Ever promised yourself you wouldn’t do something again—only to do it anyway? That cycle of frustration is exactly what Paul describes in Romans 7. He captures the universal experience of wanting to obey God but feeling pulled toward sin. The law shows us what’s wrong, but it cannot make us right. Only Jesus can deliver us.
Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde illustrates this struggle vividly. Dr. Jekyll discovered in himself a good side and an evil side, and when he tried to separate them, the evil proved far stronger than he ever imagined. Like Jekyll, Paul reminds us that deep down, we are not simply “good people who occasionally mess up.” We are broken people in desperate need of a Savior.
I. Released from the Impossible (Romans 7:1–6)
Paul uses the analogy of marriage to show how we once were “bound” to the law. Before Christ, our sense of value was tied to performance—whether religious (being “good enough”) or secular (success, parenting, reputation).
But through Jesus’ death, we died to the law and now belong to Christ. This new relationship leads to fruitfulness, not fear.
- Illustration: Imagine being chained to an impossible debt, only to be released when someone else pays it in full. That’s what Christ did—He freed us from a standard we could never meet.
- Cross Reference: Galatians 2:19–20 reminds us we have been “crucified with Christ,” and now live by His Spirit, not by the law.
- Application: Ask yourself—are you still measuring your worth by performance? Or are you living in the freedom of belonging to Christ?
II. A Battle We Can’t Win (Romans 7:7–13)
The law is like a mirror—it shows us the dirt but cannot clean our faces.
Paul realized this when confronted with the commandment not to covet. Outwardly, he was blameless, but inwardly his heart was restless, envious, and fueled by pride.
- Illustration: Why do we lie, steal, or lust? Often because we covet—wanting what God hasn’t given us.
- Cross Reference: James 1:14–15 shows how desire, when conceived, gives birth to sin.
- Application: Be honest—what do you envy, and how is it fueling sin in your life?
The point is clear: the law reveals sin but cannot rescue us from it.
III. The Battle Within (Romans 7:14–23)
Paul shifts to present tense: “I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”Even as a believer, he feels the war inside.
- Illustration: Rowing against the current—no matter how hard you pull, you need a stronger power to carry you forward.
- Cross Reference: Galatians 5:17—“the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit.”
- Application: Recognize this struggle as normal for the believer. The battle is not proof of failure; it’s proof that the Spirit is at work in you.
IV. A Battle We Can’t Lose (Romans 7:24–25)
Paul cries out, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Then he answers: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
- Illustration: Winston Churchill, after Pearl Harbor, said Britain’s survival was guaranteed because “overwhelming force” was now on their side. In Christ, we have an infinitely greater force—His victory is secure.
- Cross Reference: Psalm 51:17 reminds us God does not despise a broken heart. Romans 8:1 promises no condemnation for those in Christ.
- Application: When you feel like a failure, remind yourself—“This isn’t who I am anymore. Sin doesn’t have the final word. Jesus does.”
Conclusion
Romans 7 is deeply relatable. We all know the frustration of broken promises to ourselves, the cycle of “I want to, but I can’t.” Yet Paul doesn’t leave us there. His cry of despair turns to thanksgiving: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
The law reveals our need, but it cannot rescue us. Trying harder won’t save us. Only Jesus can. And because of Him, the battle is real—but it’s a battle we cannot lose.
So today:
- Lay down the grave clothes of your old life.
- Stop trying to rescue yourself.
- Rest in the grace and victory of Christ.
