Romans 7:13-25

Wretched Yet Redeemed
Romans 7:13-25 draws us into the deep tension of the Christian life, the struggle between what we desire to do and what we actually do. In this sermon, we face the painful honesty of Paul’s confession that we are slaves to sin, at war within ourselves, torn between delighting in God’s law and succumbing to our broken flesh. It is the universal human condition, doing what we hate and unable to change ourselves. Yet in that wretchedness, a cry rises: “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The answer bursts forth with hope, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus steps outside the gates, into the place of exile, becoming a wretch for us so that we might be made whole. To struggle with sin is not failure but the sign of life, the mark of grace at work. This is the good news for every weary believer: you may still be at war, but you no longer fight alone.