Sermon Breakdown

1. The passage under consideration is Romans 7:14-25. This section has led to much discussion and controversy due to its difficulty.
2. We should not be discouraged by the difficulty of this passage. We should rely on the Holy Spirit for enlightenment and resolve to study it diligently.
3. The overriding theme of this section is what the law cannot do - it cannot justify or sanctify us.
4. The subsidiary theme is that the law condemns and kills us not because of any fault in itself, but because of the sin in us.
5. Verse 14: We know the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. This is a key statement. "Sold under sin" means in slavery to sin. Sin is the master, I am the slave.
6. No unregenerate person could make such a statement about themselves. They do not understand the spiritual nature of the law or recognize their own carnality and slavery to sin.
7. This statement also does not describe the regenerate. They are no longer under sin but under grace. They have died to sin and been freed from its slavery.
8. Verse 15: The life of the person described in v.14 is one of frustration, defeat and failure. They do what they do not want to do and do not do what they want to do.
9. This verse does not mean the person always does wrong and never right, but describes their life in a balanced, general sense.
10. This verse cannot describe the unregenerate, who do not have this inner conflict or hatred of sin. Nor can it fully describe the regenerate, who have been freed from slavery to sin.
11. Verse 15 describes someone who sees the spiritual character of the law, wants to keep it, but finds in practice that they cannot. They are carnal, sold under sin, yet desire to obey the law.