Why Does the Christian Still Sin?
Romans 7:7-17
Aug 20, 2023
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction
A. Listen to how one of the best Christians who ever lived refers to himself…
1. Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
2. Philippians 3:20,21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
3. 1Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
B. Listen to how one of the most godly men in the Old Testament referred to himself…
1. Job 40:3-5 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
2. I am not going to say another word in my own defense – I am VILE! Despicable, revolting, contemptable, disgusting!
C. John Newton, who wrote “Amazing Grace” said, “Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”
D. The Apostle John makes it very plain and simple…
1. 1John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
2. 1John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him [GOD] a liar, and his word is not in us.
3. We Christians still wilfully do wrong
4. When Christians say they don’t sin, they are lying
E. The question is, Why do we still sin?
F. And, is there any hope to stop sinning?
II. Review (Romans 7:1-6)
A. Paul describes Our Relationship with our Flesh, and with Jesus – like a bad marriage
1. Romans 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
2. Romans 7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
3. Romans 7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
4. Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
5. Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
6. Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
B. Our Soul was Joined to Our Body from Birth – like married
1. My flesh, and everything about me was imperfect, was not what I expected, was cruel and abusive towards the real me…
a. Paul compares it to discovering I was too short, or too fat
b. That I had dreaded freckels, or red hair
c. I couldn’t understand Math, or History like other kids
d. I was never fast enough or good enough in sports
e. My mind constantly raced at night
f. My hands constantly sweated in panics
g. My body worked against me.
h. I hated me
2. It affected me to my core!
a. Everything my hands, mouth, feet, tongue, eyes did, soiled my heart and my soul
b. My flesh afflicted my soul, hurt me and everyone around me – like an abusive husband
3. And I could not stop the abuse!
4. And the worst thing was that the Law of God said I could not escape it
5. Oh, I heard of Jesus Christ and His love for me and so wanted to live with Him forever
6. But I was damned to stay in this relationship with ME – “till death do us part!”
C. But, That Marriage was Finally Broken by Death
1. No one can be Joined to Christ Unless Someone Dies
2. The Law did not die
3. SIN did not die
4. I died, the moment I believed on Jesus Christ and asked Him to save me
5. Romans 7:4 … ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead
6. As far as God is concerned, the old me… the person I was until the very moment I cried out to God to forgive me and save me… that person died!
7. And a new person (the new me) was given life – eternal life
8. And a new relationship with a better “husband”, Jesus Christ!
D. I am Now Joined to Christ in My Spirit
1. 1Corinthians 6:16,17 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
2. Paul compares it to being married to Him – joined to Him in my spirit!
3. And now, everything He did has been applied to ME
a. He lived perfectly, so God sees ME as living perfectly
b. He obeyed absolutely every Law of God, and passed on all His righteousness to me
c. I inherited it – like marrying the Best Man in the world, the richest Man
E. So, Why Do I Still Sin?
1. If sin doesn’t bother you, then you are not saved.
a. And don’t worry about the sin going on in the world around you
b. You need to be very concerned about sin IN YOU!
2. Let’s read Romans 7:7-17
3. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
4. Romans 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
5. Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
6. Romans 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
7. Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
8. Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
9. Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
10. Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
11. Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
12. Romans 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
13. Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
III. Message
A. Is God’s Law My Problem? (Romans 7:7)
1. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? …
2. People usually blame God or His Laws for their flaws and failures
a. People want to live without laws and think we would all be better off
b. Believe laws are repressive, and oppressive and damage the human spirit
c. They believe God’s laws are wrong, or out of date, or out of touch
d. They believe God has too many rules!
1) That’s funny. How many rules of the Road are there?
2) How many Tax laws are there?
3) How many money laundering laws, building regulations, business laws?
4) Don’t tell me GOD has too many laws!
5) EXAMPLE: My son Joel would get in trouble, and when we would sit down and talk about it, he would often say, “If you didn’t have that rule, I wouldn’t be in trouble!”
e. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid.
f. There are those words again… “God Forbid!” No way!
3. Paul will remind us that the Law is perfect, and appropriate for all time
a. God’s Laws are not our problem
1) They are not our salvation
2) But they are also not our problem
b. The Law of God is Good, Holy and Needed by every generation
1) Romans 7:12-14 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
2) It is Holy, Just (fair), Good…
3) And Spiritual!!!
c. It is appropriate especially for THIS time
1) More than ever, this generation needs to know the Laws of God and obey them
2) We are probably THE most lawless generation ever – it it shows!
3) 1Timothy 1:8-10 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine
4) Yes, there are a set of Laws that are done away with because of Jesus, but only the ones that describe worship and the priesthood, and the Temple, and circumcision
B. So, What is the Purpose of God’s Laws? (Romans 7:7)
1. To Reveal Sin – show us what sin is, and how dangerous it is
a. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
b. The law is more precise than our conscience
c. It is more complete – 613 laws in the Old Testament alone
d. It tells us what is wrong when we would not have known it otherwise
e. It actually changes our perspective on what we do, say, feel
1) What we think is normal, and okay to do, The Law shows us as wrong
2) Ezekiel 44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
3) This generation thinks it is perfectly fine to:
a) Say filthy words constantly
b) Drink a few pints
c) Watch a couple of dozen porn clips on their phone every day
d) Disrespect one another, and especially their husbands, and wives and parents
e) Neglect church, and reading the Bible
4) And then along comes a Bible preacher who directs your attention to clear words of Scripture…
5) THOU SHALT NOT COVET
a) The tenth commandment
b) The sin of LUSTING for a woman, for a new dress, a car, a baby, a man, a million euros
6) If God hadn’t written that tenth commandment, you never would have known any of that was wrong
2. To open us up like old time doctors did – opening up the patient to see what was wrong, to find the infection, the cancer
a. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
b. It shows us ourselves
c. Like a good mirror shows us how we really are
d. Or better yet, like an MRI or X-ray
1) James 1:23-25 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
e. And shows us where the problem is
1) In our heart
2) In our mind / thinking
3) In our spirit
4) In our attitude
3. To guide us / drive us to Christ
a. Like School Teacher guided you to come to the right conclusion about a fact / truth
1) Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
2) Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
3) Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
4) Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
5) Galatians 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
6) Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
b. It is SO important that everybody learns the Laws of God, to discover…
1) That they have to obey them to live long and happy
2) They can’t obey them perfectly – will always fail in some way
3) And so need a way to become justified – right with God as law-breakers
4) And that way is by faith in Jesus Christ only!
C. So, the Problem is Sin In Me (Romans 7:8-11)
1. Paul now reveals where the problem really is…
2. This is a Revelation About Sin
a. Romans 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
b. Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
c. Romans 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
d. Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
e. That Sin is Active – as if it is alive
1) Sin… wrought, worked, produced in me
2) The Law did not produce sin
3) It revealed it as alive in me
4) Without it revealing sin in me, I would have thought I had no sin
5) Romans 7:7 … I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
f. Notice that Sin seeks its own way
1) James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
2) It has a mind, a will, a desire all its own
3) It doesn’t even do YOUR own will!
4) It is as if it is alive in every person – like a disease
g. Sin is Deadly – like an aggressive cancer
1) Romans 7:10,11 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
2) I was alive without the law haunting me, but I then learned specific commandments, and I realised I was breaking God’s Laws… and I died on the inside
3) Sin used the Laws of God to bring God’s judgment upon me and kill me
4) Just as was warned by God in the garden of Eden
5) Genesis 2:16,17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
h. And Sin is IN Me - Sin exists in my flesh
1) Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
2) It is like going to a doctor, and feeling fine, but being told there is a deadly disease in you, a cancer, that is aggressive and will kill you if nothing is done
3) Sin is not just what we DO that is wrong
4) It is the fact that its very presence in me makes ME wrong!
5) EXAMPLE: You walk into a big department store with a Mutt for a dog, that poos and pees everywhere. The fact that the dog hasn’t peed yet is not the problem. You are asked to leave the building because the Security Guard knows it is only a matter of time, and the dog needs to be kept OUT, and sine you are attached to the dog, you have to go out as well!!!
3. Where Did Sin Come From?
a. Came into this world by Adam
1) Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man [ADAM] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, [WHY?] for that all have sinned
2) Adam did not have sin in his flesh at first
3) He willingly opened the door and brought sin into this world when he disobeyed God
b. It passed upon all humanity
1) Passed upon all of us IN our flesh – like flawed DNA, like being born with a cancer that we got from our parents
2) All humans sin now, because sin is in them, and is active in them
3) Your parents passed on to you your good looks, your eye colour, your height and gender
4) But they also passed on to you a sin nature – a desire to do your own things instead of God’s Laws.
4. More about this next week!
D. What I Am (Romans 7:14-16)
1. Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
2. Spoken by a believer – a Christian – look at Romans 7:24,25
a. Romans 7:24,25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
b. Paul is not talking about what he was like BEFORE Acts 9 when he got born again
c. Not what I was before salvation, but what I am even though I am saved, washed, cleansed, forgiven…
d. He says over and over “I am…” not “I was…”
3. I am Carnal
a. Referring to our physical bodies – I am still physically meat and bones
b. Every Christian has flesh – SURPRISE!
c. And, we live in our flesh, in our bodies
1) Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
2) When someone tries to teach you that you are not living in the flesh, they are lying – you are IN your flesh
3) You ought not to be obeying the flesh, but you are still living in sinful flesh!
4. Sold under sin – a slave to sin
a. Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
b. There is a part of Paul that was and always will be a slave to sinful desires
c. That part is his body, his flesh, his eyes, his mouth
d. It did not remove sin FROM your life
e. It is STILL IN YOU AND ME! Sadly!
f. Adam sold himself, and all his descendants to Sin in the Garden of Eden
g. We have been owned by sin from that day!
h. But, praise God, there is a part of every believer that has been made free from sin’s dominion and sin’s hold – the soul and the spirit
i. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
j. Because Christ’s death defeated Sin’s authority over your life
5. Dying - Our Flesh is Dying
a. Not evolving, getting better, but decaying, and dying
b. Sin is doing that to me
c. The more I sin, the shorter my life
6. A wretched being – nothing to be proud of – that is, until heaven!
a. Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
7. And THAT is okay!
a. The important part of me (my soul) is forgiven, free, and is in a relationship with Jesus Christ!
b. And my flesh is not the real me anymore – it has been declared DEAD by God
E. The War In Me (Romans 7:15,16)
1. Romans 7:15,16 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
2. Spoken by one of the best Christians who ever lived – the Apostle Paul
3. They describe the battle of sin in him even though he as saved and heaven-bound!
4. “The things which I DO…”
a. (If I will admit it)
b. “Are things I won’t allow myself or anyone else do around me”
c. Like smoke, express lust, scream, fight, hate, mock, steal, lie, hit, curse
d. Paul said he did things he doesn’t WANT to do, and won’t allow himself to do!
5. “The things I WANT to do…”
a. “Are things I end up NOT doing”
b. In other words, There are so many good things, important things that I want to do…
1) Like read my Bible every day
2) Like pray about everything
3) Like give faithfully to missionaries and to the poor
4) Like go out soul-winning
5) Like perfectly loving your husband, or your wife
c. But I never do most of them
d. I don’t do the things I know I should do, and even want to do!
6. “What I hate doing…”
a. “I still do them, even though I am forgiven washed, saved, born again”
b. I say hurtful things, hurtful words
c. I do illegal things
d. I hate being rude, yet I am rude
e. I hate my lusting, and yet I find myself looking and longing for what I should not have
f. I know I shouldn’t covet, but I still feel so unhappy when I don’t get what I want
7. So, the truth is, I do things against my own will!
8. And I can’t completely stop it on my own
a. That proves our need for laws and rules to constrain us, and to punish us when we break those laws
b. Romans 7:15,16 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
c. And it proves that the best of men need the indwelling Holy Spirit to win over it
9. Thankfully, There is a power in me that helps me stop sinning!
a. Romans 8:13,14 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
b. I told you Romans chapter 8 is going to be glorious!
IV.The Conclusion…
A. Now we know why you and I still sin…
1. Because Sin is a separate force in my flesh (Romans 7:17)
a. Sin dwells in me right now – like a disease, but not chemical, or physical
b. Romans 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
c. Sin is my problem now, in my flesh, not in my soul or spirit
d. Even though I want to do the right thing
e. And even though I DELIGHT in the law of God – the inward man does
f. Evil is still present with me
2. Yes, I have limited control
3. But, Sin does what it wants to do
a. It is active and independent of my own will
b. That’s why a Christian declares, “I am a wretched man” in my flesh
c. On your best days, you are still sinful, and proud, and wretched and wicked
4. So, I yield to God (like Paul taught in chapter 6), and I live as a saint
a. Sin has no power over my soul, or my spirit now!
b. I am delivered, saved from the punishment of my sins
c. And that is why every believer can say, I am a Saint in my soul and my spirit…
d. Because I have been forgiven, and justified, and made righteous before God
5. As a Christian, I have the sure hope that one day, sin in me will be gone! When this body finally does die, and my soul walks straight into God’s heaven!
B. But, What If you are not saved…
1. You will have all the same struggles, but without any hope
2. And you will have a future, suffering forever under the wrath of almighty God
3. Because sins will be paid for
4. And you are too proud to want Christ to save you! Still going to try to save yourself
5. You can’t save yourself – free yourself – change yourself
6. Only Jesus saves!