JoeB Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I believe Paul is referring to himself and all who aspire to walk with Christ in this journey called life. Somebody mentioned that we are basically "a work in progress" and I have to unequivocally agree with that description! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). Paul's use of "I" in Romans 7 is referring to Christians who are not walking by the Spirit. They are yet allowing the bondage of sin to trap them and hold them down. Their freedom will only come when they walk by the Spirit of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taray Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). Judging by what Paul said earlier, "you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God," (italics my own) living in Christ is a continual growing process; we may have died to the law, but "[belonging] to another" and "[bearing] fruit to God" is a gradual process and not immediate. Using Paul's metaphor, he death of the first husband is certain, but the marriage to the second husband is a "might". Also, we died to the Law, not to sin. Even though we are now free from the Law, we're not yet freed from the influence and temptation of sin. Therefore, it seems to me that the "I" here refers to one who's regenerate but not yet mature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon burke Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=814 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Sanger Posted June 17, 2010 Report Share Posted June 17, 2010 Firstly I think we should keep in mind who Paul wrote this letter too… This letter was written to the believers in Rome, so when Paul wrote to them and used “I”, I think he referred to himself. In that time all believed Paul to be the perfect believer, but what Paul does is to describe himself and letting all know that he feels the same as everyone else who serves God when it comes to doing sin. As believers we are not sinners, but we are reborn believers that do sin and I think that is the message that Paul was trying to tell us here. Yes, you will do wrong although you don’t want to, yes you will not be able to explain why you do things you don’t want to do, but in the end it is God that would save us through Jesus Christ. (I might have got this wrong, but that is how I understood it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul G Posted July 16, 2010 Report Share Posted July 16, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). ANS - I think that Paul was attempting to describe the struggle against the human flesh that Christians in general have, him understanding the temptations and struggles we go through on a day to day basis. He may have experienced this himself, but then goes on in Romans 8 to describe the victory we can have, based on what was revealed to him, and based on his own experience. Based on a broader understanding of the Pauline epistles they don't give the impression that Paul was struggling with sin, but in fact was living a life of victory and freedom. Sure, he had to deal with temptations and situations that we all do, but had learned to live a life of victory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foofee's Nana Posted July 28, 2010 Report Share Posted July 28, 2010 Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I think that Paul is referring to the Jewish believers that were new to the faith.....they struggled with stillwanint to be in complete obedience to the law as they had been taught, but felt they failed and this made them miserable. he may have been looking back at glimpses of himself as we all do.....we want to be walking in God's plan, following God's lawa and be obedient to His Word....then BOOM, we slip up and want to beat ourself up over it. We are the redeemed, the beloved of God....so we need to trust the Comforter and walk in peace and love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 I think that Paul is referring to himself. He knew that without God nothing is good within him. Even though he knew the law he was unable to keep the law. Again he needed God to help him with that. He knew that he was falling short of the glory of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wifee Posted August 18, 2010 Report Share Posted August 18, 2010 a) Paul initially could have written about himself prior to his conversion.Then to describe his inward conflict with sin, showing how far short he came of the demands of the law, and that the old nature (flesh), still remains in believers. Paul then writes about Christians who have not learned to walk by the Spirit,regenerated but not liberated,describng the struggle between the two natures in a believer. In committing acts against his better judgment the believer concludes that the culprit is not the new man in Christ, but the sinful corrupt nature that dwells in him. The believer has the desire to do what is right, but he does not have the resources in himself. It is only with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit that he is capable of standing up to sin. It is a losing battle to do it with selfhelp alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramon Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). Answer;The Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moody Grad Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I believe Paul is referring to himself and all Christians who live by the Spirit but must still deal with sin that resides in the flesh. Only when we reach Heaven will we be freed from sin that is in us but is not who we are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosegarden Posted October 29, 2010 Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I believe through experience and understanding that the "I" person - is me. I have been regenerated but did not understand that I am nothing on my own but it is Christ in me who is everything. Knowing now, that I was crucified with Christ, Reckoned dead to sin but alive to God through Jesus Christ, yielding my instruments unto righteousness. Learning to walk in the Spirit and fulfilling the law by yielding to the Holy Spirit which gives me the power to live a holy life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljmnkscart Posted December 3, 2010 Report Share Posted December 3, 2010 After further study I believe that Paul is talking about himself and mature Christians. Paul wrote this letter 25 years after his conversion; surely the Apostle Paul was a mature Christian by this time. A mature Christian will have struggles with sin. When Paul said we are no longer slaves to sin he is saying that we are no longer slave to the reign of sin, that we are not slaves to the power of sin, that sin does not reign in our lives; therefore we will struggle with certain things, each to his own. As Christians infants or mature we are all still flesh and we will have fleshy struggles until Jesus returns for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Jim Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). Quite simply, I reckon Paul is using the first person just to drive home his point. He clearly was, by the time he wrote this, a victorious Christian who knew well the victory believers can claim in Jesus' Name and by being part of God's family. The concluding verses in this section give it away. "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." Paul is reminding his readers that the sinful nature is still alive in us and warring against God's will for our lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chichii Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I think that Paul was actually referring to himself at the time of writing. Even though he must have been at a level spiritually that most of us can't even begin to fathom I think as a human being he still had areas in his life that God was working with him to change or improve on. even though he was living a victorious christian life, I think as long as we are still clothed by flesh there will be times when we are less that victorious and that is why Christ shed his blood and advocates for us before the Father so we can be forgiven and fight again till we conquer that part and attain new levels of faith or right living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara A. Lee Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I think Paul, in this referrence, is referring to both himslef and others. As a sinner we all fall short of the glory of God. But thank God we have a substitute for our sin. Jesus died on the cross not only for my sins but for everyone else's sins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastor neal Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I believe that although Paul is using the pronoun "I" he is actually including everyone. He is telling this to the Roman readers and by professing "I" he brings his readers in on a personal level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iam4_1god Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I think Paul means all of us. I say this because I know what God's word says about gluttony, for instance. Excess is sin. However-I don't even think about that when I'm eating. Even though I know it is a sin to eat way too much, I just keep on doing it. Consequences don't enter in until after I'm done eating. Then, I want to kick myself for eating too much! I feel like a looser. It occurs to me that I sinned, and I need to repent and I feel wretched-sick to my stomach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ross_laoshi Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I believe Paul is referring to himself firstly, and by inference to all people, as we all share the same nature in our flesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janissi Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I believe Paul is talking about himself and others. Just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeraja Posted February 25, 2012 Report Share Posted February 25, 2012 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I think Paul is referring to himself but with a message for the others. He is trying to examine (reflect) his self and thereby giving us an insight into his struggles. He is reflecting on how our life would be without the saving grace of God. We (others) can learn from his struggle that without the saving grace of God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit sin will dominate our lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertprice Posted February 18, 2013 Report Share Posted February 18, 2013 It appears to me that Paul is talking about how he himself was as an honest law-abiding Jew but not yet a Christian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awylie1949@yahoo.co.uk Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 I think Paul is referring to himself but with an eye to his readers so we could identify with his words and with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnjaylynn731 Posted May 12, 2013 Report Share Posted May 12, 2013 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I beleve Paul is speaking in first person meaning the reader in one instance but Paul as the writer or as the orator was referring to himself in another instance, and overall he is referring to us all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnjaylynn731 Posted May 16, 2013 Report Share Posted May 16, 2013 Q5. (Romans 7:14-25) Christians disagree about who is the "I" in Romans 7. Is Paul referring to himself or others? What is your opinion? (We won't all agree here, but we'll learn what the issues are by taking and arguing for a position -- lovingly). I am convinced Paul is talking in first person or he is the I but I also believe that he expecting you to take the I and put you in place of the I and the me also. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but Jerri (hereinafter "I") is carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in Jerri (hereinafter "me.") 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. ,vv,22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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