Romans: Theology for Everybody (6-11)Sýnishorn

At some point most every child finds themselves holding one end of a rope and participating in a tug-of-war game. As an adult, that game continues with a twist. We feel like the rope with our sinful flesh is pulling on one side, and the Holy Spirit is pulling on the other. This is precisely what Romans 7 is speaking about.

What is less clear is who is being referred to and has erupted to make this one of the most debated and contested sections of the New Testament. There are six common interpretations: 

1) This is Paul speaking about his experience before he became a Christian. 

2) This is Paul speaking about his experience as a carnal Christian who had Jesus as Savior of his sin but not fully Lord over his life. 

3) This is Paul speaking about his struggle, and the struggle of every other Christian, to live by the Spirit and overcome the desires of the flesh. 

4) This is Paul speaking about Adam’s experience in the Garden.

5) This is Paul speaking on behalf of the nation of Israel and identifying himself broadly with God’s people. 

6) This is Paul speaking very broadly and generally about the experience of all of humanity under the weight of sin. 

I believe Paul is referring to the third option, explaining the very real struggle a Christian experiences as they live in the tug-of-war between the flesh and the Spirit. Until this point, Paul has been contrasting who we were in comparison to who we are. We were in Adam, now we are in Christ (5:12-21). We were under death, now we are under life (6:1-14). We were slaves, now we are free (6:15-23). We were under the law, now we are under grace (7:1-13). Paul now adds that we were in the flesh, now we are in the Spirit (7:14-25). Thanks to the Spirit for our new nature, we have new desires which make us not want to sin and frustrated when we do. 

Each of these explains the same tension in various ways. A Christian is new, but not yet perfect. We are not who we were before we met Jesus, but we are not who we will be in eternity with Jesus. This life is in the middle and the place of our struggle to move from our past to our future. The solution to all of our problems is the power of the Holy Spirit to continue His work of sanctification in and through us, which is the entire point of the next chapter, Romans 8. The Christian life is simply a supernatural life lived by the same power that Jesus did, although imperfectly because He never fell into sin as we have. 

Reflection:

1. How have you experienced the tug-of-war between your flesh and the Spirit? 

2. How can you intentionally walk in the Spirit to have more victory in your area(s) of struggle? What specific steps can you take (e.g. meet with a counselor, get an accountability partner, study a topic, get better daily spiritual habits, etc.?) Take some time to intentionally put together a plan to walk in the Spirit and enjoy more freedom in Christ. 

3. What sinful things did you use to enjoy before Jesus that you no longer enjoy? What new holy desires has the Spirit given you since meeting Jesus?