Romans 7:14-20

Paul is describing a struggle familiar to every believer in Christ—the dilemma of having been made spiritually alive in Christ while still living in a mortal body that has yet to experience its full redemption.

We have been made new in Christ, yet we have not experienced the fullness of everything Christ purchased for us. That is why God has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment—a guarantee of what He has promised until the time of our complete redemption.

We have been delivered from sin’s dominion, yet its corrupting influence remains present in our fallen world and continues to wage war against us. Although judgment has already been rendered against sin through Christ, the full consequences of that judgment, including sin's ultimate removal, have yet to be realized.

Consequently, we experience an ongoing struggle between our desire to please God and the sinful tendencies of our fallen nature. The victory has already been secured, but the complete redemption of our bodies is still to come.

We have been delivered from sin's dominion, but we are still awaiting deliverance from its presence.

Now, consider this little tidbit from Paul that he wrote to the Galatians:

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.” (Galatians 5:16-17)

The law could reveal what was right. Our renewed minds could desire what was right. But only the Holy Spirit could empower us to consistently walk in what was right.

We are not simply waiting for our glorified bodies to experience victory over sin. We have been given the Holy Spirit so that we can experience that victory now, even while living in bodies that have yet to be fully redeemed.

So, even though we stand in this great privilege of salvation, we still have a responsibility to actively participate in the process of sanctification—not by doing things in our own strength, which is powerless to combat sin, but by yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to follow His lead.

Paul explains this beautifully in Philippians 2:12–13:

“Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

Therein lies our victory over sin’s corrupting influence!