Why Do We Do What We Don't Want To Do?

Romans 7 "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Paul spends a lot of time in these chapters showing how though the law (God's commandments) is good, it only arouses the sinful nature in us.  Paul uses the example, "I would not have known what it meant to covet until the Law said, 'Do not covet!". After Paul speaks theoretically about the Law and how it only condemns us though it is in itself good, he then shares more personally.  Paul admits his own personal struggle with sin.  

Paul says it is not that he doesn't know what to do, but he can't do it.  He wants to keep God's commandment, but often does the very opposite.  He has a desire to please God, but can't carry it out.  From this he concludes that there is another power at work within him waging war on his mind. This power is what he calls the "flesh" and he also calls it "the body".    

One commentator says it this way,   "Paul’s problem isn’t a lack of desire – he wants to do what is right (what I will to do, that I do not practice). His problem isn’t knowledge – he knows what the right thing is. His problem is a lack of power: how to perform what is good I do not find. He lacks power because the law gives no power."

Paul concludes after this summary of his personal struggle with sin, "What a wretched man I am." Paul's argument is the fact that we want to do good but can't do it on a consistent basis shows us we are powerless over sin.  The only good thing about it is this realization shows us we need a Savior.  Remember Paul is reflecting on this as a Christian now.  Before he met Christ, he knew this but could not frame it in terms of his need for God, and a solution to his sin problem.

Have you ever felt like Paul?  Have you ever done something you didn't want to do and then asked the question, "Why did I do that?"  You knew it was wrong and yet did it anyways. You may have not wanted to do it, but did it anyways. 

My friends you are in good company with the greatest apostle the world has ever known.  It was only as Paul realized this that he could see his need for Christ. Then, when he met Jesus and experienced his radical grace, his life was completely transformed forever.  The transformation was so powerful that Paul went to his death preaching about this Jesus who saved him from his sin.  He preached that when Jesus rose from the dead he defeated the power of sin that causes us to do what we do not want to do.  This set Paul free to live a life full of meaning and purpose.  Jesus wants this life for you too and has done everything for you to make it possible.