In Part 1, I covered Paul’s purpose in writing Romans, who his audience was, the historical context, and the textual context of Romans 7. In this final part, I will directly answer the question, “Who is the man of Romans 7?” I will also show you why learning the lesson of the man of Romans 7 is immensely important for Christians today.
Who is the man in Romans 7? This is a continuing controversy among Christians and a question I am often asked. Usually, I’m asked whether I think the man is Paul before or after his conversion. I find it impossible to directly or quickly answer because it is the wrong question. But who is this man whom Paul refers to as “I,” and who seems to believe the Gospel while, at the same time, he struggles with the law and sin?
The only way to properly understand the answer to this question is to understand Paul’s purpose in writing Romans, the historical context of Paul’s letter to the Romans, and the textual context of Romans 7. I hope you’ll find this study as interesting as I do. I also hope you’ll see how relevant the lesson we will learn is to our spiritual lives today. For, while the man of Romans 7 is quite historical, his “ghost” still haunts us.
In Part One, we saw that the word love has many meanings, but that the apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, specifically defines the love Christians are to have for one another. Let's continue looking at Paul's detailed definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 and see how he links love to maturity, seeing clearly, and knowing fully.
Scientists tell us that the two groups of the most basic building blocks of the universe are quarks and leptons. But the Bible tells us of something even more basic. In this study, we are going to learn about one of the most important and powerful things in the universe. It is love.