April 14 - Romans 7

Vv. 1-6 We are no longer under the law because we also died through Jesus' death and have been raised with Him into a NEW LIFE. We don't fear the Law anymore because the law leads to sin and death but now we are living according to God's standard of grace.
But the main issue is - we have been raised into a NEW LIFE but we still live on this earth in our earthly bodies (sinful flesh) -- and here we find our struggle.

Question: So does that mean the law is sin? In other words, if the law didn't exist then would sin not exist either?
Answer: No way. Sin exists but the law makes known what sin is. Without the law we wouldn't know what sin is.
And - it's kind of like when we're told NOT to do something - we want to do it even more. That's kind of what the law does to us because we're so prone to sin.

Does that mean the law is bad?
No. The law came as a way for us to become righteous but we soon find out that we cannot live perfectly according to the law. We always mess up. So, the law was one way for people to become righteous but it became instead the standard by which everyone fell short. (But God knew all of that - and that's why Jesus was always in the picture)

So in the verses following v. 14 is the most confusing part.
But simply...Inside all of us is an inner struggle between our flesh(sinful) and our Godly desires. Every time we have a desire to do good, evil is right there next to us(v. 21). So, we battle daily between what we want to do and the sin that tries to control us.
But one day, Jesus will come again and really take us home to our heavenly places and give us new bodies and we will never have to struggle like this again. Praise God for Jesus!

So, struggle daily and sometimes your sinful nature will win over you - but by the Holy Spirit and the grace of God - keep trying! And forgive one another and have grace as we are all in this journey together.