In Romans 7:14-26, Paul wrote to the saints in Rome about the battle and the weakness of the old man. The old man is carnal and ruled by his sinful nature and is a slave of sin and death. The old man walks after the flesh, which means being led by his senses, carnal mind, emotions, feelings etc. The sinful flesh rules over the old man and determines his speech and actions (works). Therefore the old man can’t please God. The old man can’t bear fruit for God, because everything that the flesh produces is corrupt; affected by evil (sinful nature). The old man walks after the will of the flesh in sin and bears fruit for the death.
What does the Bible say about the battle and weakness of the old man?
Paul describes the battle and weakness of the old man, who is carnal. However, Paul not only describes the battle and weakness of the old man, who is a slave of sin and a prisoner of the sinful flesh. But Paul also describes how to be redeemed from this sinful flesh, which always strives against the Spirit and the things of the Kingdom of God.
In Romans 7:14-26, Paul didn’t write about the battle and weakness of the new man (new creation), who’s born in the Spirit. But Paul wrote about the battle and weakness of the old man (old creation), who is born in the flesh.
Paul was a Pharisee. Therefore, Paul had a lot of head knowledge of the word of God. He served God from the Law of Moses.
Paul knew the letter, but Paul didn’t know the living Word; Jesus Christ.
Until Jesus revealed Himself to Paul, who persecuted Jesus.
Paul repented, and Jesus Christ became his Saviour, and he made Jesus Lord over his life.
The old man Saul died in Christ, and the new man Paul rose from the dead in Christ.
Nowhere in the Bible did Paul, nor Jesus and the other apostles, say that the law wasn’t good. On the contrary, Paul said that the law is holy, and the commandments of God are holy, righteous, and good. (a.o. Romans 7:12).
The only thing is that the way to become righteous and the way of salvation is no longer through the law, but through Christ. You can’t be saved and be made righteous by keeping the law.
The law is spiritual
You can only be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and regeneration in Christ and live after His will. Through Jesus Christ and regeneration in Him you entered, now it’s up to you to stay in Him.
The law was given by God to His carnal people. However, the essence of the law is spiritual. As long as people remain carnal, they won’t be able to understand the essence of the law. Let alone to establish the law.
Only the new man, who is born of water and Spirit, is able to understand the things of God and walk after the Spirit. By walking after the Spirit according to the law of the Spirit of life, the new man establishes the law.
The new man won’t consider the commandments of God legalistic and a set of old-fashioned religious rules. But the new man considers the commandments of God as loving commandments from the Father, that produce life and peace. (Read also: ‘God gave His Word out of love’)
Now, let’s look at Romans 7:14-26 and 8:1-4*.
“I am doing the very thing I hate”
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal (dominated by the sinful nature), sold under sin (sinful nature). For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin (the sinful nature) that dwells in me.
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not (because the sinful nature reigns and determines man’s speech and actions. The natural carnal man is subjected to the flesh).
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin (the sinful nature) that dwells in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God (the law of righteousness and life) after the inward man: But I see another law (law of sin and death) in my members, warring against the law of my mind (the law of righteousness and life), and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
The salvation of the old man, who is a slave of sin and death
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God (the law of righteousness and life); but with the flesh the law of sin.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh (the sinful nature, that reign in the old carnal man), God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh (led by the sinful nature), but after the Spirit (led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 7:14-8:4)).
The new man is delivered from sin and death and walks in righteousness
When you become born again, you are delivered from your sinful nature. That’s because your flesh died in Christ, and your spirit is raised from the dead.
As long as you stay in Christ and walk after the Spirit, you shall live in the freedom of Christ.
But when you allow sin in your life and persevere in sin, and be led by the sinful nature that dwells in your flesh, the devil and his law; the law of sin and death, take dominion over your life, and you shall experience the battle and weakness of the flesh.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
*KJ, KW, Interlinear Greek New Testament
