Romans 7:14-25

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (v24).  Paul describes the dilemma of the person who is trying to “do good” without being reborn in the Spirit.  He describes the struggle between good and evil desires in our hearts, and the feeing that “I do not understand my own actions” (v15).  Our intentions are righteous, yet we often fall into temptation.  The answer? “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (v25).

 We don’t have to despair in our struggle to be holy, because we have been “set free” from the law of sin and death by Christ (8:2).  We are forgiven, and God’s own Spirit helps us to overcome.