The Story of Humanity
In "God's Word for Today" William Snider writes:
Romans 7 is, in all reality, a story of humanity. Faced with a sober assessment of his own nature, the troubled/convicted person seeks a peace which, he comes to understand, is beyond his reach. It is a painful moment of self-realization. The awareness of the human limitation aided by the awakening/convicting grace of God provides for a view of a struggle in the inner self. The quality of life being lived by the supplicant suggests that he is an awak-ened sinner, fleeing what Bunyan described as “the city of destruction.” In his self-promoted revolution, he meets with total defeat. First, he proposes to change the pattern of his past and commit himself to doing what is ethically right. Apparently confident in this resolution, he is surprised to discover that the law or reality of sin as a governing principle in his life makes it impossible for him to achieve his goal. Disappointed in his resolution and now aware of his weakness, he resolves to at least avoid that which is wrong as determined by obedience to the law. Whatever ideas he had of who he was in terms of righteousness, he now becomes aware that, despite intentions otherwise, not only can he not do right, but he cannot avoid doing wrong. The first revelation is disappointing at best, but the second is grounds for despair. Locked into an ever-revolving world of sin and death, he looks away from himself for assistance, but where to look? …
Source: Studies in Romans: Adult Teacher's Insights, pages 34-35.