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Revisiting Romans 7: Law, Self, and Spirit

Romans 7 is a text that has confounded interpreters through the centuries and that continues to invite new solutions to its profound complexities. Using some new tools and insights, this article will clarify and develop a once-dominant interpretation—that Paul speaks about himself in Rom 7 in a manner that is representative of and normative for Christian experience. In a practical application of his already/not yet eschatology, Paul discloses the psychological battles of a discordant self ravaged by sin but at the same time testifies to signs of a new self united to Christ. That said, Paul's real focus here is on the Law. Paul's “I” becomes the access point into his deepest reflections on the Law. As is widely recognized, Paul seeks to exonerate the Law in its connections with Sin and Death. But Paul's real motive in this exoneration—to connect the Law to the eschatological life-giving work of the Spirit—is often overlooked. Finally, Paul's reflections on the Law, the self, and the Spirit provide a space for reflection on Christian spiritual formation.