Was Paul Justifying His Own Sin? Michael Edwards
So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. Rom 7:17 NAS
As a Christian, are there times when you feel condemnation for your failures, even though Jesus tells us there is no condemnation from God, for those who believe? I think it is evident that Paul had the same struggle initially, with guilt and condemnation, until he discovered the truth. Paul realized that when he walked by sight in the flesh, he was still walking in the sin nature he inherited from Adam. It is only when we walk by faith in the Spirit that we are set free.
For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19 NAS
Paul was a man who was steeped in the letter of the law as a Jew and an enforcer of the letter of the law as a Pharisee. In the verses below, speaking in the present tense, born-again Paul states that he recognizes that the law is good and that he wants to do good. But at times, he practices the very evil he does not want to do, doing the very thing he hates, which is the sin he knew was wrong.
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the law, confessing that the law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. Rom 7:14-17 NAS
To emphasize his point, Paul states essentially the same thing a second time.
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not…
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