Understanding Romans 7:15 on Inner Conflict
Understanding Romans 7:15
Romans 7:15 states, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do" [1]. This verse is part of a larger passage where the Apostle Paul describes the inner conflict he experiences between his desire to follow God's law and his propensity to sin.
Literary Context
The passage surrounding Romans 7:15 is Romans 7:14-25, where Paul elaborates on the struggle between the "law of God" and the "law of sin" within him. This section is part of Paul's broader argument in Romans 6-8 about the relationship between the law, sin, and the Christian life. In Romans 7, Paul illustrates the tension between his spiritual aspirations and his fleshly actions, highlighting the role of the law in revealing sin [3].
Historical Setting
Paul wrote Romans to a predominantly Gentile audience in Rome around 57-58 AD. The letter addresses various theological and practical issues, including the nature of sin, justification by faith, and the Christian's relationship to the Mosaic law [2]. Understanding the historical context is crucial for interpreting Paul's discussion of inner conflict, as it reflects his own experiences and the challenges faced by early Christians.
Key Terms
The key terms in Romans 7:15 include "what I want to do" (θελω, thelō) and "what I hate" (μισῶ, miso). The verb "to will" or "to want" (thelō) indicates a desire or intention, while "to hate" (miso) signifies a strong aversion. Paul's use of these terms underscores the depth of his inner turmoil, as he is torn between his desire to obey God's law and his actions, which are contrary to that desire [1].
Major Exegetical Decisions
One major exegetical decision in interpreting Romans 7:15 involves understanding the identity of the "I" (ἐγώ, egō) who is speaking. Commentators have debated whether Paul is describing his pre-conversion, post-conversion, or a hypothetical state. Some, like John Calvin, interpret the passage as reflecting the experience of a regenerate person struggling with sin [7]. Others, such as Charles Hodge, argue that it describes the experience of an advanced Christian [5].
Range of Interpretations
Interpretations of Romans 7:15 vary among commentators. John Gill views Paul's statement as a description of his ongoing struggle with sin as a believer, emphasizing the conflict between the "flesh" and the "spirit" [6]. Matthew Henry similarly sees the passage as applicable to both unregenerate and regenerate individuals, though he notes a significant controversy over which Paul intends [3]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown focus on the "law of sin" in the members and the "law of the mind," highlighting the internal conflict between these two principles [8].
Function in Tradition
Romans 7:15 has played a significant role in Christian theology and spirituality, particularly in discussions about sanctification and the Christian's struggle with sin. The passage has been used to support various views on the nature of sin, the role of the law, and the experience of believers. For instance, it has been cited in debates about the possibility of sinless perfection and the ongoing need for divine grace in the Christian life [4].
The inner conflict described in Romans 7:15 continues to resonate with Christians across different traditions, serving as a biblical basis for understanding the complexities of the human experience under the influence of sin and grace. As such, it remains a crucial text for theological reflection and pastoral guidance.
The complexity of Paul's inner conflict, as described in Romans 7:15, underscores the multifaceted nature of Christian experience. The ongoing struggle between desire and action, between the "law of God" and the "law of sin," is a reality that many Christians can identify with, making this passage a rich source for theological exploration and personal reflection.
Sources
- Romans “Romans 7:15 (BSB) — I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do.”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Romans 7:5 cross-references: Matthew 15:19, John 3:6, Romans 1:26, Romans 3:20, Romans 4:15, Romans 5:20, Romans 6:13, Romans 6:19, Romans 6:21, Romans 6:23, Romans 7:7, Romans 7:23, Romans 8:8, 1 Corinthians 15:56, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Galatians 3:10, Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:19, Galatians 5:24, Ephesians 2:3, Ephesians 2:11, Colossians 3:5, Titus 3:3, James 1:15, James 2:9, James 4:1, 1 John 3:4”
- Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 7:14: Here is a description of the conflict between grace and corruption in the heart, between the law of God and the law of sin. And it is applicable two ways: - 1. To the struggles that are in a convinced soul, but yet unregenerate, in the person of whom it is supposed, by some, that Paul speaks. 2. To the struggles that are in a renewed sanctified soul, but yet in a state of imperfection; as other apprehend. And a great controversy there is of which of these we are to understand the apostle here. So far does the evil prevail here, when he speaks of one sold under sin”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 36: no sin, and do not need now and at all times the cleansing power of Christ’s blood, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Argument from the General Representations of Scripture. The declarations of Scripture, which are so abundant, that there is none righteous, no not one; that all have sinned and 247 come short of the glory of God; that no flesh living is just in the sight of God; and that every one must lay his hand upon his mouth, and his mouth in the dust in the sight of the infinitely holy God, who accuses his angels of f”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 31: subjects of the inward conflict here depicted. There is in them indeed often a struggle protracted and painful, between reason and conscience on the one side, and evil passion on the other. But there is not in the unrenewed that utter renunciation of self, that looking for help to God in Christ alone, and that delight in the law of God, of which the Apostle here speaks. What Romans vii. 7-25 teaches. Assuming, then, that we have in this chapter an account of the experience of a true and even of an advanced Christian, we learn that in ever”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 7:15: For that which I do, I allow not,.... The apostle having cleared the law from the charge of being the cause either of sin or death, and taken the blame to himself, proceeds to give an account of the struggle and combat he found in himself between the flesh and spirit; "that which I do, I allow not". That which he did was evil, since he allowed not of it; but this is to be understood not of any notorious crime committed by him, and repeated again and again; nor of a sinful course of life, for before his conversion he was not a profane man, but externally moral; and aft”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 38: their nature, let us consider, in other respects, whether the will is so utterly vitiated and corrupted in every part as to produce nothing but evil, or whether it retains some portion uninjured, and productive of good desires. 27. Those who ascribe our willing effectually, to the primary grace of Gods ( supra , sect. 6), seem conversely to insinuate that the soul has in itself a power of aspiring to good, though a power too 246 feeble to rise to solid affection or active endeavour. There is no doubt that this opinion, adopted from”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 7:23: But I see another--it should be "a different" law in my members--(See on Rom 7:5). warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members--In this important verse, observe, first, that the word "law" means an inward principle of action, good or evil, operating with the fixedness and regularity of a law. The apostle found two such laws within him; the one "the law of sin in his members," called (in Gal 5:17, Gal 5:24) "the flesh which lusteth against the spirit," "the flesh with the affections and”