The Inward Conflict: Who is Described (2)
(Examining Romans 7:7-25)
by Harry Osborne
June 28, 2009

In last week’s bulletin, we began an examination of this passage that has been the occasion for much discussion and debate. Calvinists affirm that Paul was speaking of his own inner conflict at the time he was a faithful Christian and apostle of Christ. Even among brethren, some have taken and continue to hold this position. For example, Clinton Hamilton advocated this view in his commentary on Romans printed in the Truth Commentary series. As noted in last week’s article, that view presents several conflicts with the surrounding context as well as other passages describing the apostle’s character and action. This author believes that interpretation of the passage is both flawed and dangerous by granting a fundamentally Calvinistic premise as well as ignoring the context.  In this article, we will continue a careful examination of the passage to understand its teaching within the context.

An Examination of Terminology
The terms Paul uses to describe his thoughts and actions are the strongest argument for understanding his statements in this text to illustrate the confusion experienced by the sinner condemned through the law. Often, a close scrutiny of the words used will help us better comprehend the idea stated by the writer. For example, if one reads Galatians 6:1-5 not knowing two different Greek words are both rendered "burdens" in the English translation of verses 2 and 5, the reader is likely to be confused. However, when he understands that the word in verse 2 refers to a heavy load which must be shared while the word in verse 5 refers to a personal load, the meaning becomes obvious. Let us look at the terms in Romans 7:15-21 to see if we can get similar help.

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