rom 7x14

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. ASV

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. KJV

Rom 7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, >having been sold< under sin. LITV

Rom 7:14 >for we have known< that the law is spiritual, and I am fleshly, sold by the sin; YLT
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COMMENTARY

Is this section a description of a regenerate man who struggles with his "remaining corruption" and the result is he cannot stop sinning? Or is it a description of a man who is seeking to find his salvation under the pressure of the law? This is the "fork" in the road that will determine how we interpret this passage and the result will be two lines of thought that completey oppose each other.

If Paul describes a regenerate man then the Christian life is one that is filled with sin and the Antinomians win. But if Paul is describing one who is seeking to find his salvation under the pressure of the law then we have a very different view of Sanctification and the Christian life than the "struggle with remaining, indwelling corruption" view.

Since immediate context is obviously neither conclusive nor as clear as many would have us believe [see any commentary] this study will take the approach of both immediate context together and in conjunction with the Analogy of Faith, which says Scripture interprets Scripture. So we shall bring other passages of the Bible into consideration as the controlling factor in determining the proper understanding of Romans 7:14-25. We must keep in mind that.. any interpretation of any passage of Scripture that is not in agreement with any other passage is ipso facto erroneous. Scripture cannot contradict itself.

It is notable that there are 2 verbs in the verse of which the LIT has one right & YLT has the other.

Proper Literal rendering of this verse;
for *we have known* that the law is spiritual, and I am fleshly, *having been sold* under sin.

Was Paul sold under sin when he was writing the Scriptures? Are Christians "sold under sin"? If you say Yes then think about the implications.

Both verbs "know" and "sold" are in the Perfect tense, which denotes past action. Therefore Paul is not speaking of his present state. He is referring to his natural state when he entered the world, which was a state of unregeneracy.

See a full treatment of this section here;

Adam Clark in his commentary on this verse says;
"It is difficult to conceive how the opinion could have crept into the Church, or prevailed there, that “the apostle speaks here of his regenerate state; and that what was, in such a state, true of himself, must be true of all others in the same state.”

Try Owen & Edwards. Owen believed that a Christian's heart "is the fort, the citadel of this tyrant, [indwelling sin] where it maintains a REBELLION AGAINST GOD ALL OUR DAYS!!!". Sometimes it has more strength and consequently more success; sometimes less of the one and of the other; but it is ALWAYS IN REBELLION WHILST WE LIVE." [My Emphases.]
From Owen's book Temptation and Sin. Section title; The Nature, Power, Deceit and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers. Chap. 3 para. 6.

And Edwards believed; "When I look into my heart and take a view of its wickedness, it looks like an abyss infinitely deeper than hell." From his Memoirs; chapter VII "Remainder of Personal Narratives". Banner of Truth ed.

Such a wicked doctrine did not just 'creep into the church'. It was ushered in by the force of religious, protestant popes who had usurped the chair of ex cathedra wherein whatever they said was taken as ipso facto truth and therefore seldom, if ever, questioned or examined in the light of Scripture.

Maybe if I change my name to John Owen folks would believe what I am saying? No thanks. I'll leave the convincing of the truth to the Holy Spirit for that is His Blessed ministry. Popes, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant are an abomination to God because they wickedly usurp the office of the Holy Spirit whose ministry it is to convince men of the truth.
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Next;
What does it mean to be -sold under sin-..? Buying & selling has to do with ownership. To be Sold means to be under the ownership of another. If I sell you my guitar, you now own it & you can do what you want with it. I have no more say & the guitar certainly has no say. But now we are talking about living human beings. Therefore the terms "buy" & "sell" are of the language of Slavery folks! Therefore, to be "sold" under sin is to be sin's Slave. It means to be in Bondage to sin. Sin is the boss.

Moreover, to be -Under- something is to be controlled by it. Before salvation we are -Under- the law. After we are -Under- grace. Paul says he was sold -Under- sin. Again that means sin was his boss. It controlled him. He had to kow-tow because he had no other choice. This is the Doctrine of Depravity, which is what this passage is all about; man's natural depravity, which shows itself in its complete inability to keep the law.

One don't need no college degree to figure out what "sold under sin" means folks! Here... grab this one..
Is a Unregenerate person "Sold under sin"? He who says No is a blithering idiot! Well then... if a UNregenrate person is Sold under sin... and so is a REgenerate person... then what in the name of Buudah is the difference? The UNregenerate man is Sold Under Sin and can do nothing else but sin. The man here in Romans is also Sold Under Sin and can do nothing else but sin. So what pray tell is the difference?
Answer; Nothing!!!! These are Identical Twins peoples. Whatever one does the other also does. And... whatever one -Is- the other one also -Is-!

So if one is UNregenerate then so is the other. And if one is REgenerate... well then, so is the other. But people who make a ~Practice~ [Greek Prasso... vss 15, 19] of sin are by Biblical definition UNregenerate.
Therefore, this man in Romans 7 can -Only- be by Biblical standards, UNregenerate, and anybody who says he's REgenerate is denying Biblical Christianity and is of the spirit of Antichrist.

Paul said in 1Cor 2:15 that the one who is -Spiritual- judges all things. Now... there are in fact two kinds of human beings in all God's universe; Those who are Spiritual and those who are not. Those who are not are called... Carnal ! Scripture is quite plain that you are either one or the other but you cannot be both Carnal & Spiritual at one and the same time because such nonsense denies the Biblical Doctrine of Either/Or as taught by Messiah Himself. Matt 6:24 & 12:33
That would be equivalent to saying one can be both Regenerate and Unregenerate at the same time. And Paul says right here in this verse in no uncertain terms that he is Carnal! And not only is he Carnal, he is Carnal to the degree that he is Sold Under Sin. Folks..; I'm here to tell ya that you cannot get any more 'Carnal-er' than that. Now... there is a vast difference between a Christian who falls into sin and when he does he is -acting- 'carnally'... and one who is still unregenerate and is 100% Carnal in his entire life make-up.

Paul told the Corinthians that they were 'Carnal' and that was in One Specific area of a divisive spirit and they had to be rebuked. 1Cor 3:1-3. But that's a world of difference from someone who is living in sin and everything in his entire life is all sin and nothing but sin. Such a person not only -acts- carnal in everything he does, he is 100% thru & thru Carnal! His Carnality extends to both his Character & his Conduct. Such a person is utterly void of Any Spirituality at all! That's what Paul meant here when he says he is Carnal Sold Under Sin. He then goes on to describe how everything in his entire life is all sin and nothing but sin. Such a person can only be Unregenerate because one cannot be both Carnal and Spiritual at the same time. To be "Carnal" means one is still in the Flesh and God says they that are in the Flesh cannot please Him!

Romans

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