Now, is Romans chapter seven an account of the struggle between the regenerate man and his old self? This is certainly not so for various reasons evident in Romans chapter seven itself.
a. The man of Roman seven is not converted, he is lost in sin. Being in the flesh the passions of sins is in the person bringing forth deathly fruits; this is not a converted person. Rom. 7:5.
b. The converted person has the old man dead (Rom. 6:6) thus serves in the newness of life. To serve in such change means the person is not sinning. Rom. 7:6.
c. When sin works in the person all manner of concupiscence (evil desires), the law shows him that he is spiritually dead because sin is in him. Rom. 7:8,9.
d. The man whom sin deceives, it spiritually slays, thus the man cannot be converted. Rom. 7:11.
e. Sin working death in a person could never mean that the person is regenerated, thus the man of Romans seven is not regenerated. Rom. 7:13.
f. This is why Paul identifies himself as yet being unconverted when he said that he was fleshly sold under sin. In Romans seven he is not regenerated. Rom. 7:14.
g. He showed how much he was sold under sin because he was unable to do the things he knew was right. We must notice that he never is identified in Romans seven as doing anything holy or good, all he does is wrong so that he can say that it is sin in him that is causing it, and that evil was present with him. Rom. 7:15-21
h. We know that Paul is nevertheless under conviction because he delights to do the Law, but he finds himself captured to sin that is in him. But he is unconverted yet, this is why he is captured to sin which is in his members. Rom. 7:22,23.
i. Thus when Paul says that the law is served with the mind by he himself (Gk. Autos ego, I myself), he means that he is a Pharisee with righteousness by works. (Rom. 7:25,6,18,20; Rom. 9:31,32; Rom. 3:20; Phil. 3:9).
j. When he says with the flesh he serves the law of sin, he means that he obeys the flesh in which the law points out sin. This is a man with conviction, he is righteous by works, and yet he is not free from sinning. This is not a regenerate man. Rom. 7:25,7,9,11,13.
k. The true regenerate man is explained as being in Christ Jesus, freed from the law pointing out sin in him and condemning him to death for sin within; the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him as he walk in the Spirit. Rom. 8:1-4.
l. The regenerate man is dead to sin and does not live any longer therein. He does not sin. (Rom. 6:1,2; 1 Jn. 3:6,9; Ps. 119:1-3).
The Old Man is Really Dead and Replaced by a New One:
The old man is really dead so that the converted man does not sin. Rom. 6:6,7.
The old man is put off completely and replaced with a new man that has only righteousness. Eph. 4:22-24.
The old man is not dead in a sense, he is really dead and replaced with a new man created by God, thus he is sinless. Col. 3:9,10.
Only the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in those who have the Spirit and walk therein. (Rom. 8:4; 1 Jn. 3:24).
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