Romans 7:24: O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Pastor Ray Stedman writes:
There are teachers who teach that this passage in Romans 7 is something a Christian goes through but once. Then he gets out of it and moves into Romans 8, never to return to Romans 7 again. Nothing could be further from the truth! Even as mighty a man as Paul went through it again and again. This is a description of what every believer will go through many times in his experience because sin has the power to deceive us and to cause us to trust in ourselves, even when we are not aware we are doing so. The law is what will expose that evil force and drive us to this place of wretchedness that we might then, in devotion of spirit, cry out, Lord Jesus, it is your problem; you take it. 1
This is not an unsaved man who is crying, “O wretched man that I am”; this is a saved man. The word wretched carries with it the note of exhaustion because of the struggle. He is helpless. He is calling for help from the outside. 2
Application
- Will you surrender all your sinful wretchedness to Him right now?
- Will you receive all His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness for you right now?
Prayer
Lord, thank You that it is not my wretchedness that You see. Instead, You see me already seated with You in the heavenly places.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans: righteousness from heaven. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
2. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Romans 1-8) (electronic ed., Vol. 42). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
