ROMANS 7: 14-15, 18B, 21-25

THE MEN’S GROUP BIBLICAL EQUIPPING – FEBRUARY 16, 2005

14
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into
slavery under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do
what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
18b
I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.
21
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close
at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in
my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me
captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I
am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
25
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Background
Writer: Paul, as a letter to friends in Rome, not to a specific church, but to an
emerging Christian community. He wrote the letter from Corinth. He was
laying the groundwork for what he hoped would be a future visit (he had never
been there). As it turned out, he did come to Rome two years later – in
chains.
Date: About 56-57 AD.
What’s Going On: In Rome, there were more Gentile believers than converted Jews.
Paul focuses the book mostly around the concept of “salvation”: what it is,
how to get it, and what role the Holy Spirit plays in it. Believers are led by the
Spirit, are aided by the Spirit in prayer, and are the first fruits of the Spirit.
This section of Romans focuses on the struggle of believers and the
necessity for Christians to examine their brokenness and turn to the saving
power of Christ.
“Members” refers to parts of the body.
St. Matthews Emmaus Groups
Facilitator’s Biblical Equipping: Jan-April 2005

ROMANS 7: 14-15, 18B, 21-25

THE MEN’S GROUP BIBLICAL EQUIPPING – FEBRUARY 16, 2005

SUGGESTED CHECK-IN: HOW HAS LENT BEEN GOING FOR YOU SO FAR – IN A
SPIRITUAL SENSE (NOT HOW HAS YOUR WEEK BEEN GOING, BUT HOW HAS
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BEEN GOING)?

Explore:
1. What does “of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin” mean?
2. How does Paul distinguish between the mind (or inmost self) and
the body?
3. How would you relate this passage to the Lenten struggle of Jesus
being tempted by Satan in the desert? How do we (as men) react
to temptation versus Jesus’ (as a man) reaction?

Connect
1. How does this passage describe your struggle?
2. What does the concept of “brokenness” mean to you?
3. What hope does Christ’s example and crucifixion offer you?

Prepare
Everyone writes down how they plan to apply the concepts discussed here to
their daily life in the ensuing week. We will discuss how that went during
Check In next week.

ALSO, BE SURE TO FACILITATE SPIRITUAL COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR

GROUPS BETWEEN MEETINGS!