Many differ about who Paul was talking about in Romans 7. He could have been speaking about himself as he was a human being who dealt with temptation and sin (as is seen in his other letters). He could have been talking in general terms about the human condition.
I am sure we can all relate to trying to deal with sin and temptation as is described here. How often have we never considered some sin only to be tempted by it when we read about it, whether in God’s word or elsewhere? How often do we want to do what is right but keep failing? We can relate to the struggle Paul describes here.
“For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want—instead, I do what I hate. But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.” (Romans 7:15-20 NET)
We want to do what is good and right but too often we succumb to temptation and do what is wrong and sinful. When this happens, sin has taken up residence in our lives, in essence taking over and controlling us. It isn’t that we have no control over what we do but that we have invited sin into our lives. We are allowing sin to deaden our conscience as we give in to doing what we know to be wrong. It is as if we are powerless to stop!
What is the problem? The problem is that we allowed the temptation to develop into sin. We did not turn to the one who can give us strength in these situations. I am thankful that when sin presents itself to us God also presents an alternative.
“So let the one who thinks he is standing be careful that he does not fall. No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13)
There is a great promise here: God will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear. This tells us that when we give in to a trial or temptation, God is not the one to blame. Not only is a temptation or trial presented to us, God provides the way out as well. Our problem is that we have to decide which we are going to take.
Jesus came to rescue us from sin. He paid the penalty for our sin and offers forgiveness. When we are in Jesus, we are no longer condemned and we have been set free from the law of sin and death.
“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 7:24-8:2)