Paul The Chief Sinner

There was a time in Paul’s life when he was 100 percent “sinner.” He was inspired to write, “Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:7-8 NASB). As one of God’s elect, Paul would come to the point in time when he would step out of time into eternity. Then he would be 100 percent “saint.” However, between regeneration and glorification, he would be a saint who would commit acts of sin, but not like a dog who returns to its vomit, or a sow, after washing, who returns to wallowing in the mire (II Pet. 2:22).

Romans 7:7-25 has been discussed for centuries as to whether these verses describe a regenerated or an unregenerated person. The controversy goes back to the second century A.D. Arminians held the view that the verses refer to an unsaved person, and those who embraced the covenant of grace say they referred to the regenerate. Most free grace people accept the view of Romans 7 as being descriptive of the regenerate. On the other hand, Arminians embrace the theory that Romans 7:7-25 portrays the unregenerate. The former was adopted by Augustine and the Latin fathers generally. The latter view was held by Origen and the Greek fathers. History does reveal that Augustine applied the passage to Paul’s unsaved state until a false sect of his day, called Pelagians, made their appearance. The Pelagians taught that anyone who willed to be saved could do so without God’s help. Thus, they made the wrong use of Romans 7:17 and 22—“So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me… For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man” (NASB). They took these verses to teach that men were not totally depraved. Augustine changed his interpretation, and his later view was adopted by Aquinas and the reformers of the sixteenth century.

There are those who say the interpretation of this passage has been embraced by the unnecessary assumption that it must describe either a regenerated or an unregenerated person. They say arguments on both sides are inconclusive. To them the only note of cheer is in a parenthetical statement like: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin” (Rom. 7:25 NASB). The following are statements found in favor of this view: 1. “Paul got carried away and used a hyperbole. He was saying he felt as if….” 2. Others say, “This chapter must be interpreted of the unregenerate Jews under the Law, not of the regenerate under grace.” 3. Others say Romans 7:7-13 refers to the dawn of conscience. The autobiographical (case history) interpretation does not command the general acceptance today that it formerly did, but it is the most “natural way” to understand this section of Scripture. The sincere student keeps studying until he finds the answer, and the answer always harmonizes with every other Biblical doctrine. When the truth is made known to the student, he rejoices with great joy.

Whenever the manner of life of believers is such that it attracts the people of the world, it is not of God. The Bible teaches that both the message of God and holy living are repulsive to the people of the world. When light comes into the world, men love the darkness rather than the light (John 3:19-20). When Ananias (Acts 5) lied to the Holy Spirit concerning the land he sold, he breathed his last breath. (See I John 5:16.) Great furor came upon the whole assembly and those who heard about his death. Scripture says, “But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number” (Acts 5:13-14 NASB).

Many people say it is not the truth to which they object, but the manner in which it is given. This brings up a serious question: do you suppose these same objectors would object to Christ in Matthews 23? He said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence” (Matt. 23:25 NASB). Would they object to John the Baptist who said, “…when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come” (Matt. 3:7 NASB)? What about the prophet Malachi’s message to the spiritual leaders of his day? “And now this commandment is for you, O priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it” (Mal. 2:1-3 NASB).

Controversy exists among many today over Romans 7. Some affirm it applies to the unregenerate and others say it refers to the regenerate. The basic arguments of both will be considered in this lesson. Some say the passage contradicts what Paul says about himself and the Christian life. They question why the Christian is drawn in one direction, while striving to go in another direction. Why would Paul desire one thing and his mind something different? Informed Christians acknowledge the passage describes their past, but why don’t they acknowledge that they are more than conquerors through Christ? Paul said, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him [Christ] who loved us” (Rom. 8:37 NASB)

The basic arguments of those who believe the passage describes the regenerate say Paul was discussing sanctification not justification. The theme is deliverance of the power rather than the penalty of sin. Justification does not remove all carnality from believers, because that is the work of progressive sanctification. The unsanctified believers find themselves being attacked by the deceitfulness of sin through the occasion of the Law and the carnal nature. Believers alone delight in the Law of God after the inward man. The Spirit writes the Law on the heart in regeneration. Jeremiah said, “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD, I will put my Law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (Jer. 31:33 NASB). This prophetical statement will be fulfilled before Christ establishes His kingdom.

There is much confusion concerning the believer’s relationship to the Law. Some say the believer is dead to the Law; therefore, since the Law cannot justify, neither can it sanctify. The same people who talk about the nature of the Law, which never changes, say the nature of the believer does change toward the Law. As the first part of Romans 6 and 7 deal with the believer’s “standing,” so the last part of each chapter deals with the believer’s “state.” The conclusion of some has been that the last half of Romans 6 reveals what our “state” ought to be, whereas the last half of Romans 7 shows what our “state” actually is. Therefore, the believer is delivered from the curse of the Law as to his “standing” (position, permanence), but he is not morally free from the Law as to his “state” (condition). Paul does not contradict himself in Galatians 4:21 and 5:23. Paul was using the term Law in a broad sense to include data as far back as a few years subsequent to Abraham (Genesis 16:3).

Paul shows that the Law is not the cause, but the occasion of sin. The Law reveals the following: 1. The FACT of sin—“What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, YOU SHALL NOT COVET” (Rom. 7:7 NASB). 2. The OCCASION of sin—“But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law, sin is dead” (Rom. 7:8 NASB). 3. The POWER of sin—“And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died” (Rom. 7:9 NASB). 4. The EFFECT of sin—“and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me” (Rom. 7:10 NASB). 5. The DECEPTION of sin—“for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me” (Rom. 7:11 NASB). 6. The SINFULNESS of sin—“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Therefore, did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful” (Rom. 7:12-13 NASB).

The believer learns experimentally that he is no longer in the flesh, but he also learns that the flesh continues to be in him. “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death” (Rom. 7:5 NASB). Paul also said, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not” (Rom. 7:18 NASB). Believers learn soon to distinguish between themselves and the sin that dwells in them. The indwelling Spirit of regeneration makes the recipients of grace uncomfortable in his sin.

In what sense was Paul alive without the Law (Rom. 7:9)? As a Jew, Paul was never without the Law; but that was the time before the Law was applied to his heart by the Spirit. What does the Law mean to any unregenerate person? Paul was alive in the sense he was undisturbed in his self-righteousness and complacency. However, when the Law was driven to the heart with power to control, restrain, and threaten, sin revived. It ceased to be dormant, and it became active. When the commandment came to Paul’s heart with power and light from above, sin revived, and Saul died. The Law did not deceive him, but sin by the Law did deceive and slay him. Christians alone know that the Law is spiritual. We agree that legality is the great enemy to sanctification, but the person delighting in the Law of God after the inward man (Rom. 7:22) and with the mind serving the Law of God (Rom 7:25) is not legalism. “O how I love Thy law” is not legalism (Ps. 119:97 NASB). Furthermore, the love of God poured out in the heart of the chosen one of God will never disappoint the recipient of God’s grace (Rom. 5:5). (Study I Thessalonians 1:2-10; I Corinthians 2:9-16.)