The Perplexity of the Apostle Paul

Duane Gallentine

(Romans 7:7-11 KJV) 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. {8} But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. {9} For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. {10} And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. {11} For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

• Saul, as a lost Jew, under the Law knowing the sin of coveting
  • Romans 3:20... Saul knew sin as he states in Romans 7:7
  • Romans 7:1... As long as Saul lived, the Law had dominion over him
  • Galatians 1:14... Saul was exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers
  • Philippians 3:6... Saul was blameless concerning the righteousness of the Law... [he was self-righteous]...

Romans 10:3-4... "For they [including Israel's Saul of Tarsus] being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

• Saul, saved on the Damascus Road through faith and love which is in Christ Jesus
  • 1 Timothy 1:15... Jesus Christ came into the world to save the chief of sinners who was on the Damascus Road
  • Galatians 1:15... God faithfully accounted towards Saul the death of Christ for his sins.
  • Romans 6... Paul rejoicing in the accomplishments of God at Calvary through Jesus Christ:
    • Substitution: Christ died for Paul
    • Identification: Christ Jesus gave Paul newness of Life

• Paul, delivered from the Law, sin being dead and Paul alive unto God
  • Romans 6:6... Paul knew that concerning substitution, his old man [sinful nature] was crucified with Christ
  • Romans 7:6... Paul was delivered from the Law through the body of Christ on Calvary's Cross
  • Romans 7:8... "...sin was dead."
  • Romans 6:7... "For he that is dead is freed from sin."

BUT NOW...

• Romans 6:11... Paul, ... "alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

HEY!!...NOW, LET ME "SERVE" GOD MY SAVIOUR

• Paul, focusing upon the Commandment as a way to live for God
  • Romans 7:9... Paul, in the newness of this life that Christ gave him (Romans 5:10), allows the Law's commandment to re- enter his mind as the way to "serve" God...
    • The Result: Sin revived, came back into Paul's life as a Grace believer.
    • The Effect: "I was alive unto God once without the Law, but since I have allowed the Law to be my focus and standard for holiness, approval, and acceptance with God, I DIED"...
      • cessation of the New Life--doesn't function;
      • viewpoint is Adam's; not Christ's in me...
        • failure, condemnation, false-guilt, frustration

• Paul, finding the Commandment to now be death unto himself
  • Romans 7:10... Paul found the good, holy and just commandment to be death in his quest to "serve" God as a member of the One Body.
  • Galatians 3:21... Paul wrote in his first epistle that the Commandment of Law could not give eternal life, nor could it give resurrection life to live NOW.
  • Romans 8:6... "For to be carnally minded is death:"

Paul's problem was an Unrenewed mind... a mind operating off of human viewpoint... him thinking that God would be pleased with a grace believer obeying the Law as a means to live the life of Christ... Paul did not desire to transgress the righteousness of the Law, but found the flesh to be carnal/weak and the Law spiritual but totally condemning (Romans 7:14).

• Paul, fooled by the indwelling sin nature as he thought to obey the Law
  • Romans 7:11... Paul was deceived by indwelling sin [the natural or carnal mind and its thinking according to Adam] to thinking that:
    • God wanted him to keep the Law in this dispensation;
    • The Life of Christ was defined by Israel's LAW, WORKS, FLESH system;
    • A commandment could give life.

"As I focused upon the law, sin was re-activated, it revived; and I failed to obey. I am such a fool ... saved by GRACE, but now deceived into thinking I can serve God through the Law. My intentions were good, but my focus was wrong; my thinking was wrong. My new life in Christ is stifled; I'm in a spiritual stupor. The vital and vibrant spiritual life I was FREELY given has stopped. HELP ME! I NEED A NEW LAW!"