The two natures of a believer

Romans 7:15-25a

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,  23  but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.  24  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  25  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.

Key words

Born again, two natures, flesh, old, new, spiritual

We begin a passage with a very peculiar phrase: “For I do not understand my own actions.” The grammar clearly says that the writer, who is the Apostle Paul, was thinking about something so we need to look behind this passage to find what was bothering him. 

Indeed, to start at the beginning, if one wanted to understand the righteousness of God, one only needs to read this book (Romans). The question is more refined than this: he is answering the most basic question of the gospel: “how can the righteousness of God become a human possession?” Or put another way, how does a person become righteous?

Because if anyone wants to avoid punishment, and the eternal fires of hell, a person needs to be righteous before God. And this is what Paul has, in minute detail, spelt out in chapters 1, 2 and 3 of this book commencing with this salient point:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Romans 1:18)

What he saying: the reason we know of and can see God’s righteousness is because God has shown his wrath against all sin – that is unrighteousness. A person who refuses to honour God is considered godless, and that one is known to be unrighteous. But further, and not well expressed in our English translations: a person who is a sinner, and thus unrighteous, has violated God’s standard which brings divine disapproval.

It’s not that people have merely made a mistake, but they have shown total disregard to God.

Paul has shown in the earlier chapters of Romans that neither religion or human intellect or keeping certain rules or laws can bridge the enormous gap required for a person to be righteous.

And it is the book of Roman’s that sets forth the doctrine of salvation by the grace of Jesus Christ, alone.  That is, there is righteousness of God for a believer who puts their faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God (Romans 3:22).

And it comes to two startling conclusions:

1. Everyone has sinned, thus no one is righteous: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23)
2. Our salvation from the wrath God comes by God’s grace towards those that put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. This means we are justified by his grace and thus will not be punished. It’s a gift – a gift of redemption in Jesus Christ.

Now, this was not new. The Old Testament saints knew about this, and understood it. They understood, if one placed their faith in God, God imputed righteousness to that person. And this is what chapter 4 of Romans is about – which I will leave for your homework. The question Paul answers in chapter 4 is, “was the faith of Abraham due to his work or his faith?” Paul concludes it was by his faith.

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." (Romans 4:2-3)

God could do this, because He can declare that person is legally righteous (or right). It is a righteousness that cannot be earned; it’s through faith. It’s not eared because a human can never be good enough to appease God’s wrath from him or her.

But the moment a person believes that Jesus Christ died on the cross, they are born again; given a new nature, which has been imputed righteous. And furthermore, Paul assured all that this applied equally to Jews or Gentiles.  That is, a person who puts their faith and trust in Jesus is given a new nature which irrevocably secures the gift of freedom of the tyranny of sin and death.

Now this is the crux of this text. We need to see and understand this to understand the issue Paul was having. A believer has two natures – the old sinful nature and the new spiritual nature.

Remember, Paul says: I do not understand my own actions. In chapter 5 Paul sets out why we are all sinners, every one of us. He gives three reasons.

1. The first is we all commit acts of sin; thus we have personal sin. But why?
2. The second reason answers the first; we are all descendants of Adam who tainted his whole being with sin, and in this we inherit a sin nature. The Apostle John refers to this as the “flesh”, and in the passage before us today, it is the part of Paul that does wrong things. We are born with a sinful nature and we retain it until we enter glory – this forms our mortal self – the bit that dies.
3. The third reason is sin is imputed to all of humanity: Adam died due to sin and so will we die, for the wages of sin is death; that is eternal separation from God.

Interestingly, in the Greek “to sin” means to miss the mark. God has set a standard, a benchmark, if you will, and sin causes us to miss it. Jesus on the other hand did not miss the mark – he was perfect. When born again, it is our new nature does not miss the mark – it’s guided by the Holy Spirit.

Paul shows that it is not by keeping a set of rules that can makes anyone righteous. This was Nicodemus’ issue when he confronted Jesus in John chapter 3. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and ruler in Israel at the time of Jesus and as such had spent his whole life finding ways to ‘fence in’ the Mosaic Law to ensure he did not break any law, even minutely, thus paving a way to heaven. They believed that that by keeping the law they had the keys to heaven; but Jesus shows this is impossible. Indeed, Jesus, knew this upright man was destined for hell because his old nature was condemned already; Nicodemus was no more perfect from the next person. Indeed Jesus proclaimed 7 woes on the Pharisees in chapter 23 of Matthew.

So facing Jesus Nicodemus is told – no, it’s not what you do, but rather, who you become that saves you. And Jesus utters this startling fact that one needed to be born again to be saved.

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' (John 3:5-8)

 Then Jesus goes on to say:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

So a person has believed that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died and shed his blood for their sins on the cross of Calvary and rose again, has, due to the shedding of blood been imputed righteous. This is based solely on the new nature – the old nature – what John calls flesh will die, one day.[1]

Although a believer is set free from the penalty of sin, they still sin because they still have the old nature and this is what Paul is dealing with in chapter 7.

The process of becoming holy once saved is called sanctification. It is sanctification that deals with the power of sin over a believer. This is such an important topic that Paul devotes chapters 6, 7 and half of 8 to it. Thus we see why this passage, which we pick up in chapter 7 commences with word “for” because Paul has spent a chapter and half explaining the issue of sanctification.

And to give the story away, the real story of sanctification is about a Christian growing to maturity in their faith. Sanctification is the process, enabled by the Holy Spirit, and this is the key; to enable each of us to put aside ungodly things, and present our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1).

As believers Paul says

1. In Chapter 6 a person should sin, because they should be dead to sin.
2. But chapter 7 says if a person tries to not sin, they will actually still sin.
3. But chapter 8 resolves the tension: a believer does not ever need to sin, because they have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.

In verse 14 we see Paul acknowledging it’s not the law that is at issue here.  God gave the Law to Moses, called the Law of Moses, or more often, just the Law, in order to show how sinful sin was.  Paul writes in relation to the law:

Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." (Romans 7:7b)

Indeed the law was spiritual. So in verse 15 Paul note this, and writes that although the law was spiritual, it was not help to him, because he was flesh. That is, while on this earth he still had the old sin nature. But, the real issue, was he also had a new nature, which discerned good from evil. The old could only sin; it was inherited from Adam but the new was sinless.

The indwelling sin nature was a tyrant that appeared to be compelling Paul to act against his better self (the new nature). We see find out why.  He says:

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. (Romans 7:18)

Paul sees that the old nature can do no good thing. As a believer he had the will to do the good thing, but he found himself impotent and incapable of doing so. But in verse 20 he sees the root cause:

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Romans 7:20)

Paul observes he is neither the master over himself or his sin. And for an unbeliever, this is the crux that should drive you to Jesus Christ. You simply do not have the ability to appease the wrath God; you will take the punishment in full.

New believers often struggle to understand that they are really saved. They continue to sin, and wonder if the conflict can be resolved. This can led to great anxiety. But as Paul points out, it is only a believer that can observe that he is not doing good or evil. So that in this case, the very fact Paul recognizes he is not doing good and indeed recognizes there is an evil inside of himself is evidence in and of itself of salvation. Noun believer could write these words:

 I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. (Romans 7:23)

Verse 24 is the climax to Paul’s anxiety but he asks the right question: “Who will deliver me from this body of death”. He reaches this conclusion because the Law of Moses has demonstrated to him nothing good lives in him. We learn this by reading the Old Testament. 

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Note Paul is focused on the old nature. It is the old nature rearing its ugly and sinful head that causes the conflict. 

His physical body is the source of evil. But his spirit, loves the Lord and wants to please him. The old self makes Paul a prisoner to sin, but the Holy Spirit enables him in the new nature to please God.

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)

In this verse, Paul’s mind is the seat of his spirit, and which loves the Lord. This is perhaps enigmatic alone, but chapter 8 explains.

Thus, Paul comes to the wonderful and perfect conclusion: Jesus after he left this earth dying on the cross and shedding his blood and returning to his Father, God the Father send the Holy Spirit. And we know that every believer who is born again has the Holy Spirit dwelling within him or her. We are not alone! We have defences in this battle.

Here Paul identifies the two natures of a believer: the old called flesh – it serves the law of sin and the new which is spiritual, where a believer serves the law of Christ [2]with one’s mind.  The old has been condemned – Jesus did this on the cross, so now we can, in the new nature walk according to the Spirit. [3]

A believer’s old nature cannot serve God – it can only serve the law of sin. It’s impossible to prevent which is the reason the word ‘law’ is used here. So if a Christian attempts to live a godly life from the flesh, they fail. In chapter 8 Paul writes:

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:8-9)

So therefore we have a practical thing we can do to help: but firstly we must understand it’s the power of the Holy Spirit, not ourselves, that provides the power. But this starts with the heart; out attitude of our heart needs to be aligned with the will of God.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) [JND translation]

What do we spend our time thing about, day dreaming about: what do our hearts seek? Here the Psalms seeks help so that his heart follows the perfect path. 

The other question we can ask; what is feeding our hearts desire? Sin begins with the heart. What’s feeding it? Paul tells Timothy we need to take active control – be mindful in common parlance: 

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

A believer is urged to do two things:

1. Flee evil; lust, greed, gossip etc
2. A believer has to actively pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. It’s not learnt naturally

Both require energy. It’s not a passive thing. It’s part of laying hold of eternal life. This is an action - energy require power, and this is provided by the Holy Spirit. 

We have found that although the believer has a new nature that he received at conversion, his old nature akin to Adam still exists within him and continues to tempt him to return to his former sinful lifestyle throughout the course of this life. But he identifies the reason we can rejoice – it is a fact the Spirit of God dwells in a believer. And this fact is that allows a believer to grow in their sanctification.

If we understand the dual nature of a believer, we can shape one’s understanding of practical sanctification in several important ways.

So although I can say I’m a prisoner of this enemy because he lives in my physical body, and obviously I can’t exist on earth serving God without that body;

• Yet I’m not without defence in this battle: I have the Holy Spirit. This reminds us of Paul’s exhortation to put on the whole armour of God which means being in the Word of God, daily. Being in prayer daily.
• We will find that the stronger my spiritual will grows, the more control I exert over the physical will

We cannot leave our minds in passive control. A Christian needs to take firm control of his or her mind. Paul writes to the Ephesians:

[P]ut off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Why? Paul writes the obvious.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5)

We need to have total control of our minds. This the big tech companies attempt to prevent at all costs. They want control of your mind, as an example. Further, we need to control what our mind focuses on – so letting it free range is dangerous; the devil will take it diametrically away from God, and we need to activity prevent it focusing on impure things – greed, envy, strife, deceit, sexual immorality. Because if we do, we cannot but sin.

If we have Jesus as our daily focus, our lives will be Spirit led. But this takes effort, a lot of effort, but not insurmountable under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:2)

So we need to refocus. Paul says he did so every day when he wrote he had to ‘die daily’. This was not a death wish, but a physical active denial of the old nature. He recognised he had an old nature, and recognised he had to deal with it, daily.

The late Stephen Armstrong put it this way:

The life goal of every Christian should be to grow spiritually and to discipline the flesh

• In working on these things, we bring glory to Christ
• We show His love to other people
• And we serve Him faithfully as His ambassador
• That’s the mission of every Christian life, and it begins with understanding how the war is fought and won: through the Holy Spirit.

I leave us with these words which directs each of us to turn our mind – our spirit to Godly things. 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

Stephen Armstrong

We have a mortal physical body – it will die and we will be given a perfect immortal body (1 Corinthians 15). This is the hope of our faith; our hope of resurrection 

• All believers look forward to this coming moment, when we receive a new immortal body
• Our resurrection is the moment of our glorification, but even before that moment, we will be freed from the scourge of this body
• At our death, when our spirit leaves this body behind, we enter into the presence of Christ in heaven
• The only thing standing between us and Heaven is our sinful body
• Once the body is gone, our spirit can enter Heaven, which proves that our spirit is sinless already

Paul says that with his mind (which in Greek is better rendered our spirit), we serve the law of God through our life lived in Christ

• My flesh serves the principle of sin, that is opposition to God
  • So when you sin, you’re seeing your flesh winning the day
• When you live in holy and pleasing ways, you’re seeing your spirit in control

The life goal of every Christian should be to grow spiritually and to discipline the flesh

• In working on these things, we bring glory to Christ
• We show His love to other people
• And we serve Him faithfully as His ambassador
• That’s the mission of every Christian life, and it begins with understanding how the war is fought and won

Further, his new nature testifies to the sinfulness of the old.

1. The source springs from where every blessing springs; the power by which the victory is gained, the “Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2. The believer in Jesus Christ is not only delivered from, condemnation by his Lord’s atoning death (Galatians 3:13), but in and through the same divine Saviour the Holy Spirit—the very Spirit of Christ and of God—comes and abides in him; and as his faith grows stronger and his surrender to the Spirit’s guidance becomes more complete, he is strengthened with might in the inner man. Christ dwells in his heart with His spiritual presence and power, and makes him victorious over the sin by which before he was overcome.
3. Thus the Lord Jesus, by our being united to Him, living unto Him, abiding in Him, and He in us, as our strength, our very life, is made unto us our sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30). “The life which we now live in [the] flesh we live by faith in Him”[5] (Galatians 2:20). “We can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth us” (Philippians 4:13).

Other references

Nicolas Simon. The Two Natures; HTML file housed at Bible Truth Publishers, USA  < https://bibletruthpublishers.com/two-natures/nicolas-simon/n-simon/la199459 >

Charles Stanley “On the Epistle to the Romans”, G Morrish publishers, London, UK  < https://www.stempublishing.com/authors/stanley/Romans.html > and others

B. Anstey “The Epistle of Paul to the Romans” available from Bible Truth Publishers, USA < https://bibletruthpublishers.com/ >