For what I am doing I do not understand. Paul expresses some Confusion. He's perplexed. Not by some abstract theological mystery that is bothering his. Yeah.
What is perplexing him here is It's his own behavior. He says sometimes I don't understand myself. For I do not do the good I want. But the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. You can sense Paul's exasperation, can't you?
Welcome to the Sunday edition of Renewing Your Mind. I'm Nathan W. Bingham. I've always been grateful for Paul's transparency there. because I can't count the number of times I've felt the same frustration.
Can you relate? If you can. There is hope for us. There is no reason to despair. There are so many foundational truths contained in this one letter of the Apostle Paul.
So if you'd like to study all of Romans, be sure to request R. C. Sproul's hardcover commentary when you give a donation at renewingyourmind.org before midnight tonight.
Well, here's Dr. Sproul in Romans chapter 7. as we continue this short series. Romans seven. Beginning at verse 14 through The end of the chapter.
For we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal.
sold under sin. For what I am doing I do not understand. For what I will to do. That I do not practice. But what I hate That I do.
If then I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good, but now It is no longer I who do it. But sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, Nothing good dwells. For to will is present with me But how to perform what is good I do not find For the good that I will to do, I do not do. But the evil I will not to do That I practice.
Now, if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin. that dwells in me. I find then a law. that evil is present with me. The one who wills to do good.
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members. warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God But with the flesh The law of sin. You may recall that apart from Romans 9, which is perennially controversial because of its. teaching indeed clear teaching. on the doctrine of God's sovereign grace in election. That second to that chapter, historically, Chapter 7.
has been the focal point a very serious theological controversy. Which controversy? has not ended. even in our own time. And the focus of that controversy Has to do with the question of whether it is possible.
and indeed important for the Christian. to achieve a state of moral perfection in this life Prior to Yeah. into glory. There have been several movements in church history. that have taught the idea that in addition to the singular moment of regeneration by which we are brought to faith and consequently Justification.
that there is also postulated a second work of grace, that is equally instantaneous. and equally wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost. as is that first work of grace that we call regeneration. And what this second work of grace effects in the life of the Christian. is instant Complete.
Sanctification.
Now The most important biblical text. That would militate against such a doctrine of a second work of grace that produces instant sanctification. is the text that I've just read to you tonight. in chapter seven of Romans. Because in this chapter, the Apostle Paul, writing in the present tense, talks of this painful ongoing struggle in his life.
and the conflict between walking according to the spirit And still Surrendering to elements of the vestigial remnants of the flesh. Because obviously at least at the time when Paul wrote the letter to the Romans. He apparently had not yet accomplished or reached this second work of grace.
Now the advocates of perfectionism of one kind or another have argued that though Paul writes in the present tense, He, despite that use of the Greek language, is simply writing presently In recollection of the former state in which he found himself. Prior to his Regeneration unto faith.
Now, this passage has been worked over again and again and again by the best Greek interpreters of history, and I can just simply say dogmatically, I find absolutely no justification. whatsoever. for finding in this text anything other than the contemporary struggle that the Apostle was having with respect. to his own Progress. in sanctification.
In the nineteenth century, several churches, particularly in America, Following after some of the ideas that were first set forth by John Wesley that I'll mention in a few moments. Developed special churches that were called and are still called today. Holiness churches. And these holiness churches are so-called because part of their doctrine. is the idea that there is a second work of grace available to every Christian.
by which they can experience instantaneous Sanctification. or holiness. The beginnings of modern Pentecostalism were also tied in with this perfectionist idea. Where the second work of grace, which was manifested and given evidence to by by speaking in tongues. Was indeed this work of grace.
that gave people instantaneous Holiness. It's only in recent times, in the advent of Neo-Pentecostalism. That adjustments have been made to say that no, what the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Really does is empower Christians for ministry. but doesn't necessarily produce in them An immediate victory.
Over All sin.
Now having said that Let me just say that in my whole life and experience as a teacher and Preacher, I've only encountered two people. who have told me Frankly, that they believe that they had this second work of grace. to the extent that they were now without sin of any sort. What do you do with somebody like that? I mean, how do you try to explain to them what the word is teaching?
Here's where you have what we call. Love lines that all of us have. We hear a doctrine from our home church or from our pastor or for some Christian mentor that we. have great affection for and admiration towards. And we accept their teaching.
And then later on, if it's challenged. No argument in the world. will cause us to leave our Dedication to those love lines. We all struggle with that sort of thing, but I would hope. Then, when we look at the clear biblical teaching in matters of this nature, that we would be able to snip those lines wherever Necessary.
And so it's important that we not be deceived into thinking. that there are shortcuts. to Christian maturity. to growing up into the fulness of conformity, to the image of Christ. Which is A lifelong Pursuit.
For The godly. And again, none of us will achieve that perfection. Until We enter into glory. and all the remnants of sin and the flesh. are removed from us.
In one sense, It's comforting to me. Canoe. That even Paul. Had to struggle. Against The Temptations of the flesh.
Because there's probably never been a single person on the face of this earth. Who was more dedicated to the pursuit of holiness and to the pursuit of obedience to his Lord Jesus Christ? than the Apostle Paul was. And if the Apostle Paul had struggles like this, I take comfort in it, not because I want to rejoice in evil or in somebody else's weakness. But that's just human nature.
Then, when I see the weaknesses manifesting themselves in the greatest of the saints, Mine don't seem to be. totally without redeemable Hope. Oh In the early days of my conversion how I longed. for that second work. And all that time.
I listened to the accusation of Satan. I struggled with my own spiritual state. Because I had an addiction to the flesh, that I simply could not get rid of. rid of. And I know I'm but alone.
With that sort of thing. But in a sense Oh, it shouldn't be. This becomes a normal dimension of the Christian life. that we all are faced with some sort of besetting sin. That we come before God and we seek to get rid of, and sooner or later we have to hear the words: My grace is sufficient.
For thee. I can't tell you why.
Sometimes the Lord allows us to struggle for years and years and years. Before The liberation comes. But he does. Yet at every moment The grace is there. to overcome.
No matter what. It is.
Now It was L Wesley, John Wesley, who first taught the idea. With any success, that there is a work of grace by the Holy Ghost. by which, though one was not rendered totally perfect morally, Nevertheless, people were able to achieve what Wesley called a perfect love. and that that for Wesley was the second work of grace. That is available in the Christian life.
But out of that idea has come broad attention to the idea. of some kind of higher life. Of sanctification that results in two tiers or two levels of Christians. There's the ordinary Christian. who seeks spiritual growth.
Reads his Bible, goes to church, is diligent about making use of the means of grace. who nevertheless never reaches that higher Plateau. that is called the higher life. or the deeper life. And again, at the end of the 19th century and through the turn of the 20th century in England and in the United States.
There were several movements. that were spawned that were called deeper life movements. where the secret was revealed to the broad Christian community of how a person could get to that second level, that higher plateau. of spiritual Victory. The victorious Christian life.
I'm sure that you've been exposed to much teaching and much literature. on that subject. In more recent eras the language that is used to promise this deeper level. is called The spirit filled. life.
So that you have two kinds of Christians. Those who who are indwelt by the Holy Ghost. Born of the Holy Spirit, regenerated by the power of the Holy Ghost, assisted in their quest for sanctification by the help of the Holy Ghost. But These people have not yet been. filled with the Spirit.
to the level that they now reach. this second plateau. And with the advocates of the spirit-filled life that you hear all over the place. For the most part, they don't claim Total perfection. just a much greater level.
Yeah. than is normally Achieved. Bye. Other Christians. And so all of that is but A BREEEF THEOLOGICAL PREFACE for us to look further Expositionally, at Paul's letter to the Romans, so that you might know.
What's at stake here? In the teaching of this book. All right, let's look then. a verse Fifteen. I've already looked at the first part.
We know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal.
sold under sin, for what I am doing I do not understand. Paul expresses Some Confusion. He's perplexed. Not by some abstract theological mystery that is bothering his Yeah. What is perplexing him here is his own behavior.
He says sometimes I don't understand myself. I just don't know why I do. The things But I do. And then he goes on here to talk about this conflict. that is rooted in the will.
Which is on the one hand, the things I want to do. I don't do. And the very things that I don't want to do. Those I do. But here Paul is speaking.
in a manner of concrete language that I think every one of us can relay to. When he says, I don't understand why I do the things that I do. Because the very things I don't want to do, I do. And that which I want to do. I don't do.
Let me ask you this. How many of you? would like to lead a life of perfect obedience to Christ.
Well, why don't you? Ah. Why don't you? If that's what you want. Why don't you do it?
How many of you would like to be free of sin? Why aren't you? Because all things being equal, you'd like to be free of sin. All things being equal, you'd like to be perfectly obedient to the Lord. But alas and alack All things aren't equal.
Because just when you want to be obedient to Christ. You will find conflict in your own hearts between your general desire of obedience and the specific act of obedience that confronts you. along with the strength of the temptation. towards disobedience. And so you cry.
The Spirit is willing. But the flesh is oh so. Weak.
So again, We are people. of mixed desires. That's why I said to you before. that life doesn't really become complicated. Until You're born again.
Before you're born again, you only have one principle, the flesh. Like Augustine said, only one person's riding this horse, and it's Satan. And this horse does the will of Satan, walks according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. Willingly, happily submitting. To the temptations of Satan.
But once God the Holy Spirit Raises you from spiritual death. puts Christ in the saddle. The rest of your life is the battle. between two jockeys over who's gonna ride this horse. Satan doesn't give up easily.
The flesh doesn't die instantly. And so Life now is complicated. Because we are people. involved. in a war.
that penetrates the very deepest recesses of our souls. And last. As I said. until our glorification. In heaven.
And so this is the experience. that is universal. Among Christians? that the Apostle Paul is talking about.
Now We could stop right there and say, well, This is the way it is. The flesh doesn't die easily.
So who can achieve perfection? Why don't I? Sleep in tomorrow morning, eat, drink, and be merry, and not be so earnest about my sanctification since I can't reach the goal. Anyway. Forgetting the other things that the Apostle Paul said about forgetting those things that are behind and reaching towards those things that are ahead.
We press towards the mark. We pummel our bodies to subdue it. We enter and engage in a fight, and we're admonished by the scriptures not to. Yield so easily to the sin that besets us, for we have not yet resisted unto. blood.
The very fact that you're here tonight indicates that you take your Christian life seriously. You're not satisfied just going to worship on Sunday morning or an adult class on Sunday morning. You want more. You want to dig deeper. into the scriptures because you know That through the teaching of the truth of the word of God, which is a light under your path.
that these things will help you in this struggle. That these are means of God's grace by which We are able to progress in our sanctification. The fact that no one makes it clear to the finish line in this world does not mean we're supposed to stop running. You understand that. We are never allowed to be at ease in Zion.
And say, This far I've progressed. And no further. We are to be diligent. In every way. To feed The New Man And to kill.
The old man. But I do believe That one Christian will progress further than another. Not that there are two distinct levels of spirit-filled and non-spirit-filled people in the world. But that each one of us is at a different place in our Christian pilgrimage. No two people in this room started their Christian walk at the same place.
Many of you became Christians, never smoked anything in your life. You never had to struggle over that, but you had something else you struggled with.
Some of the things you struggled with were a piece of cake for me. Because we're different. And we come with different baggage. And not only do we come at different times, in different circumstances, with different baggage. But our progress in sanctification is different one from another.
I do like that bumper sticker that says, be patient, God's not finished with me yet. Because the one thing that we are supposed to manifest as a people of God. Is that we are to have a love, a charity. That covers a multitude of sins. That doesn't mean that we're supposed to be soft on gross and heinous sin.
That's not what I'm talking about. And the New Testament makes it clear. They were not to give each other license for gross and heinous sins. But the average run-of-the-mill everyday struggles that all Christians have. Or to be covered.
By that charity. If I see you, Slipping a little bit. You know what you're gonna hear from me? Got you covered. That's under the charity.
We're not going to sweat the small stuff, are we? And we're to be forbearing. and patient. and encouraging, one with another. One of the worst things we can ever have is to establish our own achievements.
As the norm by which all Christians are to be judged. That's the temptation. If I have Success or victory in one area of my life, my normal human tendency of the flesh is to elevate that. to the touchstone of true spirituality. And if you don't measure up to me in that regard, then there's something really wrong with you.
If I'm gifted with evangelism, I want to establish evangelism as the supreme gift. If I'm gifted in teaching, that's got to be the most important gift. If I'm gifted in generosity, then giving is the real touchstone of spirituality. We do that. That's why Paul had to write to the Corinthians and say, hold it, hold it.
We have different gifts. different offices. We're at different places. But that's part of our growth as Christians. the understanding that the things that are not that big of a deal with us, may be very, very difficult for other people.
And the things that I struggle with, you may never. struggle with it all. That's why we're in this together. Sharing in the Spirit. sharing in the word.
Sharing an encouragement. praying for each other. covering each other. With Charity. That was R.
C. Sproul from his extensive sermon series in the Book of Romans. Thanks for joining us for Renewing Your Mind on this Sunday. I'm your host, Nathan W. Bingham.
Dr. Sprall preached close to 60 sermons from Romans, and those sermons became the foundation for his expositional commentary on the book. We'd be happy to send you a copy to thank you for your donation before midnight tonight at renewingyourmind.org. You can also find a convenient link in the podcast show notes. Take your time in Romans, slowly working through the commentary, or keep it as a reference resource.
Either way, request yours while there's still time at renewingyourmind.org. This offer does end at midnight tonight. And to our global audience, the e-book is waiting for you at renewingyourmind.org slash global. Thank you. We heard Dr.
Sprall make the point today that we're all in this together. We each have different struggles and battles with sin. but God in His infinite wisdom and mercy has given us the Church, the body of Christ, so that we can press on and struggle well together. That's why we do hope that you are part of the local congregation. Our goal for every episode of Renewing Your Mind is that it would supplement and not supplant what you're hearing and learning about within a local church.
Have you ever asked the question, why do we sin? Make plans to join us next Sunday as R. C. Sproul continues to make his way through the seventh chapter of Romans here on Renewing Your Mind.
