Romans 7 25

Romans 7:25 kjv

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:25 nkjv

I thank God?through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:25 niv

Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:25 esv

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 7:25 nlt

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Romans 7 verses

Romans 7 25 Meaning

Romans 7:25 expresses both a triumphant cry of thanksgiving to God for deliverance through Jesus Christ and a stark confession of the ongoing, internal struggle of the regenerated believer. It summarily answers the lament of the "wretched man" from the preceding verses, declaring that the solution to the power of sin is found solely in Christ. However, it simultaneously acknowledges the paradox of Christian experience: while the mind, aligned with the Spirit, desires to serve God's law, the flesh remains susceptible to the compelling principle of sin. This verse acts as a pivotal bridge from the internal conflict of chapter 7 to the declarative victory in the Spirit presented in chapter 8, embodying the "already but not yet" tension of salvation.

Romans 7 25 Context

Romans 7:25 directly follows Paul's poignant lament in Romans 7:7-24, where he vividly describes the intense struggle of a person (widely understood as the regenerated believer) who desires to obey God's spiritual law but is repeatedly thwarted by indwelling sin. The immediate context of verse 24, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?", provides the desperate cry to which verse 25 offers the resounding answer and thanks.

The broader context of Romans 7 explains the role of the Law: it is good and spiritual, but it reveals sin and cannot provide the power for obedience, thus making the individual conscious of their sinfulness and need for a deliverer. Verse 25 then shifts the focus from the inability of the Law and the self to the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. It sets the stage for the triumphant declaration of liberation in Romans 8, where the power of the Spirit provides the enablement for walking according to God's will, which the Law revealed but could not empower. Historically, the internal struggle Paul describes resonates with Jewish traditions concerning the yetzer hara (evil inclination) and yetzer hatov (good inclination), reflecting a deep human awareness of moral duality, now viewed through the lens of Christ's salvation.

Romans 7 25 Word analysis

• I thank God: The Greek εὐχαριστῶ (eucharistō) signifies a direct expression of gratitude, a spontaneous outburst of relief and praise following the desperate cry of verse 24. It indicates that the deliverance is a certain, realized hope, even amidst the ongoing struggle.
• through Jesus Christ: The Greek διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (dia Iēsou Christou) highlights the indispensable medium and source of this deliverance. It underscores that any victory or future freedom from the body of death is not through self-effort, law, or any other means, but solely by Christ's redemptive work. He is the exclusive path to overcoming sin and its dominion.
• our Lord: The Greek τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν (tou Kyriou hēmōn) identifies Jesus as the sovereign authority and master of believers. This title emphasizes His divine authority and rightful claim over their lives, signifying their submission to His lordship as the one who delivers.
• So then, I myself: The Greek particles ἄρα οὖν (ara oun - 'so then' or 'therefore') mark this as a logical conclusion or summary of the preceding argument and internal conflict. The intensified αὐτὸς ἐγὼ (autos egō - 'I myself') draws a direct link to the suffering "I" of Romans 7:14-24, indicating that the very person experiencing the internal war is also the one giving thanks and acknowledging this paradox. It signifies no shift in identity, but a recognition of ongoing internal realities.
• with the mind: The Greek τῷ μὲν νοῒ (tō men noi) refers to the intellect, the inner spiritual faculty that comprehends, discerns, and assents to God's truth. In the believer, this part has been renewed and aligned with God's will, desiring His Law.
• serve the law of God: The Greek δουλεύω νόμῳ Θεοῦ (douleuō nomō Theou) means "to be a slave to" or "to be devoted to" the law of God. This indicates the profound desire and intention of the regenerated mind to submit to and obey God's righteous standards. This service is a willing, internal allegiance.
• but with the flesh: The Greek τῇ δὲ σαρκὶ (tē de sarki) refers to human nature in its unredeemed, fallen aspect, the physical and moral inclination toward sin that remains even in believers. It contrasts sharply with the "mind" and points to the enduring presence of sin in the believer's earthly existence.
• the law of sin: The Greek νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας (nomō hamartias) refers to the pervasive principle or compelling power of sin. This is the natural tendency within the flesh to defy God's will, illustrating sin's internal active force. It’s not an external legal code but an internal drive.

Words-group analysis:

• "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord": This phrase immediately and emphatically attributes deliverance to Christ. It is a doxological exclamation of faith, marking a shift from internal despair to confident hope anchored in Christ's accomplished work, even before a full explanation of the deliverance is provided. It affirms that the source of spiritual resolution and power over the body of death is external and divine.
• "So then, I myself": This functions as a summarizing phrase. Paul concludes the intensely personal account of struggle with a personal, direct statement of continuing dual allegiance. It is the same "I" who suffered and found an answer in Christ, yet remains simultaneously under two internal dynamics. This connection ensures the solution is for the person struggling in the earlier verses.
• "with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin": This forms the core paradoxical confession of the verse. It depicts the ongoing tension in the life of a believer—the simultaneous spiritual allegiance of the regenerated mind to God's righteousness and the persistent pull of the sinful nature (flesh). It is not a call to legalism but a recognition of spiritual realities: the renewed self yearns for God, yet the lingering impact of sin remains active within. This dual service indicates that sanctification is a process, not a static state of immediate perfection.

Romans 7 25 Bonus section

• Augustine's Influence: This chapter, particularly verse 25, heavily influenced Augustine's understanding of sin and grace, especially in his later anti-Pelagian writings. He saw it as the cry of a Christian, emphasizing the perpetual need for divine grace.
• Justification vs. Sanctification: Romans 7:25 effectively delineates the difference between justification (God's declaration of righteousness, an instantaneous act of grace "through Jesus Christ") and sanctification (the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ, marked by this internal struggle until glorification). The thankfulness addresses justification; the two services describe the reality of progressive sanctification.
• "Body of Death": While verse 24 uses "body of death" as an object of deliverance, verse 25 shifts to "flesh" (sarx) as the sphere of the ongoing struggle with sin. This distinction underscores that the ultimate doom and enslavement to sin is broken, yet its presence remains a reality within the mortal body until glorification.
• Antidote to Perfectionism: This verse offers a crucial counterpoint to the idea of sinless perfection in this life, affirming the believer's ongoing susceptibility to sin while simultaneously anchoring hope in Christ's finished work. It promotes humility and constant dependence on God's grace rather than self-reliance.

Romans 7 25 Commentary

Romans 7:25 acts as both a sigh of relief and a theological summary, crystallizing the truth that while ultimate deliverance from the power and penalty of sin is achieved "through Jesus Christ our Lord," the present reality for the believer is an ongoing internal conflict. This verse firmly locates the solution to the human dilemma, specifically the Christian's struggle with indwelling sin, in Christ, not in human will or adherence to the Law. The phrase "I thank God" is not an anticipatory statement of a future deliverance, but an affirmation of a deliverance already accomplished in principle and certainty for the believer, even as the experiential battle rages.

The verse portrays a clear dualism within the believer: the "mind," which has been renewed by the Spirit, now aligns itself with God's perfect Law, earnestly desiring to serve Him. Conversely, "the flesh," representing the unredeemed aspects of human nature, continues to be subjected to the "law of sin," a powerful principle of fallen desire and disobedience. This is not advocating for a form of spiritual schizophrenia but rather acknowledging the realistic tension of the "already and not yet" aspect of salvation: justified, redeemed, and given a new nature, yet still awaiting the full redemption of the body (Rom 8:23) and glorification. Paul does not present this as defeat but as a constant war that points the believer back to Christ's grace as the ongoing source of strength. It is a doxological resolution, a moment of profound gratitude and faith, providing the necessary bridge to the Spirit-filled life and freedom from condemnation explored in Romans 8.

Examples:

• A believer earnestly prays for purity (mind serving God's law) yet later finds themselves struggling with lustful thoughts (flesh serving the law of sin), turning them back to Christ for strength.
• Someone seeks to serve others selflessly (mind) but secretly battles feelings of pride or resentment (flesh), prompting reliance on the Holy Spirit's guidance.
• A Christian deeply desires to forgive (mind) but holds onto bitterness for a time (flesh), leading them to confess and seek grace for a transformed heart.