Rom 7:15 For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do. ASV
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. KJV
Rom 7:15 For what I work out, I do not know. For what I do not will, this I do. But what I hate, this I do. LITV
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COMMENTARY
Paraphrase;
Because I don’t know (ginosko) what I’m doing; because I don’t practice what I want to, but rather, I end up doing the very thing I hate!
Well folks.. it looks like ol’ Paul had no idea what he was
doing! That’s an accurate rendering of the 1st clause. You know,
like, when you are monkeying with the computer, diddling with the
registry and all that & someone comes along and says... "Hey! You
sure you know what you're doing?" It is in that sense that Paul had no
idea what he was doing other than he knew he was sinning! But he just
couldn't figure out why, when he tried to do something, anything good,
it always came out sin!
Now get ready because I am about to demonstrate from this one verse
alone the incontrovertible proof that Paul was describing an
unregenerate person here in this passage. Ready?
Ga 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye
may not do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties,
21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I
forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
I said in verse 14 that we need to bring in other passages in order to
properly understand the correct meaning Paul was conveying. Well the
above passage from Galatians is one such passage that has a direct
bearing on Romans 7:14-25. Here's how. This passage in Galatians is one
that all you "puritanical doctrine of struggle with remaining
indwelling sin" people like to use to show such a struggle. Right? Well
you might want to re-consider your view of Galatians. First of all is
any body prepared to argue that there are people who practice the sins
mentioned here in Galatians who ~will~ inherit the Kingdom
of God? Anybody who says that is for sure unregenerate! Paul
plainly says that those who practice such things shall
~not~ inherit the kingdom of God. Well.... guess who was
practicing such things? Hint... he's found in Romans 7:15 folks!!
That's exactly right. The guy in Romans 7:15 was ~~PRACTICING~~...
exact same Greek word as in Galatians... he was ~PRACTICING~ the very
things that the ~SAME APOSTLE PAUL~ says in Galatians that such people
shall ~~~NOT~~~ inherit the Kingdom of God. That means... what? Only
one possibility... that such people can ~ONLY~ be UNregenerate! That
means that the guy here in Romans 7:15 is UNregenerate!!! Otherwise
language means absolutely nothing and GOD who is the GOD of Truth
ladies and gentlemen... is an irrational monster out to deceive us all!!
This is the result of the dilemma of one
who is trying to be sanctified by the law, which is an impossibility!
When Paul says "for not what I would, that do I practise;"
he is saying that he ~~practices~~ sinning! He does not
just commit a sin every now and then. Sin is the on-going mark of his
every moment and movement folks! That's the force of the Greek as well
as the grammar. Now when somebody "practices" something what does
he do? Simple; to "practice" a thing means to keep on doing it over and
over and over again & again & again! How in the name of
language and sanity can anybody say that a person who keeps on
practicing sin is a Christian? Unless you can define Sanctification and
the Christian life to INclude the on-going practice of sin but folks
that's spiritual suicide!!! The passage in Galatians alone is a ~wall
of steel~ against such a view! The Bible is replete with warnings
to the effect that all those who make a practice of sin shall ~~NOT~~
inherit the Kingdom of God. That can -Only- mean that such people are
no Christians. C'mon all you John Owen worshipers out there. Repent of
your idolatry, put Owen in the attic for a few years and go digging in
the Bible instead of polishing his 18 volumes of human brain power!! If
you still insist that the guy in Romans 7 is a Christian then you
are -not- a Christian. You can chant the doctrines of grace on a stack
of Bibles until the cows come home but as long as you insist that
people who practise sin are saved and will inherit the Kingdom of God
you are denying the word of God and calling God a liar and that is
exactly what your father Satan did in the garden!
Still not convinced? Then go to verse 19.
Romans
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