THE INWARD BATTLE OF ROMANS SEVEN I KNOW ABOUT MYSELF Ignorance is lethal for the child of God. As soon as understanding eludes us, sin deceives us. What Paul here confesses must be the aim for every believer. Otherwise, Satan will gain the advantage over them through his craftiness and shrewd devices. IN MY FLESH It is one thing to have a sort of knowledge about the flesh itself. It is quite another to understand about your own flesh--to have insight into the nature of your natural man. NOTHING GOOD DWELLS I am interested to hear what a man like that will say of himself. He is not hesitant to speak on the matter. "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh" (NASB). He does not say some good is found in the flesh, but that NO good is found there. Not only is nothing good found in the flesh generally, nothing good is found in HIS flesh. This is what he comprehends about himself. He can see the truth of it. Jesus Speaks Jesus spoke to this point when He said, "the flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63). By this, Jesus did NOT mean the flesh was profitable in some, but not all, areas. He does NOT mean there are a few circumstances in which "the flesh" can yield benefit. Men may say this, but Jesus Christ does not. NO GOOD THING This is not a lifeless theological statement. It is the confession of something that has been seen or perceived. In "my flesh dwells no good thing." There is nothing there that will be honored in heaven, nothing that can be salvaged. Everything about "the flesh" must eventually be separated from me!
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells . . . " (Rom 7:18a).
The dichotomy of our experience is frustrating, but we are not totally ignorant concerning the situation. When the later versions of Scripture read "I do not understand what I do" (v 15), it can be a bit misleading. This is an expression of frustration, not one of ignorance. Paul knew these unwanted intrusions were not issuing from His real self. He will now affirm he also knew that nothing good was resident in the natural self. This is now the third conclusion drawn concerning the involuntary outbreaks of the flesh within.
Here, the word "know" is unusually strong. Unlike many other uses of the word "know," this does not come from the Greek word "gnosko," which means experiential knowledge. Here, a Greek word is used that refers to a different kind of knowledge. This particular word is used eighteen times in Romans (1:11; 2:2; 3:19; 5:3; 6:9,16; 7:7, 14,18; 8:22,26,27,28; 11:2,22; 13:11; 14:14; 15:29). It means perceive, discern, understand, or be skilled in a given area. This is knowledge that comes through faith, not experience. Some examples of its use will serve to illustrate the point.
1. "But we KNOW that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things" (2:2).
2. "Now we KNOW that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (3:19).
3. "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, KNOWING that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope" (5:3-4).
4. "KNOWING that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him" (6:9).
5. "Do you not KNOW that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (6:19).
6. "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not KNOWN sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet" (7:7).
This does not refer to mere academic knowledge. Paul is not reciting the tenets of a discipline of life. This is something he understood. He had a grasp of the situation, and was able to reason upon it.
Doctrinally, the Spirit has already delineated the flesh in general. "There is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE : There is NONE that understandeth, there is NONE that seeketh after God. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is NONE that doeth good, no, NOT ONE." (3:10-19). That should be an end of all controversy. Yet, it is not enough to merely memorize those facts and spout them heartlessly. The sense of them must be grasped for them to have power in the individual.
Concerning the flesh, Paul had some of the most respectable flesh that has ever been on earth. Hear him speak about it. "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless" (Phil 3:4-6).
Mind you, this is distinction among a distinct people--a people chosen, led, and defended by God Almighty! These people had received more than any other people. They were the only people given a holy Law and a covenant with God. Paul excelled among those people. All of the prophets and all of the promises were directed to them. And Paul excelled among THEM!
There are professed Christian teachers who say they do not understand how Paul could say such a thing. By saying this, they only betray their own ignorance. Paul KNEW, but they do not. You can rest assured if they do not understand NO good was in Paul's flesh, they surely are not aware that no good is found in theirs.
What did Paul mean by this statement, and what compelled him to affirm it? He is speaking of his natural self, which he calls "my flesh." The word "flesh" is used in distinction to "spirit," and stands for everything that is indissolubly united with the body.
Whatever I will be freed from in death and the resurrection is "my flesh." Whatever part of me cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, is "my flesh." If it must be controlled and brought under subjection, it is "my flesh." If it comes from Adam, it is "my flesh." Everything about me that required my new birth is "my flesh."
This is "the natural man" that cannot receive "the things of the Spirit of God," and to whom they are "foolishness" (1 Cor 2:16). Flesh is absolutely consistent in all of its ways.
Paul calls it "MY flesh" because it is resident in him, not because he is charged with its defense and protection. He preferred not to have it, but there it was with him, ever being a source of aggravation and inner
contention.
Stated another way, Jesus said "without me, you can do nothing" and "the flesh" is "without" Christ in every sense of the word (John 6:63). It is "weak," incapable of contributing to or sustaining the "new man" (Matt 26:41). It cannot generate a child of God (John 1:13). It even made the law of God "weak" (Rom 8:3). This is the only part of you in which Satan can gain a foothold, for he cannot touch what has been born of God (1 John 5:18).
Knowing this, Paul could consider everything bringing gain to that part of him to be "dung" worthless and to be discarded (Phil 3:8). He did not look to the flesh for spiritual support. Those who remained in that realm could not edify him or bring heavenly benefits to him.
By nature, nothing good was found in Paul's flesh, nor is anything goods in ours. Any good must be received, for "EVERY good gift and EVERY perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17). If nothing good is found in us by nature, then it follows that men are "evil" by nature, for evil is the total absence of good. This is why Jesus said to His disciples, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" (Matt 7:11). By this, Jesus did not mean His disciples were the dregs of humanity, wallowing in perversion and moral corruption. Rather, He meant they were not good in the eyes of God, and thus required regeneration, or the new birth.
This is the same as "concluding all under sin" (Gal 3:22). Sin has leveled the playing field of humanity. The part of us that made us sinners in the first place, remains with us. Although it is not the dominant part of us, it is a part with which we must contend. What Paul now says of himself is to be applied to everyone.
This circumstance was perfectly clear to Paul, even though he did not know the depths of it. He did realize the reason for and nature of the warfare. That is precisely why he was able to stand in the heat of the conflict, keeping the faith and fighting the fight. Because he knew the situation was not unique to him, he elaborates upon it. He will show he knew this by spiritual reasoning as well as by revelation. The argument is unusually powerful, bringing liberty to the soul that perceives it.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name, grant me a keen and lasting persuasion of the poverty of my human nature.