The Book of Romans
Part 18: The Divided Wretched Man

Scripture: Romans 7:14-25.

1. We are Simultaneously Saints and Sinner

Romans 1:7a (ESV)
7a To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints…

Romans 7:24a
24a Wretched man that I am!

2. The More We See God’s Holiness, the More We See Our Lack

Isaiah 6:1-5 (ESV)
1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

1 Corinthians 15:9 (ESV)
9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Ephesians 3:7-8a (ESV)
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8a To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given…

1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

3. We Struggle Against the Flesh and Live in the Spirit

Colossians 3:5-7 (ESV)
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV)
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Galatians 5:16-18 (ESV)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:24-25 (ESV)
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

4. Awareness of Our Sin Should Drive Us to Rejoice in Christ

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (ESV)

9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.