The man of Romans 7 sees the victory through Christ. Yet, he ends by saying, “So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law” (verse 25b). How odd! Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay
Peter Ditzel
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 was once alive apart from the law, died when the commandment came, and was delivered by Jesus Christ?
Peter Ditzel
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.
A. First, I want to point out that some Jews do believe in Jesus. The distinction between believers and unbelievers is not drawn along national or ethnic lines. There are believers and unbelievers among all kinds of people.