Romans: New Me vs. Old Me

Romans 7:14-25

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian imprisoned by the Nazi regime during World War II for speaking out against the persecution and murder of Jews. Arrested at his parents' house on April 5, 1943, and charged with high treason, he was executed two years later. His death occurred just twenty-three days before Germany surrendered. 

During his imprisonment, fellow inmates observed that Bonhoeffer consistently exhibited a deep sense of calm, steadiness, and self-control, even in the most dire circumstances. However, he did experience inner conflict as he describes the struggle between his sinful nature and his redeemed self through his personal writings. From his prison cell, he wrote a poem about this internal conflict. The poem is called "Who Am I?" I will share the entire poem in the Weekend Recharge, but for now, I want us to feel the intense spiritual turmoil Bonhoeffer expresses in this powerful stanza. 

Who am I? This or the other?
Am I one person today, and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,
and before myself, a contemptibly woebegone weakling?
Or is something within me still like a beaten army,
fleeing in disorder from a victory already achieved?

Do you ever feel like that? People see you as someone who has it all together. You project 'main character energy'—a leader to follow, a friend always there, a mom to look up to, a dad others want to be like, but inside, you're in the heat of the battle. Are there times when you feel like "a beaten army fleeing in disorder from a victory already achieved"? 

Long before Bonhoeffer, the apostle Paul grappled with these same thoughts and feelings. Today's passage is personal as Paul explains his spiritual struggles. 

Romans 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 

Some in Paul's time were legalists—so focused on the law that they forgot about God's grace. Others dismissed the law as outdated and unnecessary. But Paul reminds the readers that the "law is spiritual." It is "holy and righteous and good" (Rom. 7:12). It serves to remind us of our ongoing struggle with "the flesh"—our sinful nature. Here, Paul personifies sin as a master. When left on our own, we are captive to this master. 

As Christians, we are new creations in Christ, but our sinful natures still linger. We hear the voice of the old master calling to us. Therein lies the spiritual battle. 

Romans 7:15-16
For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 

Some argue that Paul can't be describing himself as a Christian here, so he must be talking about his life before he became a believer. I disagree with this interpretation. Paul openly shares about the ongoing spiritual struggles he faces. 

We can relate to Paul's experience. I don't always fully understand my own actions. I can behave in ways I dislike and not do what I know I should. Paul isn't saying this happens all the time. Sometimes he chooses to do what's right and succeeds. Still, this internal conflict is something believers deal with, and there's a reason for it. 

Romans 7:17-18
So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Paul is not making excuses or passing blame. He recognizes that he is a new creation in Jesus Christ. He is free from the authority of the old master. However, there are times he hears the old master's voice calling out. He knows he doesn't have to answer that voice, but sometimes he does because he wants to. He has the "desire to do what is right," but he does not always rely on the Spirit to give him the "ability to carry it out." 

Romans 7:19-20
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 

Once again, Paul isn't making excuses. He's not claiming that sin overtakes him, turning him into someone else—like "the Hulk" losing control. Paul is simply acknowledging that he engages in a spiritual battle. 

When we trust in Jesus, we become new creations in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. And…until we die…the sinful nature remains within us, so the old master's voice is familiar and inviting. Sometimes we answer his call. But in Christ, when we respond to the old master's call, we act out of character, going against our new identities. As a result, we are not being true to who we really are. 

Now, Paul shifts from the autobiographical mode and places the spiritual battle within a theological framework.

Romans 7:21-23
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Paul's heart—his inner being—delights in God's law. As a new creation, he loves and longs for the Father's instructions. Obedience isn't a burden; it's a joy. And we know that what pleases God is always the best choice for us. 

This new nature, "the law of [our minds]," enables us to understand God's Word, make moral choices, and live with a spiritual outlook. The "law of sin," or the old nature, "lies close at hand," fighting against our new natures and sometimes wins the battle. Paul argues this is "making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members." We all can relate!

Here's how Paul concludes this discussion.

Romans 7:24-25
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 

Paul shared that he serves "the law of God with [his] mind," but with his sinful nature, he serves "the law of sin." When he stumbles in this struggle, Paul exclaims, "Wretched man that I am!" On his own, he knows he will fall each time. So, who will deliver him from this fight? The answer is—Jesus. The believer is never alone and is never defeated. The battle belongs to God. 

Who will deliver us? Let's say, along with Paul, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Romans 7:14-25. Do you identify with Paul in his struggles? Which description of the spiritual battle resonates with you?

Talking to God: Where do you feel the most tension between who you are in Christ and how you live? Where are the main conflicts in your walk with the Lord?

Zoom Call: We’re excited to invite you to a special Zoom call on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 7:00 PM as we come together to reflect on what we’ve learned in our study of John and take a midpoint review of the book of Romans. The link to join the call will be found in the October 6 Daily Devotion email.

Have questions? Please send your questions to our team. We're glad to help as we study God's Word together. Submit your question below, and we'll respond to you shortly. Let us know if you'd like to learn more about a relationship with Jesus or if you're seeking spiritual guidance.