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Thelo, "I will".
A | 7: 15. "For what I would, that do I not."
B | 7: 16, 17. "If then I do that which I would not . . . . . sin indwelling."
C | 7: 18. "For to will is present with me."
D | 7: 19. "For the good that I would, I do not."
A | 7: 19. "The evil which I would not, that I do."
B | 7: 20. "If I do that I would not . . . . . sin indwelling."
C | 7: 21. "When i would do good, evil is present with me."
"I find then a law . . . . . I see another law" (Rom. 7: 21-23).
What law is this? It is not given a specific name until we reach Rom. 8: 2, and
there it is revealed as "the law of sin and death". The cry of the wretched man for
deliverance from "this body of death" will only be answered completely at the
resurrection:--
"And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
body" (Rom. 8: 23).
There are eight references to the "body" in Rom. 5: 12 - 8: 39, and they are
arranged in two sets of four. The last reference in the first set is the cry: "Who shall
deliver me from the body of this death?" (7: 24). The last reference in the second set
gives the answer: "Waiting for the adoption, the redemption of the body" (8: 23).
The conclusion reached in Rom. 7: 25 is:--
"So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
Is there any reasonable doubt as to whom "I myself" represents? This "I" delights in
the law of God after the inner man; it is the true "self" that serves the law of God.
While there is much that still requires investigation, we must not defer the question
any longer as to the nature of the man who is passing through the experience of
Rom. 7: 14-25. One of the strong objections to the suggestion that this experience can
be true of a believer, loses its power when we realize that the doctrine of "death to sin"
does not relate to character or conduct, but to state before God. Character grows out of
this new state, but must not be confused with it. And again, we must distinguish between
death to the guilt of sin, and death to its power.
The reader may perhaps suggest that the man described in this section of Rom. 7: is
surely not free from the dominion of sin. Yet we must agree that, even though the
members of his body and his flesh cause him great conflict, his mind, his will, his delight,
the service of "I myself", are always Godward, and in spite of his wretchedness, he looks
forward with thankfulness to his deliverance. Should the objection be raised, that no one
who is saved is "carnal", it is enough to refer to the "saints" at Corinth (I Cor. 3: 3).