Rom 7:15-19 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 15. For that which I do . That is, the evil which I do, the sin of which I am conscious, and which troubles me. I allow not . I do not approve; I do not wish it; the prevailing bent of my inclinations and purposes is against it. Greek, "I know not." See the margin. The word know , however, is sometimes used in the sense of approving. , "Which have not known [approved] the depths of Satan." Comp. , "I will not know a wicked person." . For what I would . That which I approve, and which is my prevailing and established desire. What I would wish always to do. But what I hate . What I disapprove of; what is contrary to my judgment; my prevailing inclination; my established principles of conduct. That do I . Under the influence of sinful propensities, and carnal inclinations and desires. This represents the strong native propensity to sin; and even the power of corrupt propensity under the restraining influence of the gospel. On this remarkable and important passage we may observe, (1.) that the prevailing propensity--the habitual fixed inclination of the mind of the Christian--is to do right. The evil course is hated; the right course is loved. This is the characteristic of a pious mind. It distinguishes a holy man from a sinner. (2.) The evil which is done is disapproved; is a source of grief; and the habitual desire of the mind is to avoid it, and be pure. This also distinguishes the Christian from the sinner. (3.) There is no need of being embarrassed here with any metaphysical difficulties or inquiries how this can be; for (a) it is in fact the experience of all Christians. The habitual, fixed inclination and desire of their minds is to serve God. They have a fixed abhorrence of sin; and yet they are conscious of imperfection, and error, and sin, that is the source of uneasiness and trouble. The strength of natural passion may in an unguarded moment overcome them. The power of long habits of previous thoughts may annoy them. A man who was an infidel before his conversion, and whose mind was filled with scepticism, and cavils, and blasphemy, will find the effect of his former habits of thinking lingering in his mind, and annoying his peace for years. These thoughts will start up with the rapidity of the lightning. Thus it is with every vice and every opinion. It is one of the effects of habit . "The very passage of an impure thought through the mind leaves pollution behind it;" and where sin has been long indulged, it leaves its withering, desolating effect on the soul long after conversion, and produces that state of conflict with which every Christian is familiar. (b) An effect somewhat similar is felt by all men. All are conscious of doing that, under the excitement of passion and prejudice, which their conscience and better judgment disapprove. A conflict thus exists, which is attended with as much metaphysical difficulty as the struggle in the Christian's mind referred to here. (c) The same thing was observed and described in the writings of the heathen. Thus Xenophon, (Cyrop. vi. 1,) Araspes, the Persian, says in order to excuse his treasonable designs, "Certainly I must have two souls; for plainly it is not one and the same which is both evil and good; and at the same time wishes to do a thing and not to do it. Plainly, then, there are two souls; and when the good one prevails, then it does good; and when the evil one predominates, then it does evil." So also Epictetus (Enchirid. ii. 26) says, "He that sins does not do what he would; but what he would not, that he does." With this passage it would almost seem that Paul was familiar, and had his eye on it when he wrote. So also the well known passage from Ovid, Meta. vii. 9: Aliudque Cupido, Mens aliud suadet. Video meliora, proboque, Deteriora sequor. "Desire prompts to one thing, but the mind persuades to another. I see the good, and approve it, and yet pursue the wrong."--See other passages of similar import quoted in Grotius and Tholuck. (1) "allow not" "know not"

Romans 7:15-19

Verse 15. For that which I do. That is, the evil which I do, the sin of which I am conscious, and which troubles me.

I allow not. I do not approve; I do not wish it; the prevailing bent of my inclinations and purposes is against it. Greek, "I know not." See the margin. The word know, however, is sometimes used in the sense of approving. Rev 2:24, "Which have not known [approved] the depths of Satan." Comp. Ps 101:4, "I will not know a wicked person." Jer 1:5.

For what I would. That which I approve, and which is my prevailing and established desire. What I would wish always to do.

But what I hate. What I disapprove of; what is contrary to my judgment; my prevailing inclination; my established principles of conduct.

That do I. Under the influence of sinful propensities, and carnal inclinations and desires. This represents the strong native propensity to sin; and even the power of corrupt propensity under the restraining influence of the gospel. On this remarkable and important passage we may observe,

(1.) that the prevailing propensity--the habitual fixed inclination of the mind of the Christian--is to do right. The evil course is hated; the right course is loved. This is the characteristic of a pious mind. It distinguishes a holy man from a sinner.

(2.) The evil which is done is disapproved; is a source of grief; and the habitual desire of the mind is to avoid it, and be pure. This also distinguishes the Christian from the sinner.

(3.) There is no need of being embarrassed here with any metaphysical difficulties or inquiries how this can be; for (a) it is in fact the experience of all Christians. The

habitual, fixed inclination and desire of their minds is

to serve God. They have a fixed abhorrence of sin; and yet

they are conscious of imperfection, and error, and sin,

that is the source of uneasiness and trouble. The strength

of natural passion may in an unguarded moment overcome them.

The power of long habits of previous thoughts may annoy them.

A man who was an infidel before his conversion, and whose

mind was filled with scepticism, and cavils, and blasphemy,

will find the effect of his former habits of thinking

lingering in his mind, and annoying his peace for years.

These thoughts will start up with the rapidity of the

lightning. Thus it is with every vice and every opinion.

It is one of the effects of habit. "The very passage of

an impure thought through the mind leaves pollution behind it;"

and where sin has been long indulged, it leaves its withering,

desolating effect on the soul long after conversion, and

produces that state of conflict with which every Christian

is familiar.

(b) An effect somewhat similar is felt by all men. All

are conscious of doing that, under the excitement of passion

and prejudice, which their conscience and better judgment

disapprove. A conflict thus exists, which is attended with

as much metaphysical difficulty as the struggle in the

Christian's mind referred to here.

writings of the heathen. Thus Xenophon, (Cyrop. vi. 1,)

Araspes, the Persian, says in order to excuse his

treasonable designs, "Certainly I must have two souls; for

plainly it is not one and the same which is both evil and

good; and at the same time wishes to do a thing and not to

do it. Plainly, then, there are two souls; and when the good

one prevails, then it does good; and when the evil one

predominates, then it does evil." So also Epictetus

(Enchirid. ii. 26) says, "He that sins does not do what

he would; but what he would not, that he does." With this

passage it would almost seem that Paul was familiar, and

had his eye on it when he wrote. So also the well known

passage from Ovid, Meta. vii. 9:

Aliudque Cupido,

Mens aliud suadet. Video meliora, proboque,

Deteriora sequor.

"Desire prompts to one thing, but the mind persuades to

another. I see the good, and approve it, and yet pursue

the wrong."--See other passages of similar import quoted in

Grotius and Tholuck.

(1) "allow not" "know not" Verse 16. I consent unto the law. The very struggle with evil shows that it is not loved, or approved, but that the law which condemns it is really loved. Christians may here find a test of their piety. The fact of struggling against evil--the desire to be free from it, and to overcome it, the anxiety and grief which it causes--is an evidence that we do not love it, and that therefore we are the friends of God. Perhaps nothing can be a more decisive test of piety than a long-continued and painful struggle against evil passions and desires in every form, and a panting of the soul to be delivered from the power and dominion of sin. Verse 17. It is no more I that do it. This is evidently figurative language, for it is really the man that sins when evil is committed. But the apostle makes a distinction between sin and that which he intends by the pronoun I. By the former he evidently means his corrupt nature; by the latter he refers to his renewed nature, his Christian principles. He means to say that he does not approve or love it in his present state, but that it is the result of his native propensities and passions. In his heart, and conscience, and habitual feeling, he did not choose to commit sin, but abhorred it. Thus every Christian can say that he does not choose to do evil, but would wish to be perfect; that he hates sin, and yet that his corrupt passions lead him astray.

But sin. My corrupt passions and native propensities.

That dwelleth in me. Dwelling in me as its home. This is a strong expression, denoting that sin had taken up its habitation in the mind, and abode there. It had not yet been wholly dislodged. This expression stands in contrast with another that occurs, where it is said that "the Spirit of God dwells" in the Christian, Rom 8:9, 1Cor 3:16. The sense is, that he is strongly influenced by sin on the one hand; and by the Spirit on the other. From this expression has arisen the phrase so common among Christians, indwelling sin. Verse 18. For I know. This is designed as an illustration of what he had just said, that sin dwelt in him.

That is, in my flesh. In my unrenewed nature; in my propensities and inclinations before conversion. Does not this qualifying expression show that in this discussion he was speaking of himself as a renewed man? Hence he is careful to imply that there was at that time in him something that was right or acceptable with God, but that that did not pertain to him by nature.

Dwelleth. His soul was wholly occupied by that which was evil. It had taken entire possession.

No good thing. There could not be possibly a stronger expression of belief of the doctrine of total depravity. It is Paul's own representation of himself. It proves that his heart was wholly evil. And if this was true of him, it is true of all others. It is a good way to examine ourselves, to inquire whether we have such a view of our own native character as to say that we know that in our flesh there dwelleth no good thing. The sense here is, that so far as the flesh was concerned--that is, in regard to his natural inclinations and desires-- there was nothing good; all was evil. This was true in his entire conduct before conversion, where the desires of the flesh reigned and rioted without control; and it was true after conversion, so far as the natural inclinations and propensities of the flesh were concerned. All those operations in every state were evil, and not the less evil because they are experienced under the light and amidst the influences of the gospel.

To will. To purpose or intend to do good.

Is present with me. I can do that. It is possible; it is in my power. The expression may also imply that it was near to him, (παρακειται), that is, it was constantly before him; it was now his habitual inclination and purpose of mind. It is the uniform, regular, habitual purpose of the Christian's mind to do right.

But how. The sense would have been better retained here if the translators had not introduced the word how. The difficulty was not in the mode of performing it, but to do the thing itself.

I find not. I do not find it in my power; or I find strong, constant obstacles, so that I fail of doing it. The obstacles are not natural, but such as arise from long indulgence in sin; the strong native propensity to evil.

(t) "no good thing" Gen 6:5 Verse 19. For the good, etc. This is substantially a repetition of what is said in Rom 7:15. The repetition shows how full the mind of the apostle was of the subject; and how much inclined he was to dwell upon it, and to place it in every variety of form. It is not uncommon for Paul thus to express his intense interest in a subject, by placing it in a great variety of aspects, even at the hazard of much repetition.

(u) "the good" Gal 5:17