Matthew Henry Commentary Romans 7:23-25

"but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." — Romans 7:23-25 (ASV)

This passage does not represent the apostle as one who walked according to the flesh, but as one who was deeply committed not to walk in that way. And if there are those who abuse this passage, as they also do with the other Scriptures, to their own destruction, yet serious Christians find reason to bless God for having in this way provided for their support and comfort. We are not, because of the abuse by those who are blinded by their own lusts, to find fault with Scripture, or any just and well-warranted interpretation of it.

And no one who is not engaged in this conflict can clearly understand the meaning of these words or rightly judge this painful conflict, which led the apostle to bemoan himself as a wretched man, constrained to do what he abhorred. He could not deliver himself, and this made him thank God all the more fervently for the way of salvation revealed through Jesus Christ, which promised him, in the end, deliverance from this enemy. So then, he says, I myself, with my mind—my prevailing judgment, affections, and purposes, as a regenerate man, by divine grace—serve and obey the law of God; but with the flesh—the carnal nature, the remains of depravity—I serve the law of sin, which wars against the law of my mind.

He is not serving it in such a way as to live in it or to allow it, but as one unable to free himself from it, even in his very best state, and needing to look for help and deliverance outside of himself. It is evident that he thanks God for Christ as our deliverer, as our atonement and righteousness in Himself, and not because of any holiness worked in us. He knew of no such salvation and disowned any such title to it.

He was willing to act in all points agreeably to the law, in his mind and conscience, but was hindered by indwelling sin and never attained the perfection the law requires. What can be deliverance for a person who is always sinful, except the free grace of God, as offered in Christ Jesus? The power of divine grace and of the Holy Spirit could root out sin from our hearts even in this life, if divine wisdom had not thought otherwise.

But it is permitted, so that Christians might constantly feel and thoroughly understand the wretched state from which divine grace saves them, might be kept from trusting in themselves, and might always hold all their consolation and hope from the rich and free grace of God in Christ.