Romans is one of the thirteen epistles written by the Apostle Paul to the churches of Christ at the time. His text contains a rich and profound Christian doctrinal teaching. It is imperative for a believer who considers himself a Christian to know, study and learn from this letter.
Romans – Biblical Text
The Book of Romans is the sixth book of the New Testament of the Bible, also known as the Letter to the Romans. In Christian doctrine, most church leaders agree that this epistle is perhaps the most profound in its theological and doctrinal depth, as well as the one that offers the greatest revelation and understanding of the truth of the New Testament.
Even of the 66 biblical texts, the letter to the Romans is the one that contains the greatest doctrinal depth, the one that most accurately leads to the truth of God. Because, to put it in some way, the believer who can understand the letter to the Romans, will be able to fully understand the meaning of the Christian faith.
The truths and mysteries revealed therein are fundamental to a victorious Christian experience. Because it is necessary for the believer to know, understand and live in depth the truth of the Christian faith. A Christian cannot remain in the superficiality of faith, in the sole knowledge that God loves me, Christ died for me, we must have faith, we must love God.
The Depth of the Letter and The Shallowness
All these things are pure basic truths, but the Christian must go beyond delving deeply into the word. Because it is important that the truth of the word, the accuracy of God's revelation, of the eternal gospel, be a reality in everyone who believes in the name of Christ. And of the books of the new testament, the letter to the Romans is precisely of extraordinary depth. Because the most important doctrines of the Bible are established in its text. Martin Luther, spoke of the letter to the Romans, when he renewed his spiritual faith:
“The letter to the Romans is the main book of the New Testament and the purest gospel. We will never be able to read it and study it too much. The more it is handled, the more precious it becomes and the greater the delight it produces."
The Author and the Date of Writing of the Book to the Romans
The author of the letter to the Romans is the apostle Paul, a Roman Jew named Saul of Tarsus. Name Paul had before embracing the gospel of Jesus. Paul or Saul of Tarsus, of the 66 texts that the entire Bible contains, wrote 13. Although someone says that there were 14 in total, because by the literary style of the letter to the Hebrews, it seems that Paul was its true author.
To understand Paul's extraordinary revelation of the gospel of the kingdom. It is important to see that of the 66 books of the Bible, 27 represent the New Testament, the Gospel of Jesus. Of the 27 New Testament texts, 21 are apostolic letters and of these thirteen are Pauline letters. That is to say that thirteen apostolic letters are signed by the apostle Paul.
In addition, two of Paul's letters, together with that of the Hebrews, are the ones with the greatest revelation and Christian doctrinal teaching of the entire Bible, those letters are that of the Romans and that of the Galatians. The letter to the Romans was written when Paul was in the Corinthian region. Approximately in the year 57 after Christ.
The Subscriptions in the Manuscripts
Paul signs all his letters at the beginning of the text, including his name in the introductory greeting to the churches to which his letters are addressed. However, there are some manuscripts of the letter to the Romans, which present a subscription or inscription or annotation at the end of the text, such as:
- To the Romans in Greek προς Ρωμαιους is found in several of the manuscripts
- Also, to the Romans, written from Corinth, in Greek προς Ρωμαιους εγραφη απο Κορινθου
- To the Romans, written from Corinth by Phoebe the deaconess, in Greek προς Ρωμαιους εγραφη απο Κορινθου δια Φοιβης της διακονου
- The Epistle to the Romans, written by third and sent by FEBE, from the Corinthians of the Church in Cencrea, in Greek εγραφη η προς ρωμαιους επιστολη Δια τερτιου επεμφτη Δε κορ νοβηςςι ορρννωρηςιιιο κκησρηΣ τηοοοκησρηΣ τηοοοκληρρςΣ This subscription specifically is only found in manuscript number 337
- To the Romans, written from Corinto by FEBE, the diaconisa of the Church in Cencrea, in Greek προς ρωμαιους εγραφη απο κορινθου της φοιβης της Διακονου της εν κκγρραιΣ εκκκχρραιΣ This subscription can be found in several of the epistle's manuscripts.
The Life of Paul in Relation to the Letter to the Romans
The apostle Paul embraced faith in Christ in the 35th year after the ascension of Jesus to the side of God his Father. His conversion from Judaism to Christianity was due to the fact that in that year when he was on his way to Damascus, today the capital of Syria, he had a personal encounter with Christ, Acts 9: 3 (KJV)
3 But as he was going along the way, it came to pass that as he came near Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven surrounded him;
At that moment on that road to Damascus, the apostle Paul left his Jewish religious conviction to embrace Christianity. At that time, this event, the transformation that Paul experienced in his spirit was overwhelming. The people could not understand, it was difficult for them to understand how a man who had been a persecutor of Christians could become persecuted by those who shared his old religious convictions.
That is why when he begins the letter to the Romans, he writes Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. The term servant Paul uses in this sentence refers to the Greek word Doulos, which means slave. Doulos of Jesus Christ, that is slave of Jesus Christ. Affirming with this that he, Paul, did not claim or have any kind of leadership or government aspiration in the church, beyond that given by Christ.
To understand this, slavery still existed at that time, so the word servant had various connotations or levels of stratification. Well, there were slaves, butlers or those who were at the service of something or someone. That is why Paul writes Doulos of Jesus Christ, to refer to the lowest condition of what it meant to be a servant, a slave.
Paul did not know the Church in Rome
The letter to the Romans is the only one of Paul's thirteen letters that is addressed to a church that the apostle did not know. In the decade before the letter written to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul was evangelizing the regions around the Aegean Sea, establishing churches in provinces of the Roman empire such as Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia. However, Paul wanted to complete his evangelistic work by traveling to Spain to preach the gospel to those to whom Christ had never been announced and those who had never heard of him, Romans 15: 20-21. And during that trip to Spain he wanted to take advantage of passing through the city of Rome that was on the way and thus meet the church there.
That is why the letter to the Romans is like a previous preparation of Paul to the faithful of Rome before his visit. And besides explaining the reasons for his visit, Paul's concern for the church of Rome constitutes a large part of the text of the letter.
Romans Text Style
This biblical text is defined as a letter, because the fact of having a recipient and a signatory. More however, literary critics often argue against this definition. Because a letter itself is not a proper literary style. A letter instead is a means of communication between people who are separated or distanced from each other. Also maintaining a confidential, intimate or personal nature. That is to say, it is directed only to the recipients and not to a general public.
While an epistle does correspond to a type or form of literary text, also keeping its form in common with the letter. In addition, the epistle is opposed to a letter insofar as it is intended for dissemination, this indicates that it is something public. Literary critics of the letter to the Romans say:
- Joseph A. Fitzmyer argues that the style of the text is an essay-letter
- Reformation writer Philip Melanchthon argues that Romans is a summary of all Christian doctrine
- Other scholars suggest, such as Melanchthon, that Romans is a type of theological treatise, Paul sometimes using, according to literary critics, a style of writing common to his day called a diatribe.
Main Characteristics of the Letter to the Romans
The Book of Romans is one of the most powerful texts of New Testament doctrine that the Bible contains. Some of its main features are:
- It contains the greatest exposition and teaching of Christian doctrine in the Bible.
- It was the longest letter of all those written by the apostle Paul
- It is the only one of the Pauline letters that does not deal with local problems. Maybe because he didn't know that church
A very important characteristic for the Christian: whoever studies this letter in depth, whoever manages to fully understand it, without a doubt, his spiritual life is renewed. This is manifest in the history of the Christian church, since it is the result, the testimony of this truth. Thanks to this letter of the apostle Paul in the believer there is a spiritual revival. A clear example was Martin Luther.
The Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther came to experience the last of the characteristics mentioned above and because of this, the reform of the Christian church in the year 1525 took place through him. Luther being a Catholic monk with his lived experience of faith, through the letter to the Romans, obviously did not intend to make a dissent or division in the Catholic Church. At that time the church was experiencing a global crisis, wrapped in others in obscurantism. It was then when the monk Luther reading the letter of the apostle Paul to the Romans, he began to realize that what he was teaching the church was contrary to what the word of God said.
Luther experienced that what the Bible said was one thing and what the church was doing or teaching was another thing. The Catholic Church teaches that if you are good you go to heaven and if you do bad you go to hell. Interpreting in this way what is written in Romans 2:5-11, about the need to live a virtuous life. And if this is so, then what was the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross worth, also denying the justification we receive through Christ.
Romans 8 in the Catholic Bible refers to receiving the Spirit, not, as the Bible states after the Protestant Reformation, living in the Spirit. This was because the Spirit was God's solution to the problem of humanity's sinful nature. Only by living in the Spirit of God can we confront the desires of the flesh, which act as a law within us.
After the Reformation
The Protestant reformation carried out by the Catholic Monk Martin Luther generated throughout the world, that believers turn their gaze back to the Bible. Let us remember that the darkest time in the church was when people began to turn their backs on the scriptures, on the word of God. The adversary the devil has always sought to turn people away from the scriptures. Because the word of God has an extraordinary power:
- Reformer
- Transformer
- Renovator
- Regenerator
When someone approaches the scriptures, when that person comes to the word, his mind is renewed, his heart is transformed. Why? Because the word is the living power of God manifested in our lives through the Holy Spirit.
In this way, if you want to renew or experience a revival of your spirit. You have to go to the word, because without the word, there is no revival, there is no renewal, there is no transformation. Even more, without the word there can be no conviction and if there is no conviction, its place will be taken by a simple emotion.
Then we run the risk of being fluctuating believers who are in Christ today and who knows tomorrow. The stability of the believer is then given by the conviction that he has of the word of God. If we remain in our conviction we can persevere in our trust in God. This is because the word of God has come alive in us.
A good Bible text to bring conviction to a Christian believer is the letter to the Romans. But not only reading it is necessary to study it, search and learn what the Lord teaches us through this letter.
Purposes of the Epistle to the Romans
The main purpose of the letter to the Romans was Paul's desire to establish the faith of the believers in the church in Rome. Paul wanted to edify believers and for this he had to teach them Christian doctrine. Another purpose of the letter to the Romans was to encourage Jews who had converted to Christianity and were being persecuted at the time.
So Paul's two main reasons for writing the letter to the Romans were: first to teach doctrine and second to edify or ground the believers in Rome. These reasons were mainly due to how the Churches of Rome were formed.
The Churches of Rome
The churches of Rome at that time were made up of converted Gentiles and Jews. Understand by gentile all that believer who is not Jewish. In other words, in the churches of Rome there were many Jews who had converted to Christ and there were many other faithful who, without having been Jews, had also converted to Christ.
In such a way that Paul considered that the faithful in Rome, was a church that needed to have doctrinal teaching. It was necessary to edify both the Gentile believers and the Jewish believers. Also from his own experience he wanted to encourage converts who were being persecuted. Who were the most persecuted for the gospel at that time? They were the Jews who had converted to Christ. Because the Jewish religion was and still is, a religion with too much zeal for its traditions.
This is because Judaism from the perspective of the old testament of the Bible, has at its origin a sense of zealous care. So much so that God says in the Bible do not turn to the gods of the pagans, Deuteronomy 13:1-4. Why? Because the pagan gods caused many Jews to become perverted. That is why the concept of preservation of the faith of Judaism, made many Jews become cautious and careful towards all kinds of doctrine.
Converted Jews
With the arrival and rise of Christianity, the Jews became staunch persecutors of this doctrine. Even the apostle Paul was one of the great persecutors of Christians, because he was convinced that he was doing what was right for God. He believed that the correct thing was to persecute everything that wanted to break the Jewish faith. Let us remember what Paul writes in Philippians 3:5 (DHH)
I was circumcised eight days after I was born, I am of the Israelite race, I belong to the tribe of Benjamin, I am a Hebrew and the son of Hebrews. Regarding the interpretation of Jewish law, I was of the Pharisee party
Paul speaks to the Philippians in this way, making reference to the Jewish traditions, which he kept, in terms of zeal, I am a persecutor of the church, he told them. Paul's Judaic zeal before converting to Christianity caused him to persecute and kill Christians. The Bible says that Saul of Tarsus was one of those who led to the martyrdom of Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity.
Paul attached great value to this, because despite this, his Christian conviction did not allow him to pervert what was of Judaism in him. Paul wanted to use these experiences to encourage and teach. Because it was necessary to edify the Jews converted to Christ persecuted by relatives, friends and by the entire Jewish community.
These believers needed to be built up, because of what the word says in Matthew 13 about the four types of planting ground. If the sowing is done in a land where the seed cannot take enough root, when persecution comes, Jesus said, the fruits are momentary and do not last over time. Even in these times there are people who follow the gospel today, and not tomorrow, this is because they do not have the foundation.
Gentile Converts Influenced by Judaizers
It is believed that shortly before the letter to the Romans, Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians, approximately in the year 55 after Christ. The apostle writes to the Galatians with the purpose of defending the gospel from certain Judaizers who sought to influence the Gentile believers in Christ. These Judaizing people had risen up not so much to persecute Messianic Jews. But so that in the Christians who were not Jews, that is, the Gentiles, their faith might be weakened. The Judaizers approached the non-Jewish Christians and rebuked them saying:
- You are not a Jew, you are only a gentile, therefore you do not carry the purity of the faith. But if you found Christ, you acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and Savior of your life, that's fine. However, it is necessary that in addition to having believed Christ and having given him your life; you must practice the ordinances of Judaism. Because if not your Christianity is not strong, nor solid. For this you have to be circumcised, because the law says so- They told the Gentile men.
In the same way, they were told that they had to keep the Sabbath as a day of rest, that they had to keep and fulfill the Mosaic Law.
This thing about the Judaizers was also happening in the church of Rome. Causing many Christians to turn back. Having begun in faith by grace, as Paul says to the Galatians, referring to the Gentiles. How is it possible that these Gentiles now want to Judaize and go back, Paul told them.
Rome as Epicenter of the Gospel
Paul also saw the need to evangelize and teach doctrine in Rome, because of his desire that the name of Christ be known where it had not yet been known. And he saw the church of Rome as a strategic point for teaching and spreading the gospel.
Then concluding the two main purposes were that the Jews who converted to Christ would not turn back because of the persecution and that the Christians would not be Judaized The Christian does not have to keep the day of rest, neither Saturday nor Sunday because our rest is the Lord Jesus Christ. The bible says that he who has Christ has already rested, now rest if we must.
Content of the Book of Romans
The text of Romans of the new testament of the Bible is defined as we have seen before as a letter or epistle. Mainly because it has a recipient and a signatory. His signatory, Paul, wrote this epistle for the church of Christ in Rome, a specific recipient.
More, however, in the context, Paul does not limit his ministry to evangelize. Because the final goal of the apostle is that the gospel expands, as he says in Romans 1: 5 (RVR 1960)
5 and through whom we receive grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith in all nations for his name's sake;
The letter to the Romans manifests a very particular characteristic of all the Pauline letters. And it is because of the content of the writing it can be divided into two parts. The first eight chapters is the theological argument and from chapter 9 to 16 the text contains the practical argument. Paul wrote all his letters like this: The first doctrinal chapters, pure doctrine and the last chapters the application of the doctrine.
The main theme
Although each Roman chapter has its argument, which we will see later. However, the main theme of the letter to the Romans is the Justice of God. In fact, the most relevant, key or important verse of this epistle is Romans 1:17 (RVR 1960):
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed by faith and for faith, as it is written, But the just shall live by faith.
What is Justice?
Throughout the Bible Justice has two main basic connotations. To understand this let us see the following example: If in a group of people the question is asked: What is Justice? Each person will be able to answer a word that associates them with the term "justice", these words could be:
- Equity
- Truth
- BALANCE
- Act
- Judgment
- Truth
- Doctrine
Among many others, as you can see, everyone has their own criteria or concept of justice. The human connotation of justice is fairness, it is to give everyone what they deserve and correspond to. Even the dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy literally defines the term justice as:
1. General Principle constitutionally enshrined as a superior value of the legal system in which the principles of reasonableness, equality, equity, proportionality, respect for legality and prohibition of arbitrariness converge, since, depending on the case, it is identified with one of these other principles
But when the Bible talks about the justice of God, it does not refer to that concept. Understanding in this way that God is going to pay the man who did the good, with the good and the one who did the bad, with the bad, proportional to what each one deserves. Well, this meaning does not correspond in any sense with the Justice of God, let's see:
God's Justice
When the Bible speaks of the term justice with the connotation of the justice of God. He is referring specifically to the process in which God RIGHTEOUSLY established. A process that leads to declaring the guilty as innocent and the innocent as guilty. This process is understood or defined as justification. That is to say that the result of God's justice is justification and the platform of God's justice is grace.
So what is Justice of God? it is justification, it is pronouncing the guilty through the grace of God. While in the world there is a judge, who is the authority in charge of administering justice and the justice of the world says that whoever does evil is punished. That is, the same person who committed the fault will pay a punishment proportional to the fault, this is the concept of earthly justice.
But the concept of justice from the divine vision is to declare the guilty innocent. But not because of a reckless act or abuse of authority. But because God himself established the procedure, not only so that the guilty would go free, but so that the innocent would remain in the place of the guilty because he himself offered himself. That is, the process of justification established by God, let's see Romans 6:23 (RVR 1960)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
More, however, for justification to exist, guilt must also exist.
The guilt
Paul in the letter to the Romans, in addition to making us see and demonstrate with the theological argumentation of the Bible, that man is justified only by faith. He also demonstrates that all of human nature is so corrupted, so full of guilt or sin, and so dead or cut off from divine thought, that it is impossible for man alone to keep the law in the sight of God.
It is then necessary for this that God carry out his divine process of justification by grace. Anyone who denies what Paul postulates in the letter to the Romans, not only denies his arguments, but also denies the entire scripture. In addition to the verse that we mentioned before as the key or relevant which is Romans 1:17. There are also others of great importance that make us see the guilt of man
recognize her
In the following passage from the Bible in the letter of Romans, Paul leads us to acknowledge our own guilt. Romans 3:9-11, (KJV 1960):
9 What then? Are we better than them? In no way; for we have already accused Jews and Gentiles, that all are under sin. 10 As it is written: There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks God
If we realize around us, the world wants us to see that people are not as guilty as they seem. That is to say, the world excuses people, ah so-and-so told such a lie, ah that one disobeyed, ah but it doesn't matter that's not so bad. But let us remember that sin entered the world through a lie and the disobedience of man.
The Bible, however, is written in such a way that man can recognize his natural sinful condition. Even more, if the man is not able to recognize his sinful nature. He can easily come to think that he doesn't need God at all. To which he will say, my way of living is enough, if I behave well, if I do what is good, then I don't need God.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul shows us that there is no one righteous, not even one. This is a truth we must understand clearly. Furthermore, if we do not acknowledge our guilt, what need is there for a Savior? And if we are all guilty, why judge one another? Romans 14:13 (KJV)
13 So, let us no longer judge one another, but rather decide not to put a stumbling block or an opportunity for our brother to fall.
God's Answer
In the face of so much guilt, in the face of so much corruption and in the face of such a great sinful condition of man. God's infinite mercy gives us a way out, which Paul expresses in several verses, let's see some of them below:
Romans 3:21 (KJV 1960)
21 But now, apart from the law, the justice of God has been manifested, testified by the law and by the prophets;
Romans 8:9 (KJV 1960)
9 But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, it is not his.
Romans 8:11 (KJV 1960)
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8 28 39 Reflection
Paul in these verses contained in his letter does not demonstrate that we in Christ are more than conquerors. That if Christ is resurrected we also rise with him. That God has a purpose for each of us since before the foundation of the world. Romans 8:28 (KJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
That when Jesus resurrected he left us his spirit not only so that we could receive it, but so that we could live in it. Therefore, nothing, nothing at all can separate us from the love of God. Because Jesus reconciled us with our heavenly father, Romans 8:37-39 (KJV 1960)
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For which I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor what is present, nor what is to come, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
Contents of the Chapters of the Book of Romans – Summary
Romans Biblical Study is considered, according to Christian scholars, as one of the three most profound and important New Testament letters of the Christian faith. The other two are the letter to the Galatians and the letter to the Hebrews. It was also mentioned that this letter, like all of Paul's, is divided into two parts, the first 8 doctrinal chapters and the last ones (9 to 16) the application of the doctrine. But in addition, this epistle of Paul has a triple value, namely:
- theological value: Because it deeply emphasizes the redemptive work of Christ
- a spiritual value: This card reveals the secret to having a victorious Christian life
- practical value: This card shows the clear revelation of Christianity. A Christianity that is real, evident and palpable. According to this let's see a brief summary by chapters or groups of chapters
Romans Chapter 1, 2 and 3
The first two chapters of Romans make reference that God is no respecter of persons. Because God judges both those who say they are religious and those who are pagan. Those who call themselves religious, say it from the mouth out and say that if the heart has not been changed there can be no true transformation or regeneration. For his part in chapter 3, Paul tells us about sin. And how God solved the problem of the sinful nature of man, giving us Christ. Also justifying us by faith and not by works.
Romans Chapter 4
This chapter brings to mind Old Testament figures like Abraham and David, who were examples of justification by faith (see Genesis 15:6). This suggests that never in human history has God declared a person righteous based on their good works. This is a crucial point to consider: if good works allow a person to be declared righteous and receive salvation, then what was the point of Christ's death? If this is the case, then Christ's love was wasted.
If it were that simple, God would have told us, be good and do your best, everyone follow their own religion. At the end of their lives I will see the good ones up in heaven. But the Bible tells us in Hebrew 9:22 (KJV 1960)
22 And almost everything is purified, according to the law, with blood; and without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
For it is God who established the way in which we reconcile ourselves with him and walk towards eternal life.
Romans Chapter 5 and 6
This chapter beautifully expresses what justification by faith is, being the principal doctrine and foundation of Christianity. Justification by faith was the doctrine that gave rise to Martin Luther's Reformation in 1525. This Catholic monk, upon reading parts of the Bible , discovered in Paul's letter to the Romans that the righteous will live by faith (Romans 1:17).
When Martin Luther how wrong the church was regarding salvation. He began to preach the truth, and he stood up to all the cardinals. To those he said at the time of being called to trial: if you show me with the Bible that I am not telling the truth of God, I accept the punishment they want to impose on me.
So the reform that arose from the scriptures was: Sola Fide, by faith alone and by the scriptures alone. From the reform of the year 1525 to the present, the gospel of the Grace of God is preached and proclaimed. A gospel that tells us that God saves us by grace, not by what we have done or failed to do. Only after we obtain salvation by grace, do good works arise as a consequence, because they are the fruit of salvation.
Romans Chapter 6
The sixth chapter of the letter to the Romans emphasizes the entire doctrine of sin. And that from the moment we receive as believers in Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit we are regenerated. In this way God sees us dead to sin and justified before him by his grace. Romans 6:1-11
2 In no way. For those of us who have died to sin, how can we still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death?
Romans 7 Explanation
Chapter 7 has a degree of importance beyond being the prelude to the revealing theme corresponding to chapter 8 as Life in the Spirit. In chapter 7 Paul teaches about the struggle within us with our old nature, when we lived in trespasses and sins. From verse 17 of the chapter, Paul begins to establish a precept that we must always remember. Romans 7:17 Romans 7:17 (KJV 1960)
17 So it is no longer I who do this, but the sin that dwells in me.
We Christians must not forget what Paul teaches us in this verse. Which tells us that even though Christ died on the Cross as payment for our sins. We will continue to have the stings, temptations, and low desires within us that we felt in our old Adamic nature. Because the flesh is precisely related to that old nature. Understand then that when the Bible speaks of the flesh, it is referring to that part of man that was not transformed or regenerated. The flesh is still corrupted and dead because of sin, understand other death as separated from God.
That is why Paul tells us that sin dwells in us, but in the flesh. That sin of the flesh exerts a force that opposes reason and our mind. It is the evil that we bring from birth and is still there latent. And if we recognize that we carry that evil force continuously in the flesh. We will be able to see or it is revealed to us how God acts in our favor helping us to be able to live in the Spirit (Romans Chapter 8).
Romans 7: 18
The sciences that study human beings, such as psychology, psychiatry, and physiology, among others, tell us that, in general, humans are good as long as they do not do evil. In other words, humans are good by nature. This theory is completely contrary to what the Word of God tells us, as we can read in the book of Isaiah 64:6 (KJV).
6 Though all of us are as filth, and all our righteousnesses as filthy rags; and we all fell like a leaf, and our iniquities carried us away like the wind
And in Romans 7:18 (KJV 1960) we read
18 And I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, good does not dwell; because wanting the good is in me, but not doing it
So for God we are all dirt, none of us has the face of a Saint and all our justices are like filthy rags. This is the truth seen from the perspective of one who really knows human nature, God, its creator. Acknowledging that indeed this evil force exists within us, Paul says in verse 21 of Romans 7:
21 So, wanting to do good, I find this law: that evil is in me.
Paul there associates that evil that exists within us with a law. Showing that this force of evil is continuous, that it does not stop. That is, it works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This law operates continuously within us or in the same way evil is within us at all times. This precept taught by Paul shows that it is a great falsehood to say that reason governs the human being. Paul demonstrates that man is governed by his passions.
Romans 7: 23
That evil force (the flesh) within us is greater than our own reason and willpower. Paul in this verse says:
23 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 that is in my members.
That law that Paul expresses, takes us captive, imprisons us, makes us slaves of our passions, makes us prisoners of sin. Romans 7:24
24 Wretched me! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
This is the cry that must express the man who seeks the truth, to be able to thank God wholeheartedly through Jesus Christ, Romans 7:25
25 Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So, I myself serve the law of God with the mind, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Chapter 8
This chapter of Romans is the most revealing of the letter, in it we are told the whole doctrine of what the Holy Spirit does in the Christian life. In chapter 8, you will find the answer to what God did in order to help us no longer be slaves to sin and to that law that is stronger than reason.
Christ said when I leave I am going to send you the Holy Spirit to give you power from God and you will receive power. Without this power we cannot be born again, you will receive power within you, said Jesus. In this way, when the Holy Spirit enters our lives, the dunamis brings the power of God. And from there it is up to us to feed that power with the word of God, so that it is founded and takes solid root.
Romans Chapters 9 10 and 11
It tells us that God has not abandoned Israel, but allowed the church to have access to the blessings of Abraham. Christ is still dealing with the nation of Israel and when he returns says Romans 11:25-26 all those people who accept Jesus as Yeshuáh HaMashiach – Jesus the Messiah will receive God's blessing.
Romans Chapters 12 to 16
Chapter 12 talks about the mind having to be renewed and that we can no longer live in the flesh. Later the 13 speaks of the authority that God has established in the church in the family and in the government. Chapter 14 of the Bible teaches us that we have to be governed by our doctrinal convictions. Romans 15 and 16 tells us about the practical things of the Christian life.