We're looking at the final installment in the end of this chapter, chapter seven of Romans

incredible. I've been telling you of late that the chapter is viewed by many scholars that it's

a chapter of great defeat in the sense that it's Paul speaking about his pre-Christ, pre-conversion

years. And I completely disagree with that. There are some of those who say he's talking about

the carnal Christian. I disagree with that. I believe that Paul the Apostle is revealing to us

as we've been learning these last several weeks in this chapter seven, that he's actually revealing

to us the Christian struggle. And the tough part is that what we're looking at, I say it's tough.

Let me take that word back. The accurate thing is that when we talk about Romans chapter seven,

there are those who, if you study it, word by word, and verse by verse as we do,

we're told that people won't come back to church when they hear about the fact that they're

sinners. They won't come back to church to hear that they need redemption and salvation.

I think that's an insult to the American pulpit. And I think it's an insult to the

creation of humanity. I think God, the Holy Spirit, convicts us of sin.

And so this chapter is extremely beautifully revealing. I'm going to read up front for context,

got to do it in context, and then I'm going to have you join me. So as we look to Romans seven,

I'm going to start reading in verse 13 down to verse 20. I'll read it all, but then I'm

going to ask you to pick it up with me in verse 21. So you guys ready?

We're ready.

Romans 7, 13 begins this section by saying, how's then what is good referring to the law become

death to me? Certainly not. But sin that it might appear sin was producing death in me through

what is good. So that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. In other words,

God's law is like a magnifying glass that when it shines on us, it exposes warts and all.

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