It’s All About Victory
Romans 7:1-25
During October, football games are televised in abundance. During pregame comments, analysts often share their keys to victory for the teams – what each team must do to triumph over their foe.
In Romans 7, Paul shares insights about a challenging adversary that we all face in this life – sin. After describing sin and our struggle with its lethal impact on our lives, Paul proclaims the key to victory over this formidable foe.
We are free from the Law: The Roman church must have been filled with a number of Jewish converts, as Paul describes them as knowing the Jewish law well (v. 1). Like Paul before his conversion, they undoubtedly had focused their previous pursuit of God around keeping the Ten Commandments and the rules developed to prevent the breaking of God’s commands. But since coming to Christ, they had been united with the One who was greater than the written law. They were free to live under the leadership of the Spirit of Christ, not under the burden of a rules-based religion.
We know what sin is: No one can deny that the human condition is flawed.Some say hope for humanity is dependent upon better education. Others say it rests in good people being enabled to do better. But as Paul shows in Romans 7, humanity’s problem isn’t rooted in a need for enlightenment or empowerment. The critical issue is that we are a sinful people, and without a remedy, sin will destroy us.
From the time of Adam and Eve, sin has been wreaking havoc in this world. But when the law was given so that God’s people could clearly know his ways, sin and its impact became more defined and tempting. Twice (vv. 8 and 11) Paul refers to sin as “seizing an opportunity” through the law to draw him deeper into a life of sin and destruction. What was meant to give life had actually been used to lead toward death. God’s laws better define his holy ways for us, but they also expose our sins.
We struggle with sin: Like all of us, Paul’s struggle with sin was real. His desire was to do good, but as he writes, “there is no ability to do it” (v. 18). Even for those who deeply desire to do good, sin is ever present and guides us toward evil. The depraving power of sin should never be underestimated.
We have victory over sin: Paul understood that in his sin, he was a “wretched man” (v. 24). Defeat was his destiny, but he found victory over the destruction of sin. What was his key to victory? His faith in the One who triumphed over sin and death. Victory can be ours too, based not in religiosity but in a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Owens– Lessons in the ETB series for the fall quarter are being written by Ken Owens, director of the collegiate ministry group for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.