Romans 7:15-20

The Voice

God gives Israel the law as part of His covenant promises. The law does a great deal for His people; mainly it sets them apart from all other nations of the world and gives them a blueprint for God’s will. But, according to Paul, the law cannot fix everything that is wrong with this broken world. Although the law is perfectly suited for bringing sin to the surface and exposing it, the law cannot free people from the power of sin and its evil twin, death.

¹⁵Listen, I can’t explain my actions. Here’s why: I am not able to do the things I want; and at the same time, I do the things I despise. ¹⁶If I am doing the things I have already decided not to do, I am agreeing with the law regarding what is good. ¹⁷But now I am no longer the one acting—I’ve lost control—sin has taken up residence in me and is wreaking havoc. ¹⁸I know that in me, that is, in my fallen human nature, there is nothing good. I can will myself to do something good, but that does not help me carry it out. ¹⁹I can determine that I am going to do good, but I don’t do it; instead, I end up living out the evil that I decided not to do. ²⁰If I end up doing the exact thing I pledged not to do, I am no longer doing it because sin has taken up residence in me.