Romans 7:15-7:25 - Spirit vs. Flesh

Calvin (9/25/01-9/26/01)

7:15: Footnote: Any number of attempts have been made to explain this section as describing something other than the regenerate life, but the experience of the most pious believer will lead him to recognize his own regenerate life in the description offered. The way in which man rushes into sin has led many to think that he does so of completely free will, and that he could just as easily, and with no Divine aid, turn to righteousness. By choosing the example of the regenerate man, Paul makes clear just how far from true this thought is. For, even with that Divine aid, the flesh of man is ever struggling against his will to be allowed a return to sinfulness. Here, in a case in which the Law has produced some good, its ineffectiveness is also most clearly demonstrated, for, although it has produced good in the soul of the man, his flesh yet works to bring him death. The Law has not brought death, but life to his soul, and yet he continues, in the flesh, to pursue a deadly course. Prior to this regeneration, we knew no such conflict, but were fully satisfied to remain on our sinful way, even when there were those occasional stings of conscience. There may be condemning thoughts in them, for they are not left devoid of understanding right and wrong, but any condemnation they feel comes of the impending judgment, and not of their own will to be otherwise. Only in the regenerate do we find the will in active opposition, caught in perennial conflict with the sinfulness of the flesh. We hate sin, and yet are drawn to it by the long established habits of the flesh. (Gal 5:17 - Flesh and Spirit are in opposition, fighting against each other, and leaving us unable to do that which we will to do.) Until He called us, we were all too willing to pursue our sins, the conflict only coming as the Spirit regenerated us. However, that regeneration is only begun in this life, and must await its completion until such time as this flesh is shed. Although by this verse many attempts are made to support the idea of our free will sufficing, that is not what Paul describes here. In declaring that he 'knew not' what he did in his transgressions, Paul speaks in a Hebraic sense, indicating that he doesn't approve of those acts. They are reprehensible to him. [Here, the NASB puts it as 'I do not understand.'] This, again, is no proof that he speaks as though one of the unregenerate. It is simply the confession that even the most upright of men will fail of the full obedience required of the Law. His teaching is not opposed to that Law, even in this. The regenerate do not always fail of doing good. That is not what Paul implies here, only that they often fail of taking action on the desires of the heart. Those desires, in the regenerate, are indeed the will of the Spirit, but there remains the fleshly will to oppose it. To Paul, however, the desires posited by the flesh are contrary to his will, for his will is the will of the Spirit. So, we see that it is the faithful of whom Paul now writes, those in whom the will has been brought into agreement with righteousness, "for no hatred of sin is to be found in the flesh."
7:16: Where the heart has found its delight in the Law, which cannot but be the case in one who hates the thought of transgressing that Law, it becomes clear that the Law can not be considered in any way evil. Where it meets the upright in heart, it is found to be good and useful. The ungodly might recognize that the Law describes a better way, yet they will ever choose to pursue the more evil way. Only in the regenerate does the heart so fully approve of and pursue the Law in their desire to reach heaven.
7:17: Paul is not here making an excuse for his actions, nor should we seek an excuse for our sins in this verse. Rather, he is declaring how completely he rejected in his will the actions which he found in his flesh. This most clearly shows that Paul speaks of the regenerate, for prior to regeneration, this conflict of will and flesh is unknown to man. He also declares, by this rejection by the will, that his bondage to sin is broken, he is able to rebel against that slavery. The Law, in his regeneration, has truly been engraved upon his heart.
7:18: That Paul distinguishes his statements as applying to the flesh implies that there is a part of himself to which his comments do not apply. Thus, by 'the flesh' he indicates all that comes of human nature, whereas by 'the spirit' he signifies all that comes by the renewal of the Holy Spirit. Both of these apply to the soul, but not to the same part. Footnote: it is not a division between body and soul that is made by this distinction, but a division between what is renewed, and what is of the old nature. (Eph 4:22 - Set aside the old self that is still being corrupted by lust and deceit. Eph 4:24 - Put on the new self, which is made in God's image; in righteousness, and the holiness of truth. Ro 6:6 - Our old self was crucified with Christ, so that our sins could be done away with, ending our slavery to sin. 2Co 5:17 - Anyone who is in Christ is a new creature, in whom the old things are gone, and new things have come. 2Co 4:16 - We don't lose heart as we see our outer man decaying, because we know our inner man is being renewed daily. Eph 3:16 - May He grant you, by His glory, to be strengthened through His Spirit in the inner man. 1Pe 3:4 - The hidden person of the heart has the imperishable qualities of a gentle and quite spirit, precious to God.) Paul does not declare an ineffectual desire in himself, but tells us how the flesh has weighed down the actions of his will, making them imperfect. Our sinful nature impedes us as we try to do good, and places many pitfalls in our way. Yet the will is readied by the Holy Spirit's preparation, to strive after the good to its utmost, in spite of the impediment of our old nature.
7:19-7:20: The righteous man will ever recognize that his works are far from blameless. His best offerings remain stained by sin. So, he must ever hope for God's pardon, knowing that no reward can be expected for such offerings. In all this, we see that so far as the Light of Life has penetrated the soul, the soul stands as witness to the goodness of the Law. Where the Law meets with a pure heart, it has no adverse effect. It is still to be laid at the feet of sin, that fault that causes the Law to bring death to man. Praise be to God that He has provided us with a Physician to cure this sickness of sin, [that He has washed our broken works in His blood, so as to make them an acceptable sacrifice.]
7:21: We find four laws in this passage (v21-23): First, (and the only true Law), there is the Law of righteousness, that Law which God has declared. To this, the second law, that which reigns in the mind of the redeemed, making them ready to deliver prompt obedience to God's Law, is joined. In opposition to this union stands the third law, that of the tyrant sin. To that unjust rule, the unregenerate, and the remains of the old nature in the regenerate have joined, making up the fourth law; that which rules the flesh, and is bound over to sin's rule. It is this opposition of laws that we sorrow over, finding ourselves captivated in our flesh, even as our heart strives to follow after God.
7:22-7:23: Here, we clearly see the division that exists in every believer. The Law of righteousness calls them to obey God, but there remains the law of Satan, of sin, in their flesh, pulling them back to disobedient acts. However, since God's Law reigns in the heart, it is with that that we identify, considering the actions taken toward sin as the acts of a prisoner, constrained to act as his captors require. The 'inner man' refers to more than simply the soul as opposed to the body. It indicates all that has been renewed by God in a man, with 'members' indicating that which remains under the corruption of the old nature. The 'inner man' speaks of that which is of superior excellency in man, as the soul must hold supremacy over the flesh, and the spirit even over the soul. It is the hidden part of man, as opposed to that which is outward, as though one compared heaven with earth. That the mind concurs with God's law should give us clear indication that the verse cannot refer to the unregenerate, for their minds, we know, are corrupted, and unable to reason clearly.
7:24: Paul cries out not from doubt, but as one in dire need, on the verge of fainting, as it were. Footnote: Wretched indicates one 'broken down and wearied with the most grievous toils. (Schleusner)' He cries out as one in dire need of rescue. Footnote: That word indicating a forcible rescue, effected by power. By the Law of God, we are enabled to see the corruption that is in our nature, which is leading us to death. We see that the origin of this evil lies in our having departed from His Law, and so having become subjected to those carnal desires that continue to plague us. It was that rebellion that had put our souls in subjection to our fleshly desires, which led God to declare that He would not fight for us any longer. (Ge 6:3 - I will not strive with man through eternity, for he is fleshly. Instead, I will limit his days to one hundred and twenty years.) God stripped away that which had been our excellency, and left us comparable to those creatures we had been made to rule. Footnote: The body of death is not a reference to the material body of man, but to that same body of sin spoken of earlier, which, when it reaches its full fruition, leads to death. Here, then, is a great weapon against pride, for in Paul's summary, we see that even the most perfected saint in this life, when he looks at himself in an honest light, will find that which is still worthy of nothing but death, will find nothing but misery in their own nature. Indeed, death is the sole remedy for that evil, for it will not depart until its end is reached. Yet, the faithful will not seek after it, but will rather subject themselves more fully to the will of God, living and dying at His call. Faced by the misery present within us, we must turn our minds to the joy of that grace which God has shown us.
7:25: So that none might think him to criticize God, here, he immediately turns to thanksgiving. For it doesn't take much for legitimate grief to become illegitimate discontent. When once we see our misery, we must immediately remember that which we have already from God. Footnote: God will deliver us through Christ Jesus. Thereby is the question of 'who will deliver me?' answered by this verse. To counter any such discontent comes the realization that we have already been received into God's eternal protection, and we have received the Holy Spirit as a surety and sign of that eternal promise. In his closing, it is made clear that we will not arrive at the perfection we so desire so long as we remain in this life, but that all of our life will be a continued striving toward that goal.

Matthew Henry (9/27/01-9/28/01)

7:15: The conflict between grace and corruption is found both in the unregenerate, when they are convinced of their state, but not yet regenerate, and also in the sanctified, who are not yet in a state of perfection. The descriptions on both sides of the conflict make it hard to accept the good will as belonging to the unregenerate, but also hard to accept the bad acts as belonging to the regenerate. If we look at it as describing the yet unregenerate, then we see the struggle of conscience within them, for they now know the Law, that it requires them to refrain from their actions, and yet do them anyway, condemning themselves thereafter. (Ro 6:14 - Sin will not rule you because you are under grace, not the law.) Here, we have the opposite, a man under law and not grace, who remains dominated by his sin. The Law can show us our sin, convict us of our sin, but it cannot subdue our sin. (Mt 11:28 - Come, you weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Ro 8:3 - The Law, being weak in the flesh, could not condemn sin, so God sent His son in the flesh to do so. Ro 8:15 - You have not been given to be like fearful slaves again, but have been adopted as sons, able to cry out to your Father. Nu 24:3-4 - Balaam was a man whose eyes were open, who heard God's words, and saw His visions. [Yet, he remained hellbound.] Is 58:2 - They seek me every day, a righteous nation that has not forsaken God. They ask My decision, delighting in My nearness.) This attitude can often be found amongst those not yet renewed, yet if this is who Paul speaks of, why does he speak personally? He already declared in v7 that he had died. It seems far more reasonable that he speaks in his present estate, as he appears to, describing the struggle between grace and corruption in the sanctified. The experience of every believer will tell him that this conflict remains, and Scripture also affirms that fact. (1Jn 1:8 - If we claim that we are sinless, we lie to ourselves, and don't know truth. 1Jn 1:10 - By that claim of sinlessness, we make God a liar, showing that His word is not in us.) However, by grace we hate that sin, and fight to be freed of our corruptions. (Gal 5:17 - The fleshly and the spiritual desires stand opposed to each other, preventing us from doing what we would.) So, we see that Paul is here bringing great comfort to the believer. Perfection is not to be expected in this life, we are not unique in our struggles. Rather, the battle we engage in within ourselves is on the scale of the battle between Canaan and Israel, between Saul and David. However, our victory is certain, as it has been promised by God, who is most certain. He also shows that the Law is insufficient, even for the most saintly of men, for they cannot but be convicted by it still. This, however, is not the fault of the Law, but of the corruption of man. Even in the presence of spiritual life, there remains the traces of carnal desires. (1Co 3:1 - I could not speak to you as spiritual, but as men of flesh, infants in Christ. 1Ki 21:25 - Ahab, like no other, sold himself to do evil before the Lord.) Unlike Ahab, the believer finds that he was sold under sin by another, by the fall of Adam. It is not our choice to sin any longer, yet our flesh is constrained to obey. The thought here, of doing exactly the opposite of his desire, is a thought repeated often in this section. Even as we press on toward perfection, longing to attain to it, we find our corruptions so strong as to remain a constant drag on our efforts, a contrary breeze, pushing us from our course. (Php 3:12 - I have not yet attained to perfection, but I press on to reach that for which Jesus Christ reached me.)
7:16: It is well with us, even when the will of our soul is not the whole of our action. In the presence of grace, the Law is seen not only in the dread light of its severity, but also in the beautiful light of its goodness. It is recognized as being good, and good for us. In our soul, we find that the Law is more than simply just. It is most excellent, having nothing in it we would desire to change, a perfection of human nature towards which we strive in hopes of our greatest happiness in this life.
7:17: That we are not the one acting, but rather sin is no excuse for our guilt. It was enough to condemn us by the Law before grace, it remains our responsibility after grace. But grace has seen our hearts, knows our desires, and pardons the failures of our flesh. It is not our desire to do these sinful acts. In them, our soul plays the part of the opposition, forced to accede to the majority vote, yet registering its dissent, and so, not to be identified with those who do the act. Sin continues to dwell in our flesh, even as the Canaanites continued to dwell amid Israel.
7:18: Nothing good can be expected from the flesh, any more than sin can be expected from the new nature. (1Jn 3:9 - No one born of God practices sin, for His seed indwells, and will not allow that sin. He is born of God.) The flesh is just as incapable of doing good, as it serves the law of sin. Good may be in those who have the flesh, but the flesh itself is incapable of good.
7:19-7:21: No comments.
7:22: All of the redeemed know that delight that comes to be felt for the Law. It delights us to know and understand it, to submit to it, and do as it bids, finding our joy most full when we know ourselves conformed to God's will. All that has been sanctified in us will know this delight. It may not be evident in our outward actions yet, but the heart is convinced, and that which God has renewed concurs in the soul's delight. (2Co 4:16 - Don't lose heart at seeing the decay of your body, but know that your inner man is being renewed each day. Eph 3:16 - I pray that he strengthen you through His Spirit in the inner man, with power as accords with the richness of His glory. 1Pe 3:4 - Our beauty is to be in the hidden person of the heart, having the eternal qualities of gentleness and quiet, things precious in God's sight.)
7:23: Sinful nature is compared to law here, because it controls the flesh as a law controls action. It is in our members, because Christ has set himself upon the throne of our heart, leaving only the members to rebel. The contrariness of those limbs is a great burden and grief to our soul, equal to the worst captivity.
7:24: Only when we are dead, when this body is set aside, will we be freed from sin completely. As touching a dead body made one ceremonially unclean, so our contact with the corruption that remains upon us defiles us daily (Heb 9:14 - The blood of Christ, offered to God without blemish, will cleanse your conscience from dead works, so as to serve the living God.) Sin is as troublesome as having a dead body tied to oneself, ever defiling us, no matter what we do. "The remainders of indwelling sin are a very grievous burden to a gracious soul."
7:25: It is not enough to agree with, and delight in the Law. We must also serve it with our utmost obedience. So it was with Paul. So it should be with us. When we are brought to recognized the power of corruption that remains within us, we find greatest reason to bless God through Christ. He who is the Mediator of our prayers is also the Mediator of our praises. It is He who stands between us and the ruin that is due our sins, our Advocate before the Father, by whose defense, we are pardoned. Through Him, we know our death will end the aggravation of our sinful flesh, and we will spend eternity before Him, sinless, and joyful.

Adam Clarke (9/28/01-9/29/01)

7:15: That which I am doing, katergazomai [2716] is the a work performed until its completion (Php 2:12 - As you obeyed when I was with you, moreso now that I am away, work out your salvation with fear and trembling.) He sees the works of sin continuing, but cannot acknowledge them as being right, just, holy, or profitable. Enslaved to this tyrant, I am required to work his will, though I hate it. This cannot be taken as speaking of one in whom the Spirit of the Lord dwells. Paul has moved from speaking of the carnal Jew as one, and now speaks of two principles within that same carnal Jew, the inward, the rational faculty, which acknowledges the Law, and the outward, carnal principle which continues to serve sin. This latter principle concerns the flesh, the appetites of the senses. It is a depiction of reason and lust in opposition. Thus, we need to watch carefully which principle is represented by the 'I' from place to place in this passage, for the perspective being represented shifts. (Gal 5:17 - The flesh and the Spirit are opposed to each other, keeping us from doing as we would.) Paul dwells on this point in answer to an unstated objection. The Jew might well argue that he reveres the Law, and agrees that it is true and excellent, a rule of action which ought to be followed. Is this not enough to sanctify? To this, Paul's answer is no, for even with this agreement of mind, acts of wickedness are not stopped. Sanctification must come of another principle and power, able to dislodge the tyrant sin. These combating passions are found expressed in many ancient writings, showing that this was a state of mind entirely familiar to the pagan, and having no place in the redeemed. How can it be that the state found by so many pagans is no different than that of a Christian?
7:16: In that I see my reason opposing my actions, I see that I acknowledge the Law as good and right.
7:17: Sinful and corrupt inclinations have overwhelmed reason in this 'I,' so that reason finds condemnation in the law, but not the cure. So, in the unregenerate, there is a principle stronger than reason, which overwhelms the soul as a tyrant, the indwelling sin that darkens the soul, and brings rebellion against God.
7:18: In the unregenerate man no good can be found. There is nothing within him that will bring him to purity. As awful as the fall was for man, it is apparent that some small portion remains to him, for even apart from God, many show great understanding. It would seem, almost, that the only thing the fallen soul cannot understand is the need to know, love, and serve God Sin cannot be subjected to some other principle, but must be destroyed, or it will destroy the soul. In such degree as the soul agrees to a need for obedience, it is on the side of truth, of God. "The will is right, but the passions are wrong." And we have a habit of blaming the deeds of our passions upon our will. The will cannot command apart from divine grace.
7:19: The will is ever against evil, even in the unregenerate. The will does not cause us to go astray, but is oppressed by our passions, such that it cannot act. The will is always free, or else it would not be the will [which begs the question of why it's not free to act in the presence of passions?] Clearly, the idea that man could will nothing but evil is nonsense, when it is evident that the will is the sole remaining friend of God in fallen man. The fallen soul is free but powerless until it receives power from God. It can see and distinguish good and evil, can will to do good, but cannot actually do. Being free, even though it cannot do good, it can neither be forced to do evil 'against its will.' It must consent, if action occurs. Were it not capable of choosing good, it would neither be capable of choosing evil. God's free grace is shown in that He has given us a soul with that faculty to choose good, and that sin has not been allowed to destroy it. It is free to choose good, but powerless to force sinful passions to comply, much as the eye can see, but is powerless where there is no light. Here, the unregenerate look to the Law to assist the will in taking action, but the Law only gives knowledge of sin, not the cure for it. Until he seeks the cure in Christ, he seeks in vain. This is the message of Paul in this passage, and in this message, man's free agency, and Christ's honor are both maintained.
7:20: Within that unregenerate man, two principles are in perpetual conflict: the reason, enlightened by God, and the passions, darkened by evil. From this conflict, many have incorrectly reached the conclusion that man is dualistic in his soul, having both a good soul, and an evil soul.
7:21: As the desire to do good is ever present, so is the passion to do evil. However, since the desire for good is but the wish of a powerless will, the passion for evil prevails. This we find to be the rule in our life.
7:22: Even the unregenerate accept that the Law revealed in the Old Testament is of great excellence and utility. This remains true, even though he sees himself to be incapable of acting in accord with that Law he approves. Such action requires the grace of Jesus, the mercy of God, redemption from the curse. Classic Greek usage in ethical texts consistently use 'the inner man' to refer to the rational vs. the physical part of man. There is no support for the idea that the phrase is used here to refer to that portion of the soul which God has regenerated. The idea of the rational vs. the physical is also supported by Hebrew usage, where the Spirit is the inward man, which the body clothes. Even Paul uses the phrase in this sense elsewhere. (2Co 4:16 - Though our outer man is decaying, our inner man is being renewed every day. Eph 3:16 - May He grant that you will be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in your inner man.) The experience of many an unbeliever would deny the argument that no sinner can delight in the Law. Look to the Pharisees as an example. If they, though unredeemed, could delight in the Law amidst their pride, how much moreso the sinner humbled to see his own sin?
7:23: In spite of the testimony of conscience, if help for the will is sought only in the Law, passion will prevail, for it has long held the reigns, and now has the force of habit, becoming as law to the flesh of the man. The soul, the will, has become like a besieged city, taken by storm, and carried away captive by passion. [How, then, can he say that the will cannot be forced into choosing sin?] Sin's victory is so complete in the man that his will is in effect a slave. (Lk 21:24 - They will fall by the sword, and be led captive into all nations. Jerusalem will be trod down by the Gentiles until their time is completed.) Here we find both conscience and reason taken prisoner, which can surely never be said of a Spirit filled believer, can it? (Ro 8:2 - The rule of the Spirit of life in Christ has freed you from the law of sin and death.)
7:24: Here is the cry of the defeated conscience. As some ancient tyrants would do in victory, the vanquished soul is chained to its dead body, required to carry it about until that body's corruption should spread to the soul and kill it as well. But as the soul so chained cries out its last, comes the redemption that is by Christ Jesus! The door of hope is opened, and the prospect of deliverance set before his eyes.
7:25: It is the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ that breaks that deadly bondage. There can be no other redemption. No matter how conscientious the man, no matter how diligent in his observance of the Law, yet he is doomed to die still embracing his sins unless he turns to the Gospel of Jesus. Over any other means, sin will triumph. Apart from the Gospel, man will continue to find those two principles warring within himself, and the passions ever holding the upper hand. Many apply this whole passage to Paul. One could expect it of Saul of Tarsus, but it is untenable to think so of Paul the Apostle. If this indeed described Paul's life after conversion, what had conversion gained him? Those that think this describes the believer's condition declare the Gospel as insufficient to save as the Law. Clearly, even the Jews, who knew not the Gospel, delighted in God's Law, as He Himself testifies. (Is 58:2 - They seek Me daily, delighting to know My ways. As a nation, they have done righteousness, and not forsaken God's rules. They ask Me for just decisions, delighting in My nearness to them.) [It's worth noting that this passage comes in the midst of a great reproach upon God's people. It seems rather like God declaring the Jews' estimate of themselves, as opposed to His estimate, which is more in keeping with the passage.] If the Jews, throughout history, have considered the Law holy and just, and yet have followed their own ways, how shall we consider it any less likely that Gentile sinners would also approve of the Law heartily? Paul's experience, he being an apostle, must be a standard for Christian life, and what follows in the next chapter shows his experience to declare the Christian experience superior in its effect. Nothing is said in this chapter that would not accord with the turmoil found in the penitent, well before he has believed unto salvation. Many a sincere Christian may indeed feel an accord with this chapter in their lives. But this is no reason to declare that it must be so. Rather than accept this as inevitable, they ought rather to petition God for the fullness of their salvation, even as Paul did. Sanctification is our inheritance. To be free of sin and death, totally free, is the promise of our Lord. Seek after that full sanctification that He has promised. (2Co 6:12 - You are not held back by us, but by your own affections.)

Barnes' Notes (9/30/01)

7:15: I am aware of the sin that I do, and it troubles me. It is not an act of which I approve. To know, in this case, indicates approval, as elsewhere (Ps 101:4b - I will know no evil. Jer 1:5 - Before I formed you I knew you. Before your birth, I consecrated you. I have appointed you a prophet.) In these actions, my prevailing desires are not followed, they are acts contrary to my own inclinations and principles. Here we see that our inherent propensity for sin is so strong as to maintain an influence over our actions even when we are under the influence of the gospel. The Christian mind is habitually inclined to do what is right, and to hate the evil choice. That evil which he still does he disapproves of, as it is against his habit. This conflict ought not to cause philosophical alarm, for it is attested to by experience. One who comes to Christ with long held habits of a sinful nature, comes with established patterns of thought and behavior. These habitual patterns will plague a man for years, even as he walks with Christ. Old habits die hard. This conflict of mind and action is found amongst non-believers as well, who may find what they did in the heat of passion to be abhorrent when calmer thought prevails. To this conflict, many of the ancient authors attest.
7:16: That we struggle against the evil we find in ourselves is a strong proof of our love for the Law, of our friendship with God.
7:17: Sin remains an act of the man that sins. However, a distinction is drawn between the sin and the intention of the will. The 'I' that is the renewed nature seeks to follow Christian principles, but the sin nature continues to pursue its old agenda. I no longer desire or choose the sinful act, yet my corrupt passions still lead me astray. Sin, abiding in the mind, has not yet been dislodged. Yet the Spirit of God, we are told, also dwells in the mind. (Ro 8:9 - You are not of the flesh, but of the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. 1Co 3:16 - You are a temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you.) So, both are found to have strong influence on the mind of the Christian, where only sin influences the mind of the unregenerate. [Q: How can God and sin co-exist?]
7:18: Nothing good is to be found in my unrenewed nature. Reborn, there is now that within us which was not in us by nature. The sin that I was born with had fully occupied the soul. This is the total depravity into which I was born. If Paul found his heart to be wholly evil, can we do otherwise by our own? Before conversion, this was the whole of our condition, and to the degree that our natural inclinations are still present, it is still the condition of that which remains. In the renewed mind, there is ever the will and intent to do good, yet I find I have not the power to accomplish that intent. My long indulgence of sin has left powerful obstacles in my way, now that I would do otherwise.
7:19: Here, Paul repeats the thought that opens this passage, dwelling upon the topic, and exploring the thought from different angles, as is his wont.
7:20: Again, he pursues thoughts similar to prior verses.
7:21: The law he finds is not one imposed by a superior, but it is just as binding upon his actions. The corruption of our nature controls us to such a degree that we find ourselves performing according to its dictates, as those bound. Thus, we find ourselves incapable of accomplishing our desire. (Gal 5:17 - Flesh and Spirit stand opposed in their desires, keeping us from doing what we would.) There remains an evil within us, which 'starts up unbidden, and undesired.' (Ps 65:3a - Iniquities prevail against me.) In our natural passions, sin still finds an agreeable partner.
7:22: I not only agree with the Law, accept it by power of reason. I rejoice in it, it is a delight to me, the desire of my heart. The unrenewed might approve of the Law as right, understand it as good, but no unrepentant sinner ever found it a pleasure to think upon. If this emotion can be applied to the unrenewed, there is nothing else in the pious mind which cannot also be attributed to him. (Ps 119:97 - How I love Your law, the subject of my considerations all day long. Ps 1:2 - His delight is in the law of the LORD, upon which he meditates day and night. Ps 19:7-11 - The Law is perfect, certain, right, and pure. It restores the soul, gives wisdom to the simple, and gives the heart cause to rejoice. It enlightens. The fear of the LORD is clean, and endures forever. His judgments are true, and altogether righteous. They are more to be desired than untold wealth, and sweeter than honey to the taste. They stand as warnings to Your servant, and provide great reward to those who keep them. Job 23:12 - From His commands I have not departed. I treasure His words more than that food that I require to live.) Here, the Law refers to all that God has communicated to man. There is not a single part of God's requirements that the Christian finds distasteful. The 'inward man' often differentiates the rational from the sensual, the mind from the body, as with classic Greek writings. (2Co 4:16 - We are not bothered by seeing our outer man decaying, because we know our inner man is being renewed daily. 1Pe 3:4 - Our beauty is to be found in the hidden person of our heart, having eternal qualities of gentleness and quietness of spirit, precious in God's sight.) Here, however, the distinction is clearly between the renewed spirit of man, and the corrupt nature of his carnal birth. (Eph 4:22-24 - Lay aside the old self of your former way of life, for it is still being corrupted by deceitful lusts. But you are renewed in the spirit of your mind, and so put on the new self, that which God has created in righteousness and holiness, in His truth.) This is not just the intellect, not just conscience, but it is the very principle that governs a Christian. It is a new and holy nature, a renewal of the very inclinations of the heart.
7:23: Yet, we find a rebel in our flesh, where the law of sin continue to operate. (Ro 6:13 - Don't keep giving your body over to sin to be a weapon of unrighteousness. Present yourselves to God, resurrected as weapons of righteousness for Him. 1Co 6:15 - Your bodies are the very limbs of Christ. How then, shall I allow His limbs to join with those of a prostitute? It's unthinkable! Col 3:5 - Consider your body as dead to immorality and passion, to the evil desires and to greed, which is nothing other than idolatry.) The ways of this rebellious body are opposed to the inclinations of the renewed mind, to the purposes of the renewed heart. In this, we find ourselves to be like the captive of war. We are in a war against our sinful nature, and in that war we find we have been overcome, and are at the whim of the victor. Here is strong expression of the conflict all Christians find within themselves, as they struggle against their native propensities.
7:24: We cry out because of the pain of this conflict, because of our subjection to sin. We are distressed by the very notion that we still struggle. Yet, this distress brings humility. We are humbled to find ourselves unable to cease from indulging the very sins that stain our glory. We cry out for aid. That aid, we do not find in the Law, nor do we find it in our fellow man, nor even in ourselves. All these avenues have been tried, and found wanting. Only in Jesus Christ, do we find the relief we so desperately need. Oh, how we cry to be freed from the law of sin that has captured us! That body of death is one that ever tends toward death, expressing the corrupt principles that remain in us, and that lead inexorably to condemnation and death. That body remains close, bringing upon us great distress. Whether or not Paul is thinking of the custom of tyrants, of being bound to a dead body as punishment, and required to drag that body along wherever he went is unclear. However, it remains a fitting illustration of the situation Paul describes. In this verse, we hear the strongest expression of the absolute dependence upon the grace of God to accomplish what unaided man cannot.
7:25: Thanks be to God that He has indeed accomplished what I could not! He has provided rescue in His mercy, and the rescue is in the Lord Jesus Christ. What no other could do, He has done. Only in Him can we expect a complete deliverance. Paul has arrived at his point. What the Law could not accomplish, God has accomplished in Christ Jesus. Thus is the Gospel superior to the Law. (1Co 15:57 - Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through Christ Jesus!) The conclusion of the whole discussion is that the very purposes and intentions of the soul are found to be serving the Law, which cannot be declared of an impenitent sinner. I serve the Law. I honor it as holy, and my inclination is to obey it. Yet, at the very same time, I find that my flesh, with its habits and passions, has no desire for holiness, and can only be overcome by the grace of God. In this, we see the conflict between sin and God. We see that sin tends only toward death and woe. We see that the Law, and conscience are both thoroughly incapable of overcoming that sin. We see that in the Gospel, we have the only thing that can overcome sin, and for that, our thanks ought to daily increase. Praise be to God that He has devised such a plan, that can deliver us completely, and bring triumph to one captured in sin!

Wycliffe (9/30/01)

7:15: Here, we are given a vivid description of the contest within Paul's own soul. This conflict arises from the fact that he wants to serve God, yet finds himself serving sin. He is baffled, but not as to what is wrong, only as to how it can be overcome.
7:16: He has knowledge. He knows that in the fact that he hates his own actions, he shows that he thinks that the Law is good.
7:17: It was not his true self acting, but that sin which dwelt within. He does not shirk responsibility for his actions by this statement, only recognizes that his sin has in a sense falsified his self.
7:18: Where sin is in control, nothing good can be found. "Where the flesh is powerful, the will to do good becomes powerless."
7:19: We feel as though we are failing completely at doing good, as we see that we continue to do evil.
7:20: Yet, we recognize that it is the sinful nature that continues to dwell in us that causes these actions, not our true desires.
7:21: We find the desire to do good is met by a strong opponent. That opponent, sin, is described as a law because of the regularity of its actions.
7:22: At the same time, we recognize that our inner man, our spirit, is in joyful agreement with the Law of God. (2Co 4:16 - The outer man is decaying, but, as the inner man is being daily renewed, we find no cause for concern in this decay. Eph 3:16 - Be strengthened with power through the Spirit in the inner man.)
7:23: The inward man is the true self, fully agreed with God. Yet, in our flesh we find the law of sin still in control, embattling us within, and bringing our true self into captivity. Sin remains a powerful force.
7:24: Seeing sin so strong within us causes us to cry out. We know ourselves to be in a contest, a conflict, and that we require outside help to prevail. It is not for deliverance from the body that we cry out, but for deliverance from the spiritual death that is brought about by the evil doings of that body's nature.
7:25: Stress is placed upon the One who is our Deliverer, to whom all our thanks is due. Paul will speak more of that deliverance in the next chapter, but for now, summarizes what has been established so far, that the mind now serves God, but the flesh is still controlled by sin. The self controlled by sin is described as 'sin dwelling in me,' 'the law,' 'a different law in my members,' and 'the law of sin in my members.' It is 'in my flesh,' or 'with the flesh.' The self controlled by God is described as 'I,' 'the inward man,' 'the law of my mind,' and 'with my mind.'

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (10/1/01)

7:15: I find my actions to be like that of a slave, acting upon a will other than my own, renewed will. I do not approve of these actions. (Ps 1:6 - The LORD knows [and approves of] the way of the righteous, but the wicked will perish.)
7:16: In that I don't approve of these acts, I know that my inner man concurs with the Law.
7:17: To try and claim this and what follows as representative of the unregenerate man is to abuse the language of Paul's letter, and to claim for that unregenerate man what is not true. That these two natures coexist in hostility within the renewed man is attested to well enough by Scripture elsewhere. (Ro 8:4 - We walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit [both being present in us, we choose the good.] Gal 5:16 - If you walk by the Spirit, you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. [If these desires weren't present, there would be no issue.]) It is also an abuse of the letter before us to make Paul's statement in this verse a disowning of responsibility for his own actions. His acts are still his own, but they are as the acts of a slave, done by himself, yes, but not reflecting his true feelings.
7:18: The 'how' that has been inserted in this verse ought to be removed again. It is not how to do good that is problematic. We know how. It's the doing good, getting around to it, as it were, that causes us problems. Sin ever finds a way to distract us. But my true self is not this corrupted nature, it is that renewed nature that God has given me. Yes, sin remains an all too present nature within me, but not in my true self, not in my renewed spirit.
7:19: There must be a difference between the sorrowful penitence of the believer, and the expressions of the unregenerate sinner plagued by guilt. Sorrow has many shades of meaning, as do those expressions used to declare it. But if all expressions of sorrow at our sin were equal, there would be no real difference between the Christian and the unrenewed man.
7:20: No comments.
7:21: This principle of conflict must be spoken of the renewed man, for the desire to do good, the joyful concurrence with the Law that is declared in the next verse cannot honestly be applied to any but the believer.
7:22: That delight is 'from the bottom of my heart.' It is the deep joy known by the whole of our spirit and emotions, which no unregenerate man could claim to hold for the Law of God that still condemns him.
7:23: (Ro 7:5 - While we remained in the flesh, sinful passions aroused by the Law worked in our members to produce death.) In the context of this verse, law refers to any principle of regular and fixed action, denoting nothing as to their moral quality. Paul finds two such principles in himself. The one is the law of sin, still in the flesh. (Gal 5:17 - The desires of the flesh and of the Spirit are fully opposed, leaving us unable to do what we would. Gal 5:24 - Those who belong to Christ have crucified the fleshly passions.) At the same time, there is the principle that rules in our minds, the holy principles of a renewed nature. Paul does not mean to suggest that he is wholly captivated by his sinful nature as he writes, but only to indicate the tendencies and goals of these two natures he sees within. The one, in the mind, seeks to show approval for God's law, seeks to reflect that law in its actions. The other, in the flesh, seeks to seduce and distract us, to 'carnalize the entire man,' and 'enslave us wholly to our own corruptions.' These two principles are the same in every believer, although the relative strength of each may vary. Some Christians may be all but brought down by their sinful nature, even yet. (Ps 65:3 - Iniquities prevail against me, yet You forgive our transgressions. 2Pe 1:9 - Who lacks the qualities of the Christian life is short-sighted, forgetting the purification he had from his former sins.) Others will so habitually walk in the Spirit that their fleshly ways are effectually crucified, and that law of sin within them all but dead. Yet the character of those two principles is the same in each case. In that Paul describes himself as feeling like a captive in an enemy camp, it is clear that he speaks of a renewed man's case, for none feels like a captive in the camp of his own choosing.
7:24: The sin in our members is but the sin in our hearts finding vent. (Ro 6:6 - Our old self was crucified with him, so that the body of our sin could be done away with, freeing us from its slavery. Ro 7:5 - While we were in the flesh, the sinful passions of that flesh were aroused by the Law, and worked death in our bodies. Ro 6:21 - What benefit did we ever have from these acts? All that they brought us is death.) The cry of this verse is not that of a sinner freshly brought to recognition of his estate, it is the cry of the believer weighted down by the burden he cannot shake, a burden of acts his own, yet not owned to by his renewed self. The responsibility remains.
7:25: Thank God! He has become the glorious Source of our deliverance through Jesus Christ! So, even in that state of earthly deliverance, we know both principles to remain in us with their respective purposes unchanged. The renewed man is deeply in love with God's law, serving it willingly and whole-heartedly. Yet the corrupt and sinful flesh remains, and continues to pursue its course of death. It would seem that the understanding and thoughtful reading of this passage, along with the attestation of our own experience, would make clear that the viewpoint given here is the only one that accords well with both. This chapter is a large part of denying the claims of the Pelagians, who taught that the fallen nature, original sin, was not sin, really, but only 'concupiscence.' Here, Paul regularly calls that nature sinful making plain the truth of the situation. Even in the renewed, the flesh remains a power to be reckoned with, and will be so until we are parted from it. "There is no believer, however advanced in holiness, who cannot adopt the language here used by the apostle." There is no more call to think that in comparing the spiritual and the carnal, the spiritual are declared totally devoid of carnal habits, than there is to think that when we speak of saints and sinners, we declare the saints to be totally devoid of sin. [Those who claim this to be so are liars, and make God a liar.] Those who consider man a tripartite being composed of body, soul, and spirit, restrict the sin nature to our soul. They further contrast this situation to the angels, whose sin was in the spirit, and so left them beyond redemption. In this view, it is at that point wherein sin invades the spirit of man that he sins unto death. But Scripture declares that our entire nature is fallen, and our redemption comes not from strengthening one aspect of our self over all others, but by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Sense and reason are not the combatants, but flesh and spirit. (Jn 3:6 - That which is born of flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.) Moral inability and moral responsibility are not inconsistent. Every believer knows the anguish of knowing what he ought to do, yet feeling the guilt for not doing it. If one believes otherwise, apply then the test of loving God perfectly at all times. It is utterly beyond our ability. Our first recognition of the Cross in our lives brought great emotions of thankfulness, a sense of rejoicing that may not be repeated in this life. But in our daily experience, we see another aspect of that same Cross, able to keep us against all the trials of this life, until we are safe with Him in eternity. Here is even greater cause for rejoicing than at the first! Don't allow this to be a dry matter of theological questioning. It is entirely too powerful and important to be given such treatment. These are issues that rend the heart, that drag forth from us cries of rejoicing to know the salvation that God has given us. If we truly consider the issues that are explored here, we cannot but cry out with Paul in his anguish. We cannot but exalt along with him, to know God has provided the relief we so desperately need.

New Thoughts (10/2/01-10/8/01)

What an overwhelming relief to realize that we're not the only ones who have struggled with the imperfections we still find in ourselves after salvation! Not at all! It seems that if any have ever escaped this struggle, it is only by deluding themselves. It seems as though God's not overly interested in the flesh. Even with His help, it is the spirit, the will, that is strengthened. The flesh remains its old self, and seems ever to be fighting our will, ever seeking to be allowed its old sinful habits. Here, Mr. Clarke of the perfection camp appears to get a little lost. In his argument for present perfection, he first declares that the will is free, and that for the will to be free, it must be free to choose either good or evil. He then tells us that the will cannot command apart from divine grace. How then is it free? The freedom Mr. Clarke claims for the will seems to extend only to desire, not to action. Some freedom that. I could almost agree with his statement that the will cannot command without divine grace, except that the will was already in command when we were sinners. The will had no qualms with the sinful actions we pursued, but heartily commended and commanded those pursuits. It could not do otherwise, for it knew no other course of action. By divine aid, our will is now able to choose the good, to reject the sinful actions we once ran after. This is exactly what Paul has been showing us here. It is indeed well with us. Even though the will of our soul has not yet become the whole of our being, even though the flesh is still rebellious and defiled, it is well with us. Salvation is of the soul. Those who still have flesh may have good within themselves, in their soul, but the flesh itself remains incapable of good. Were it otherwise, the redeemed would not need to lose this mortal flesh. The flesh remains corruptible, and corrupted. In such a state, how could it take on immortality?

But there is a danger in this comprehension, a danger so great that it has caused some to think the whole matter a sinful lie. It is this same danger that causes good men to denounce the fact of permanent salvation, not recognizing that in that denunciation, they have returned to a covenant of works, to futility and hopelessness. The danger that these well-meaning shepherds see is that seeming excuse that the sinner is given not to change. It is the same danger in both cases, but the question is worded a little differently. In the present case, the question that arises is, "if it's not me doing it any more, then why should I worry about it?" The question in the other case is, "if my salvation's certain anyway, and I know God will forgive me, why should I worry about stopping my sinful ways?" That question, Paul already addressed a number of times in this letter. It is not the case for Christians, that they can set aside their responsibility. Even though it is the sinful nature within us that causes us to sin, and is no longer the desire of our will, yet the acts that come of that sinful nature remain our own, even though they are now like the acts of a slave. We no longer agree with those actions, yet they remain ours. The responsibility remains ours. This is the almost daily agony of the believer. This is the agony that caused even Paul to cry out. Although our will has been redeemed, although we struggle with all that we can muster up to refrain from sin, although every fiber of our being, of our soul, our desire, our will, is bent on pursuing that righteousness which the Law and Christ still demand, yet we find ourselves betrayed by ourselves. We find our will captive in the camp of our corrupt body. This is reality. And the responsibility remains upon us for the actions of that body. The curse of the Law has been broken for us. Christ Jesus has already paid the penalty that is due for those actions we will take even today. The repercussions are still ours to face. The repentance is still ours to make. That we feel ourselves captives of our own flesh, as much anguish as it may cause us, ought also to give us confidence. If the fleshly actions that captivate us were of our own choosing, we would not feel ourselves to be captives. That very feeling is a great confirmation of the renewed spirit within us.

Two questions loom large in my mind coming through these commentaries. Mr. Clarke, representing the perfection in our lifetime camp, declares that we can attribute this whole passage to the unregenerate sinner, who is just beginning to come under conviction. As proof, he puts forth the case of the Pharisees who, he says, clearly delighted in the Law. But did they? They certainly pursued a law, but Jesus' big complaint against them was that the law they followed was their own creation, and no longer the true Law of God. They had failed of comprehending the full impact of God's requirements, and had instead created a framework of achievable goals. Did they delight in the Law? No, I think they rather delighted in their own achievements. How could one be delighted in that which gave nothing but condemnation, that showed up all his faults, and provided for no cure? I find I must agree that the heart that delights in the Law must either miscomprehend it sufficiently to make that delight meaningless, or else he must know the Savior who took on our condemnation that we might live to righteousness. From the other camp, those who believe perfection will not come while flesh persists, I find the question as to how God and sin can co-exist, can cohabitate? God, we are told, cannot abide sin. He cannot so much as look at it. So, how is it that He can come dwell in us, who are so far from perfection? To this, I cannot claim to have a full answer. However, I see that God, in Christ, came and dwelt amongst sinful man. I see that His eyes are upon His people at all times, seeing them at their worst as well as at their best. I see that He declares He will not contend with us always. It was to prevent us from an eternity of sinfulness that He wisely limited our days. It was to allow us an eternity that He provided for our salvation. Can the Holy Spirit, then, coexist with our natural sinfulness? It seems apparent that in some degree, He can. How else, the change in us that was necessary before ever we could choose Christ? How else anything but an instant perfection at the very moment of conversion? And that seems to be pretty obviously not the case. If perfection is not instantaneous, it must be progressive. And, if it is progressive, then there must be at least some period during which the Holy Spirit coexists with our sinful nature. If, as Paul declares here, that nature is in the flesh, is it any surprise that the flesh must die? Is it any surprise that so long as the flesh persists, so does sin? If perfection could be completed in this lifetime, there would no longer be a need for death. Death is the punishment of sin. Where sin had been fully eradicated, there would no longer be a call for death. But, we are told that it is appointed to every man once to die. That death comes to the flesh, to the sin nature. In the unredeemed, where the will is still in full accord with the acts of the flesh, there remains a further sentence. In the redeemed, that further sentence has been pardoned, the will has been renewed, the soul no longer cavorts with the flesh, and with the departure of the flesh to its death sentence, is left free of the stains of sin and guilt, just as He promised! He is indeed perfect in wisdom! His ways are excellent, and wonderful beyond our ability to fully comprehend. Yet, I will praise Him, also, for giving us a mind able to understand to the degree He reveals Himself. Thank You, Lord God, for the wonder of Your creation, of Your salvation, of this present life, and the life to come! Indeed, I delight in all Your ways.

That said, knowing that the time of our perfection will come, there remains the dilemma of this present life. The most righteous of us cannot possibly look at himself in honesty, and find himself blameless. Our works remain flawed at best, because our flesh remains and will not be fully subdued. Yet we endeavor to the utmost of our ability to do what God would have us to do. It is indeed humbling to know we have done all we could, and yet have fallen so far short of what we ought. It is only due to Christ's atoning work that our works are acceptable at all. Just as He perfects us, He perfects our prayers and our works, making them holy and acceptable in the sight of God. If we think we are doing well, we have fooled ourselves, we are ignoring the evidence before our eyes, refusing to see the sins we are still committing. John tells us that anybody who declares himself free of all sin is a liar, and in his words declares God to also be a liar. God declares that there is none who is good. There isn't. Not a one. But, there are many who are forgiven, who hunger for the time when that will no longer be so. Were we left with nothing but the misery of this present condition, longing after goodness, but surrounded by misery and failure, we should despair of all hope. But God does not leave us hopeless! He has promised, and that upon His own Holy Name, that His grace will suffice, that there will come a time when all sin has been done away with, when we will dwell with Him in eternity, freed from the pains and woes of this life. This is the rock upon which we stand, the promise for which Christ came and died, the promise of which the present aid of the Holy Spirit within us is a foretaste. And in that foretaste of the promise is our redemption. It is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that renews us day to day. It is not some strengthened will finally overcoming the flesh, no. It is the very power of God brought to bear within us, purifying us bit by bit, day by day, until Perfection Himself shall come. God has done what no other could. He has saved us from our selves. He has brought freedom to souls held captive, in spite of the flesh that remains, He has brought forth victory! The fullness of that victory, regeneration will come for us, but not in this life. The desire will be with us throughout our days, we will struggle to reach that goal of perfection so long as life persists. Some days, we may struggle more than others, but the desire cannot be taken away. God's works do not change. They stand forever. Salvation is the work of God, not man. It, too, will stand forever. As He has worked that wonderful change in my heart, that very heart that could not love Him before, cannot help but love Him now. I will indeed strive after holiness all the days of my life. The impossibility of the goal is no discouragement to the one in love with the goal! Though my failures daily pain me, yet I will seek to please my Beloved. And I know He is pleased with my efforts. I know He dusts of the grime that inevitably attaches to the best of my works, I know He polishes away the imperfections of my offerings, so that they become works of perfect beauty in His sight.

In the end, it seems to me that those who seek to argue that Paul is not speaking of his own case in this section of the letter seek a way to not look at themselves. After all, if Christians don't experience this painful dilemma, and I know I'm a Christian, then why need I look to see if this issue exists in me? I must be alright. It smacks of the same problem the Pharisees suffered from, that of judging by the wrong measure. By their own estimates they were fine, but in God's eyes, they had still failed miserably. I rather like the test that the JFB Commentary offered: consider whether you have loved God perfectly at all times. I don't think there's a one among us that would claim to pass that test. We are all still desperately in need of His forgiveness, of His mercy. Indeed, we cannot but cry with Paul, if once more we recognize that pride that is still within us. We cannot but rejoice with Paul, if once more we recognize His wonderful work on our behalf! We cannot but shout out in excitement to know that He has provided all. He has provided for our past. He has provided for our future. He has provided for our present, washing us once more today from the mire we've attracted to ourselves. He has provided for our present, rephrasing the prayers we have offered too hastily, too thoughtlessly, and making of them holy and acceptable offerings to the Father. He has provided for our present, fixing the errors in our efforts to do good, so that the good that we will is indeed known in God's eyes in spite of the flesh that won't. He has provided for our present, even mediating our praise, that so often fails of its true mark. Our praises, which are too often shaped to the pleasing of our flesh, He transforms, even as He has transformed our soul, our mind. While I fear to offer less than my best, I will not fear to offer that imperfectly, which I long to give in perfection. There will be a time for that. And until that time comes, there will be One in heaven who knows my heart, for He it is who transformed it, who knows my desires, for He has washed away the corruption that made them so vile before. How shall I not praise Him, knowing that He takes me as I am, that He makes me more than I am, that He loves me enough to correct each mistake, to forgive every failure, to love me through my darkest night? How shall I not rejoice to know I serve my Savior, He who has wrought for me a salvation unshakable? Oh God, my God, how I long for that perfection that will come when we meet for an eternal conversation! How it pains me that I cannot serve You as I would even now. And what could I possibly say that would make right the times that I have not in all honesty desired to be that servant in Your house? Forgive me, Father. There can be no excuse. There is nothing I can say that would make it right. There is nothing I could do that would remove the offense. But there is Jesus! Oh, my precious Jesus! What I could not do, my sweet older Brother has done. He has spoken to You on my behalf. He has righted the wrongs I have done to Your name. He continues to look after me. Even now, even with this, I know He is making right the words of my heart, making this simple prayer a thing of beauty before You. Lord, I love You. However imperfectly I may show it, yet I know it's true. And I will praise You as best I can, for I know You love me with an everlasting love, a love that will not fail, for You are eternal, You are my unchanging Father, who has known me since before I was knit in the womb of my mother, who has loved me just as long, and who will love me longer still. May all creation rejoice to know You as its Maker! May it come soon, oh my God, that all the nations will know that You and You alone are God!