In Romans 6:19 Paul had explained to his readers why he addressed them in such a personal way: This is because of their natural limitations
(the weakness of your flesh
). He elaborates more on this point in Romans 7:7–25. The message of Romans 6:1–7:6 therefore continues to resound in this next section of the letter: thanks to the Risen One, and lawfully so, we are no longer subjected to the law and no longer under sin. Yet in Romans 7:7–25 the emphasis shifts to the actual circumstances of a person who is not yet withdrawn from the current life of death and sin. Those who have been buried with Christ and look forward to eternal life with him, are still presently confronted with the battles of the times.
In this sense the law does remain relevant—not because Christians are still being subjected to it by still having to become Jewish, but rather insofar as the general law of God, embodied in the law of Moses, also speaks to Gentile Christians.
A large number of modern exegetes are of the opinion that Romans 7:7–25 does not pertain to the internal struggle of a Christian, but rather to the redemptive-historical transition from the (former) life under the law to the (current) life under grace. According to them, Paul here provides a description of the deplorable condition of man apart from Christ (whether specifically Jews under the law, or people in general). In a certain sense the chapter would then be completely overlooking the current circumstances of the readers and only describing that which lies in their past. However, Paul is here indeed also speaking about an actual inner conflict in the life of the believing Christian. Shortly prior, in Romans 6:19, Paul already introduced us to the natural limitations
of Christians, that is, the weakness of their flesh.
Therefore, Romans 7:7–25 cannot simply disregard the current life of Christian readers—as will also later be apparent from the beginning of Romans 8:1–39.
In Romans 7:13–25 Paul writes more extensively concerning human depravity. Human beings are inclined to sin and as such tend to resist the law. Paul here writes in a very personal way as if he were describing his own life history. And he is partially doing exactly that in Romans 7:15–24. On the one hand, he wants to serve God in accordance with the law, but on the other hand, he is in conflict with the deviant behaviour characteristic of his own nature. That leads to an impasse, which demands a greater deliverance than either humanity or the law can provide. Only the Messiah, through his Spirit, can supply that which humans lack. At the same time that which Paul writes concerning himself is also a model of people’s lives in general. It is not really possible to view Romans 7:1–25 as a description of Paul’s past prior to becoming a Christian in the light of his new life as a Christian. This can already be deduced from the fact that in Romans 8:2, Paul writes the same things about Gentile Christians.
Paul concludes this chapter with a shout for joy: Thanks be to God
(Romans 7:25). This beneficial breakthrough comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
How does this redemption happen? Paul will describe this (anew) in Romans 8:1–39. In Romans 7:25 it is only mentioned that this redemption happens thanks to a new Lord, the risen Jesus Christ.1
7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”