”⁵ A better English rendition would be: “For what reason was the law made holy, and the commandments holy, just, and good?” It obviously sends us to the next verse that continues the thought by also asking; “If it was so good and holy, why does it cause failure?” Paul is not arguing against the law, but rather to show how by understanding its aim, its purpose can be better seen. The question is also asked so that Paul could show that it wasn’t the law that ruined him, but the sinful tendencies that came to live because of the law. Again, we must understand here the word “kill” is a figure of speech meaning, to bring to an end.

This was done by Paul in order to cushion any push-back from the Jewish members of the church in Rome in response to what they interpret as Paul assigning the Law of Moses to the trash-heap of outdated philosophies. He wants them to know that he still has great respect and reverence for the Law. After all, it did not come from Moses, it was given to Moses by God. In fact, God asked the children of Israel: “What nation, no matter how great, has laws as fair as these I am giving you today?”⁶ That’s why the announcement went out to everyone: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you except to listen carefully to all He says to you, and to obey for your own good the commandments I am giving you today, and to love Him, and to worship Him with all your hearts and souls?”⁷

From that time onward the Laws given to Moses were held in high esteem. The Psalmist exclaimed: “God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light. God’s laws are pure, eternal, and fair. They are more desirable than gold. They are sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.”⁸ Even after the children of Judah returned from exile in Babylon and Persia, when Ezra the scribe prayed to God at one of their festivals, he said: “You came down upon Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them good laws and true commandments… and You commanded them, through Moses, Your servant, to obey them all.”⁹ In the Jewish teachings on mysteries and the Messiah it is said: “Therefore, it is necessary we should study the secret doctrine day and night and observe its teachings and doctrines.”¹⁰

That’s why Paul told young Timothy not to get involved with those who argue endlessly over what they think the Law is really saying: “They want to become famous as teachers of the laws of Moses when they haven’t the slightest idea what those laws really show us. Those laws are good when used as God intended.”¹¹ This is good advice for all today who are confronted by those who argue incessantly over what they think Paul said in his letters.

Apparently, early church scholar Chrysostom got wind of some teachers who were confusing the law of Moses given on Mt. Horeb in Sinai with the law of nature delivered to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in Paradise. Chrysostom dismisses such a notion because Paul had no quarrel either one of them. What brought fear to the Jews was the possible abolition of the law. This would put an end to their religion and all of its rites, rituals, and ceremonies. No wonder they so stubbornly opposed the idea of the law being replaced by the doctrine of grace. Also, their argument holds even less water when it is proven that Paul never called the commandment given in paradise a law. So putting that aside, it would allow for a more focused examination of the logic behind Paul’s argument about how the law had failed and needed to be replaced.

So building on what he had already discussed with the believers in Rome concerning the need for having proper standards of behavior for Christians, Paul began this chapter by reminding them that they were very acquainted with what the law says about conduct, but did they take the time to notice that it only applies to a person while they are alive. And since their interest extends beyond this life to the world-to-come they needed something more eternal. If that is the case, then why continue under a standard of living that’s going to expire when they can live by the rules that will be theirs on into eternity? It would make no sense to continue living under a code of conduct that will soon be out-of-date. To do so would make them no better than those who occupy the animal world. So there is no reason to even consider it.¹²

John Calvin feels that more insight is needed to better understand Paul’s wording here about the law being holy. First, Calvin accepts the opinion that the words “law” and “commandments” are one and the same thing. But he bids us to notice a curious force in the words. Paul says that the law itself and, whatever it commands, is holy, and, therefore, should be regarded with the highest reverence. That’s because since it is holy and just, it cannot, therefore, be charged with doing anything wrong. To accept the law as good and pure is to free it from responsibility for doing any harm. Paul wanted to make sure that any charge of blame brought against the law would fail because that is contrary to its goodness, justice, and holiness.¹³

Robert Haldane is convinced that as believers we should not only abstain from all that God forbids but that we should not even desire what is forbidden. All that the law demands from anyone is what’s equitable and due to God, and nothing more. The same goes for the believer and their fellowman. A just law could demand no less. In so doing, the law proved not only to be fair but also beneficial. That’s because in and of itself it’s purpose is redeeming. That means that the law’s whole intent is to promote harmony and to establish in the highest degree the happiness of all who are under its authority. When we look closer, every commandment given to Moses was basically designed to promote happiness among humans. This is the glory of the law and shows that it proceeds from the Giver of every good and perfect gift – from Him who alone is good.¹⁴ But this must not be mistaken as the basis for our obedience to the law. Anyone who has attempted to place the foundation of morals on the principle of, “do what feels good for you,” only proves their shortsightedness. They fulfill what Paul said at the beginning: “Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools”¹⁵.¹⁶

Albert Barnes hopes that we have all come to the same conclusion: The law is not to be blamed. This is what happens under normal circumstances in everyday life. The real culprit is not the law, it is the corrupt nature of mankind. But keep this in mind, although the Law is good, it was never meant to purify the heart of fallen man. It has no such power. But it was designed to increase guilt, conflict, alarm, and despair. For what reason? To show what was hiding inside of men’s hearts and minds. This should then prompt them to seek help and resolution.

You may have never heard of Joseph John Campbell, born March 26th, 1904, in White Plains, New York. First child of Charles and Josephine Campbell. In 1921 Joe graduated from Canterbury School in New Milford, Connecticut. The following September entered Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. But soon became disillusioned with the social scene and disappointed by a lack emphasis on academic achievement. He transferred to Columbia University in New York, where he excelled while specializing in medieval literature. In 1934, he was offered and accepted a position in the literature department at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, a post he would retain for thirty-eight years. He passed away after a bout with cancer in 1987.

Later, Diane K. Osbon put together a book consisting of material she selected and edited from the writings of Joseph Campbell. In the section titled, “In the Field,” we find this quote: “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come. If we fix on the old, we get stuck. When we hang onto any form, we are in danger of putrefaction.”¹

This is not only true of secular life but of spiritual life as well. The Apostle Paul said: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”² This was the problem with a very talented, educated, and wise Jewish member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus. He wanted to know more about the new Kingdom of God Jesus was preaching. So he came to Jesus by night to find out. Jesus told him, there would be no way to explain it to him unless he was first born again.³ In other words, started anew. Let go of the old worn out religion he had become so accustomed to and take hold of the new vibrant faith offered by Christ.

Paul wrote on another occasion: “You have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”⁴ Why is it that some Christians only live a victorious, positive, God-fearing life on Sunday, but the rest of the week they sit around stewing in the rusty pot or old habits? Paul expressed the same frustration when he wrote the Galatians: “Why is it that after you have come to know God, you keep going back again to the weak and worthless elementary mindset of the world? Why do you want to be enslaved once more? You only reverence God on certain holidays!”⁵

Come on! Every day can be a day of rejoicing because you are a child of the King! Start living like one. Campbell said it was like a snake shedding its skin. So do what the Prophet Isaiah encourage the people of Zion to do: “To all those who are despondent and feeling sorry for themselves, God has a crown of beauty to replace your sad look, a joyous blessing instead of your feeling sorry, a festive song of praise instead of singing the blues.” By doing what He wants, you will grow like great redwoods that the LORD has planted for His own glory. Then people will see what a mighty God you serve.⁶ – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NOW I BELONG TO JESUS, AND JESUS BELONGS TO ME

Over the years I’ve heard stories about dying patients who’ve called their family, friends, or pastor to be at their bedside before they passed away. But I have never heard one exactly like this. It touched my heart, I hope it touches yours.

A terminally ill man was in a nursing home and his daughter called to ask her pastor if he wouldn’t mind dropping by to pray for her father. The pastor was only too happy to do it and so he was soon on his way. When the minister arrived at the man’s room, he walked inside and found the gentleman lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. There was an empty chair sitting beside his bed. The parson assumed that the daughter had told her father that he was coming, so it appeared that in a very hospitable way the old man had pulled up a chair for him to sit down in.

“Looks like you were expecting me,” said the pastor. “I’m sorry,” said the old gentleman, “But I’m afraid I’ve never met you.” “Oh, yes,” said the minister, “I can understand that. I’m Reverend Foster, the new pastor at your daughter’s church. She asked me to come by and have a word of prayer with you. That’s why when I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I would soon be here.”

“Oh yeah, the chair,” said the bedridden man. “Would you mind closing the door, Reverend?” The pastor was somewhat puzzled by the request but did as the old man asked him to do. Then the gentleman called him closer and said, “I’ve never told anyone this before, not even my daughter. But most of my life I never really knew how to pray. I could repeat the ‘Our Father,’ but I just didn’t know how to talk to God. A long time ago when I heard our pastor talk about prayer, it went right over my head. So I gave up trying.”

“But a few years back, one of my best friends and I were talking about prayer and I told him about my frustration in trying to come up with the right words to say. But my best friend looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Joe, prayer is as simple as having a conversation with someone. So when you want to pray, just believe you are having a conversation with Jesus.”

“He asked me to try it. Told me to sit down in one chair, and then place an empty chair in front of me. Then imagine Jesus sitting there listening to me. Tell Him how I felt, what’s going on in my mind and what was bothering me. Be honest with Him, because He can see what’s in your heart anyhow. It seemed a little odd to me a first, but I promised my friend that I’d do what he told me to do.”

“So, I tried it, and I’ve liked it so much that I started doing it a couple of times a day. I never let my wife or daughter see me talking to an empty chair because I was afraid they’d think I had gone off the deep end and have me sent off to the funny farm. So you see pastor, every time I talk to Jesus, He’s sitting there in that empty chair.

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue talking to Jesus that way. He then anointed him with oil and prayed with the elderly gentleman. He promised to come back again. But if the old man needed him sooner, just give him a call. Two days later, the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that morning. “He died peacefully,” she said. “He even had a smile on his face.” “That’s wonderful,” said the Pastor. “I’m glad he is now at rest with the Lord.”

But before the pastor could hang up, the daughter said to him, “But you know something strange happened when he died. I left the house early before going to work so I could stop by and see him. When I walked into the room he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. He had a big smile on his face. About an hour after I got to work, they called me from the nursing home and told me to come over right away. By the time I got there, he had already expired. But the thing that really struck me odd was that I found him leaning over the side of the bed with his head resting on the empty chair he had sitting there. And it looked like he had been holding onto something and didn’t want to let go.” The minister wiped tears from his eye and thanked her for telling him what happened. As he put the phone back in its cradle, he looked up and said, “Lord, I want to go the same way.”

I’m sure most of us at one time or another have thought about what our last moments on earth will be like. And the older we get the more often it crosses our minds. But you could not ask for anything better than to be holding the hand of the One who will raise you from the grave on resurrection morning as you go to your rest. So if you’ve had trouble praying, why don’t you try what this old man did. Maybe it will work for you too. And perhaps at that same moment, the song we used to sing long ago will be on your lips: “Now I belong to Jesus, and Jesus belongs to me. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XIII)

Furthermore, has it not also been documented that believers who stay away from all these things can still be found guilty of gossip, hatred, bias, racism, hypocrisy, and disdain for others? Again, the culprit is knowing that by misusing or abusing such things we are out of God’s will and against His Word – that is a sin. So until we tackle the problem of evil tendencies and sin, all these other things will remain distractions and keep people from finding the real answers they need.

The realization of being misled or falling into sin on purpose was pointed out by Isaiah who spoke of those who turn from reverencing God to worshiping idols. He says: “A deceived heart has led him astray; he is trusting what can never give him any help at all. Yet, he cannot bring himself to say,’This thing in my hand is a fraud!’”¹ That is why we find in Jeremiah: “The heart is the most deceitful thing there is and desperately wicked. No one can really understand it all!”²

No wonder Paul told the Ephesians this about those who live as pagans: “Their intelligence has been shrouded in darkness, and they are estranged from their life in God, because of their ignorance, which in turn, comes from resisting God’s will.”³ Paul goes on to tell them that in that immoral state of mind they abandon themselves to impurity, and continue to want more and more of what is not good. But the Apostle warns them: “You must strip off your old nature, because your old nature is thoroughly rotted by its deceptive desires; and you must let your spirits and minds keep being renewed.”⁴ All of this is necessary in order for believers not to be deceived by imitation gospels or errant lifestyles.

Several early church teachers have interesting things to say about this verse. One theologian, who taught in Alexandria, finds that the word sin does not refer to a particular matter, but to the manner and life of one who sins. In other words, it is internal before it ever becomes external. With that in mind, Paul calls nothing sin except the one who inspires such rebellious and disobedient behavior – the devil.⁵ Ambrosiaster concurs. He suggests that we take the word sin in this verse a synonym for the author of sin, the devil. Jesus made this very clear when he told the Scribes and Pharisees: “You are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”⁶

That’s why the devil is always looking for opportunities, provided through the law, to satisfy his rebellious attitude and hatred of God. When law threatens sinners, Satan is there to tell them it’s all a lie. The devil points out that the law was given without it being requested. As such, it insults a person’s sense of individualism and independence. So they see it as an effort to restrict their access to what pleases them. But what they do not realize is that they are being led into a trap from which they cannot escape on their own.⁷

Chrysostom is impressed by how Paul blames sin and clears the law of any responsibility.⁸ And Augustine, from personal experience, knows how treacherous going against the law can be. This sets up one of two conclusions. A person can acknowledge that sin’s power of persuasion is even more compelling when its restrictions include forbidden fruit. Or else, they can try to appease their conscience by saying that if they did abide by the law’s demand, their obedience would be sufficient to cover their evil tendencies. In other words, they did not need God’s help, even if they are not under grace. Were they to do so, they would sin all the more because of their pride.⁹ It is a well-known saying, that forbidden fruit is the sweetest. That’s often because sins committed in secret are more satisfying because only they know about it. But at the same time, they can also be the deadliest. Not only does the dishonor destroy the reputation, but the fact that it was achieved through deception, leaves a bitter taste that is even more disgusting.¹⁰

Reformist John Calvin agrees that while a person may try to live without knowing the will of God for their lives, it keeps the light of truth from exposing the sinful tendencies within them. With this kind of attitude their life is destined to go indefinitely, forever astray, and growing in the accumulation of unintended errors. What happens is that people wander off course, and will continue to do so until the law shows up and points the way to the right path. Once the light of the law shines in a person’s mind, they then can better perceive why they are going in the wrong direction. It is then that the Holy Spirit is sent to admonish the sinner. It’s at this point where the evil tendencies either get their way, or God’ gets His way. In either case, it was the law that made sin evident for all to see.¹¹ In other words, Calvin is saying that the Law points to the right way, but our sinful nature wants to go a different way, and so we are led off course. Again, Paul is building up to an obvious question, how do we get back on the right path?

Adam Clarke takes this as part of Paul’s personal testimony. Even though the opportunity to sin came from a confrontation with the law, and that opportunity was accompanied by the threat of separation from God. Yet its allure was so deceptive that it overpowered all reason and drew Paul into an act of disobedience, promising him gratification, honor, and independence. It was the same trick that Satan used on Eve. Scholars say what Paul says here has a strong allusion to Eve, and uses the very same expression, “deceived me.”¹² From Clarke’ perspective, Paul then became subject to the death which the law pronounced as a curse on all transgressors. As a result, that rendered him miserable as he tried to deal with such a reality. This is a discernment every sinner must make in order to be saved. Sin cannot only ruin your life here on earth but ruin it for eternity. I like the way Clarke puts it: “By the influence and the effects of sin a person either lives a dying life or a living death.”¹³

Robert Haldane finds that by sin blinding Paul’s mind as to what the law was really demanding, it convinced him that he could still fulfill it. By doing so, he could obtain justification and life. He only came to see the deception involved when he met Christ. When Paul saw beyond the legal aspect of the law into its spiritual heart and soul, did it dawn on him that sin had never been confronted this way before so as to help Paul see its real power to victimize? But once he saw that in the light of truth, and finally understood it, he realized that instead of the law bringing him together with God, it was contributing to his eternal separation from God. He then realized that he was not only a transgressor of the law but deserving of the condemnation of the law. All along he thought it would bring him life, but it was just the opposite. So when those evil tendencies came to life, it signaled Paul’s spiritual death. Every high and respectable opinion he had of himself as a self-confident Hebrew and Pharisee, were swept away and destroyed. In fact, Paul himself would call it all trash¹⁴.¹⁵

Albert Barnes suggests that perhaps Paul was being reminded of this story he read in Jewish wisdom literature:

     One day, I was looking out my window at some foolish teenagers and noticed one who had no sense at all. He was walking through the marketplace and came to the corner where a certain woman lived. He then turned up the road that goes by her house. The day was ending. The sun had set, and it was almost dark. Suddenly, there she was in front of him, dressed like a prostitute. She had plans for him. She was a wild and rebellious woman who would not stay at home. She walked the streets, always looking for someone to trap. She grabbed the young man and kissed him. Without shame, she looked him in the eye and said, “I offered a fellowship offering today. I gave what I promised to give, and I still have plenty of food left. So I came out to find you, and here you are! I have clean sheets on my bed—special ones from Egypt. My bed smells wonderful with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let’s enjoy ourselves all night. We can make love until dawn. My husband has gone on a business trip. He took enough money for a long trip and won’t be home for two weeks.” This is what the woman said to tempt the young man, and her smooth words tricked him. He followed her, like a bull being led to the slaughter. He was like a deer walking into a trap, where a hunter waits to shoot an arrow through its heart. The boy was like a bird flying into a net, never seeing the danger he was in. Now, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say. Don’t let your heart lead you to an evil woman like that. Don’t go where she wants to lead you. She has brought down some of the most powerful men; she has left many dead bodies in her path. Her house is the place of death. The road to it leads straight to the grave.¹⁶

However, in Paul’s case, he sees the woman as representative of the Law playing the role of a temptress to his sinful tendencies and was, therefore, led astray, just as the young man in the story. Charles Ellicott agrees. The cause of this young man’s failure could not be laid at the feet of the Law. It belonged to the sinful tendencies within that had not been conquered. In this case, sin played the temptress. It made use of the law to awaken the contrariness and contempt for authority that lay hidden inside. It not only made a victim out of the young man but did so with the intent of destroying him. All this time, however, the Law and the Commandments remained perfectly good in themselves. This was guaranteed since they came from the hand of God. Sin is a deadly and fatal power. The Law and the Commandments are passive instruments which can be used for good or bad. When used for good it is seen as holy, but when used to deceive it identifies sin as the real culprit.¹⁷

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER SEVEN (Lesson XII)

Early church preacher Chrysostom also sees no reason to blame the law when death, both physically and spiritually, come as a result of sin. The fault does not lie with the law, but with those who disregard the law. The law is trying to point them to the Way that leads to the Truth in order to find the Life God wants them to enjoy. In other words, if a person ignores the sign that says, “BRIDGE OUT,” if they die at the bottom of a ravine or river their survivors cannot blame it on the sign. The culpability lies squarely on the shoulders of the one who drove past the sign in defiance. Early church scholar Constantius sees Paul using the word death to define a form of punishment sin keeps hidden. It does so by offering temporary pleasures to satisfy the earthly nature as though they were good and long-lasting. By doing so, sin persuades the transgression of a law that promises eternal life to those who obey it.¹

Pelagius also believes that Paul is saying that while he was knowingly doing what was wrong on the outside, he was dying on the inside. The very commandments which were meant to point him in the direction of eternal life, were, in fact, leading him down the road to eternal punishment. All because he chose not to obey them. And Bishop Theodoret makes an interesting observation about Adam and Eve and how sin deceived them. As soon as God let them know that they were not supposed to eat the fruit of the tree that would open their eyes to what was good and what was evil, it was then, and only then, that the devil showed up and lied to Eve.² The fruit was too tempting, too alluring for her to resist. What does this tell us? It tells us that the tendency to sin was already inside the heart and mind of Adam and Eve before its presence was ever discovered. Had these tendencies not been there, then there would have been no need for God to have given them free will³.⁴

Martin Luther makes an interesting point about those who seek to be declared as righteous before God because of all the good works they do. They are so blinded by their pride they cannot see or understand what the law of God really says. If they would just take a look, they would see that what they are doing is just the opposite. And because of that, they are unaware that it is sinful. We must understand that for something to be declared sinful, it must go against God’s Word and His Will. And because they are so blinded by their own actions, they are not open to instruction. Were they to receive instruction about the law, they would come to realize that what they were doing to look good in the eyes of God was actually making them look bad. In other words, the sin that was lying dormant in their lives came alive. Was it wrong for the law to do that? No! By awakening them to the sin that lies within, they can seek forgiveness and be cleansed of such unrighteousness. That would then redirect them from the road that was leading to everlasting punishment to the way that leads to everlasting life.

So how does that happen? It is done by the Holy Spirit who is sent by God to open their eyes to the fact that it’s not works that saves, it’s faith. Faith in the work of Christ, not in the work of their own hands. Should a person be happy with what they already know about the sinful tendencies within them? No! If they know only about a few, then they will only confess and ask forgiveness for a few. By not knowing about these tendencies, then the probabilities for sinning increase. So it’s best to deal with our evil inclinations before they are inflamed by the law. We should all repeat the words of the Psalmist who said: “When I confessed my sins to You; when I stopped hiding my guilt, and I finally said, ‘I will confess my wrongs to Adonai;’ then You, You, O Lord, will be the one who forgives my sin and takes my guilt away.”⁵‘”⁶

John Calvin sees two things happening here. The law shows us the way we should be living to honor God and His Word, but our corrupt nature keeps us from doing what we ought to do. That’s why we must learn to distinguish between the character of the law and the law of our character; between its quality and our quality. There is no hiding it, sometimes the law causes us to suffer wounds that bring pain and resentment. But unfortunately, the law has no healing remedy. So if the wound is not taken care of, it can lead to the infection of our soul and then giving up. But it is not the law that keeps us from seeking help. In fact, it encourages us to do so. It is our sinful nature that does not want to acknowledge that it was our fault the wounds were inflicted by fighting against the law.⁷

Adam Clarke agrees with other scholars that Paul represents sin here as an armed and flagrant adversary. The reason for this is clear. When failing to heed the law, it threatens us with death. The violator must be punished. That’s exactly what Paul meant when he said that the wages of sin is death.⁸ What happened in the Garden of Eden helps illustrate this point. He sees Paul as saying that he finally realized that by violating the Law it would lead to death. He also discovered, that it only presents the duty to obey and lays down the penalty for disobedience. However, it yields no strength to resist sin or subdue evil tendencies.⁹

Robert Haldane wonders, what did Paul mean that he was alive but the law put him to death? Obviously, Paul was alive and doing well and proud of his accomplishments before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Even so, he was already struggling with keeping the law in a perfect way. But after speaking to Jesus, and then with Ananias, his eyes were opened. That’s when it hit him. All that he had done up until then to be righteous before God was a failure. All of his legal appeals for attaining eternal life were turned down. Paul was not ignorant of the law. He just didn’t know that it was the law that evoked the evil tendencies within him. He knew the letter of the law but was totally blind to the spirit of the law. He knew what the law said, but he didn’t really know what it meant. In other words, he had no true discernment of his innate corruption. It was only when he understood that the true significance of the law rested in its ability to speak to the inner tendencies of the heart, not to the logic of the mind.

Paul had studied the law with great intensity. He understood it word for word. But he didn’t really appreciate the full extent and power to which it was designed to speak to one’s conscience. Even Paul admitted what all people know, to a certain extent, when they do wrong but are totally blind to exactly what kind of person they are. Thank God Paul took the time to give us an account from his own experience both in his unconverted and renewed state. That’s why it so important to appreciate that he took the time to point out what unconverted minds do not perceive – that the evil inclination within is the root of sin. We see this in the 7th and 8th verses where ‘lust’ or ‘concupiscence’ are used. Lust is – having strong desires; concupiscence is – to have been longing for those strong desires. Such enlightenment can only come when the Holy Spirit brings conviction to a sinner’s heart.¹⁰

Albert Barnes notes that while the Law was given as a path to life, in the end, it opened a highway to death. After all, didn’t God tell Moses: “I am Adonai your God. You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them.”¹¹ So in every sense, the Law is good and holy. But such life could only be acquired if the Law is kept perfectly. But with sin embedded in mankind’s nature, this was impossible. The real problem is that the Law caused a short-circuit in man’s built-in inclinations. So, instead of producing life and peace one expects as a holy testament to God’s standards, it produces only misery and evildoing. We can see this in everyday life. Parents may lay down laws for their children which are intended to promote happiness and success. If followed, they bring harmony and cooperation within the family circle. But what happens where there is one obstinate, self-willed, and stubborn child? Their only interest being to get what they want, even if it not best for the whole family. This only brings bickering and nasty attitudes to the dinner table. In the same way, the law was ordained for the good and success of the human family. When obeyed, it promotes healthiness and welfare. But we all know what happened among the children of Israel in the wilderness. And sadly, it has affected the family of God in a similar manner.¹²

Charles Hodge sees all of this as Paul’s way of directing his readers toward an answer regarding this dilemma of the law giving mixed signals. Even though the law was designed to be followed in order to secure life, it ended up becoming the cause of death. We must remember that life and death are used here by Paul as figurative terms. Life includes the ideas of happiness and holiness; being given something to live for and a reason to live. The law was designed to make people happy and holy. But when Paul speaks of death, it includes the ideas of misery and sin. When all is said and done, the sinner ends up losing everything. Even for Paul, the law became, through no fault of its own, the means of rendering the Apostle miserable and resentful. So it is as obvious as the nose on one’s face that expecting the law to save was an ill-conceived idea. All that the law does is condemn the unrenewed heart and awaken its opposition to being changed. Truth is, even the law could not change the nature of fallen man. The law brought the knowledge of sin, (Romans 3:20); here it produces a reaction that leads to sin (see verse 5); because it awakens all manner of physical attraction, (verse 8); it wakes up sin from its sleep (verse 9); it then seduces the individual to commit sin (verse 11). No wonder it cannot save! That’s why those who only see religion as a legal code are miserable and deluded!¹³

Verse 11: Sin found a way to fool me by using the command to make me die.

Paul raises a very pertinent point in his discourse on the awakening of the conscience. Is it possible that something good, like the law, could prove to be what caused him to give up? No! Indeed not, exclaims the Apostle! Rather it was sin that used something which was intrinsically good, as a weapon to bring about the death of his hope for salvation by works. Today we hear questions about tobacco and alcohol use; about dancing, motion pictures, TV, fashions, etc., being discussed as to their inherent insignificance in a Christian’s lifestyle. But many fail to see that just as the holy Law was used, so can these things be used to awaken our conscience to the fact that we have a weak spiritual life.

When it comes to the prohibition of participating in these worldly activities, we try to find Biblical justification for them. After all, David danced before the Lord. Alcohol was often used as a disinfectant; motion pictures can be used to display the life of Christ; TV can send the Gospel to places that missionaries would not be allowed to enter. But they also have their bad side. Listen, two people who went into the same bank to get money. Both walked out with a handful of cash. One made a legitimate withdrawal from their account, while the other committed robbery. This is the same way sin corrupts things meant for good by evil intentions.