IT MATTERS

How preachers teach Romans 7:14-24 can have serious repercussions. 

Either this is A) Paul using a rhetorical device, speaking as one who does not yet know Christ or B) Paul is describing his own on-going experience as a Christian. 

Take a close look.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 

If this is taught as the normative, on-going struggle for every Christian, then what message is received by people in the pews like:

Bob with his addiction to porn?

Sue and her propensity to spread gossip?

Jack who is cheating on his wife?

Brenda and her lies to co-workers?

John with his laziness on the job?

Liz who is preoccupied with materialism?

Or Ron who consistently ignores the poor and the sick and the oppressed?

Aren't they likely to shrug their shoulders and think, "This is how it is for humans - we are just slaves to sin"? "Once we get to heaven, we will be free from this struggle"? 

I mean, if Paul - the most mature Christian you could ever meet - could not break free from sin, what hope do any of the rest of us have?

On the other hand, how different would it be if those same people are taught that Paul is describing the life of one who knows what he is doing is wrong, but has not yet experienced salvation? 

Now the message is: failure to break free from porn, gossip, or materialism is an indication you don't know Jesus yet. Not really. 

There is a lot riding on properly interpreting Paul's meaning here.