Romans 7:22-23 - The Law of the Mind vs. The Law of Sin

Romans 7:22-23 - 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Message: Something different in me vs what Christ can do through me.

Time:Another source cites this book as being written around 56-58 BC. Because Paul himself was a Roman citizen, he had a unique passion for those in the assembly of believers in Rome. Since he had not, to this point, visited the church in Rome, this letter also served as his introduction to them.

What the Lord is Saying:

Leading up
In chapter 6 was the focus that we have been freed from sin. The believer has died to sin both in principle and practice. Once dead to sin, we have freedom for sanctification. But, in chapter 7, Paul feels it necessary to point out that we are dead to the Law, in that the Law, as set up, to free a person and deliver them from sin. And in this declaration, Paul wants to be clear that the Law is Good. To be sanctified is to fulfill the Law.

And yet, in man, there is a turmoil or a tennis match between doing good (fulfilling the Law) and doing bad (failing the Law). Though in Christ a person has been freed from sin and their body of sin has been done away with, sinful tendencies still remain because man was borne of Adam and there lurks in man the temptation to do what one doesn't want to do.

We have a responsibility before God to pursue not the things of the flesh. And when we do sin, though it is sin in us that is the reason we sin, we still have a responsibility and we still must confess our sin before God and seek to turn from it. We are in no way off the hook. We have the potential to live free from sin because this is who we are now.

Here in these verses is the regenerate and repentant man. Romans 7 is a chapter a new creature in Christ needs to understand and realize. That though the body of sin has been done away with, sin is still a struggle.

I am pleased with the Law of God.
Verse 22 is the saved person please with God's law. As a new person in Christ, we recognize that the Law is spiritual (verse 14), the Law is holy (verse 12) because the Law is of God. It is holy, it is spiritual, it is of God. Inside me is the quest to do the Law of God for I have been justified and now I will be sanctified leading to glorification.

Something different
My mind plays tricks on me. This has been what has been described in verse 15-21.  My mind because its own law. I wrestle daily with the good Law of God and my own mind. I don't recognize the Law for what is is and try to flee from it. I try to pretend that it is not there. I try to pretend that I have never seen it. I try to pretend that it doesn't apply to me. The law of my mind is the culprit.

Romans 7:22-23 - 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

The Christian needs to surrender to the Lord daily and realize that in his own mind he will fail if he tries to conquer the Law of Sin. I can't do it. I need to be trained by the Word of God and submit to the Holy Spirit. 

Promise: Man cannot defeat the Law of sin on his own.