19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do
not want.
20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the
one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then the principle that evil
is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
22 For I joyfully concur with
the law of God in the inner man,
23 but I see a different law in the members of
my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the
law of sin which is in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me
free from the body of this death?
25 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.
V. 19 - "For the good that I want" - Same song. Second verse. I see the good way, but I do not walk in it. See verse 15, above.
V. 20-21 - "I am no longer the one doing it" - This is a reprise of verse 17, above. The sin within me is the driving force in my life and behavior.
Verses 20 and 21 are an “If-Then” statement: IF I know better, but I sin anyway, THEN there must be a power that is controlling me, driving me away from I know is best. Paul labels this power as the principle that evil (sin) is within and not external.
V. 22 - “Joyfully concur with the law of God” - Paul is not grudgingly admitting God is right. Is this amazing or what? Who can “joyfully” admit they are a sinner and have no control over the sin? Who admits they are totally lost? Usually we are forced to cry, “Uncle!”. We can be free from the power and penalty of sin, but not through the Law. What is the answer? Jesus Christ our Lord! See verse 25 below!
V. 23 - “waging war against the law of my mind” - My mind says this is the right way to live, but I fail to live that way. My body, my actions are in opposition to what my mind says. The law of sin is more powerful than the power of my mind. I am under that awful power, therefore am a slave to the power of sin. My old nature is too powerful to successfully oppose.
V. 24 - “Wretched man that I am.” - I am a slave! Who will set me free? Paul is emphasizing that it is beyond our human powers to break free from sin and its penalty. Your sin nature owns you. Is there no hope for me?
V. 25 - “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” - The answer: Jesus Christ our Lord! God sent Jesus to save us from sin. He came to break the chains of slavery to sin.
“on the one hand... but on the other” - This is the dilemma, the paradox of our faith. The two natures are constantly warring within us. The old nature (fleshly, worldly nature, the sin nature) wars against the new life given to us by God. The big difference is now we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have Jesus to empower us to live for Him rather than for sin.
This will be more fully developed in Romans, chapter 8.***
end of Chapter
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