Intro
Paul continues and concludes Romans 6, teaching that grace is not an excuse to continue sinning. Instead, it calls believers to a new way of life under God's righteousness. Paul explains that everyone is a servant—either to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness. Through Christ, believers are freed from slavery to sin and become slaves to God, resulting in sanctification and eternal life. The passage emphasizes that sin pays wages—death—but God offers the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

He moves into Romans 7, speaking to the universal human experience of struggling with, and against, our sin. Last week, he encouraged us to live in this new life of freedom in Christ. But he knows that our flesh and sin are very real and present.

Just as a woman is bound to her husband until his death, so we were bound to the Law until we died with Christ. This death frees us from the Law’s condemnation.

Through Christ’s death, we are released from the Law’s condemnation. This freedom is not a license to sin but a call to bear fruit for God.

Paul clarifies that the Law is not sinful; rather, it reveals sin. The Law is holy, righteous, and good.

Its purpose is to reveal sin to us, like a mirror showing us the dirt on our faces. Without the Law, we wouldn’t fully grasp the depth of our sinfulness.

The commandment against coveting (Exodus 20:17), for example, exposed Paul’s sinful desires for things not meant for him. But sin, like a rebellious force, used the Law to provoke even more sin.

Sin is deceitful. It twists what is good (the Law) into an opportunity for rebellion. Paul affirms that the Law is holy, righteous, and good. We should not despise God’s Word or His commandments but instead allow them to lead us to Christ.

Its purpose is to reveal sin and point us to Christ. When we feel the weight of our sin, we must run to the cross, where grace abounds.

Paul describes the internal war between his desire to obey God and the sin that dwells in his flesh. This is the experience of every believer who seeks to live a holy life but struggles with the reality of sin.

Even though we have been redeemed by Christ, sin is still a powerful temptation. This creates a tension between our desire to obey God and the pull of our sinful nature.

This struggle is not evidence of spiritual failure but of spiritual life. It is the mark of someone who has been made new in Christ and is now at war with the flesh.

The presence of this struggle is evidence of the Spirit’s work in us.

Paul’s cry of desperationcaptures the genuine pain and difficulty of living in the tension between the flesh and the Spirit. But notice where Paul turns for deliverance: not to himself, but to Jesus Christ. The good news of the gospel is that, though we are weak and sinful, Christ has already won the victory for us.

Do not be discouraged by the presence of this struggle in your life. It is a sign that you belong to Christ! When you feel defeated, remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you. Lean on His strength, not your own, and continue to press on in faith.

The Christian life is a battle, but it’s a battle we fight from a place of victory in Christ. The Law reveals our sin, the flesh wages war against the Spirit, but Jesus has delivered us from the penalty and power of sin. When you feel overwhelmed by your struggle with sin, remember that the battle has already been won. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2). Trust in His power to deliver you and to complete the good work He has begun in you.