Rev Chris Roth

Romans 7: 15-25 When we read Romans chapter 7, many of us feel like we understand the reality that Paul is describing. He says, " I do not understand my own actions for I do not do what I want but I do the very thing I hate." Many of us have the experience of doing things we know aren't good for us. This is the experience of being stuck in an addiction. We often experience sin as a kind of addiction. We often only catch the sin when we look back on our actions, rather than in the moment. When we come to God in confession, we often bring the same sorts of things to God over and over and over. We can feel ourselves stuck in this pattern of sinful behaviors. And so, we feel like Paul is describing our reality- "I do not understand my own actions for I do not do what I want but I do the very thing I hate." Many people have read Romans chapter 7 and have felt their experience described. But Paul isn't actually addressing that psychological and spiritual reality....