Scripture Explained

Romans is Paul’s fullest letter on the gospel, written in the first century to believers in Rome made up of both Jews and Gentiles, and chapter 7 sits at the heart of his explanation of law, sin, and struggle. In the verses around 7:15, Paul describes the ongoing conflict between a mind that agrees with God’s law and a sinful nature that still pulls in the opposite direction. He writes in the first person, not as a detached observer but as someone who knows this war from the inside. His words mattered to early Christians who were trying to understand why, if they belonged to Christ, obedience could still feel like a fight.

The verse itself is brutally clear: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Paul is not saying he has no responsibility; he is exposing how deep the problem of sin goes. There is a real “I” that delights in God’s law and a real presence of sin still at work in his members, and those two clash. This reveals a God who is not surprised by the ongoing struggle in a believer’s life and who has provided more than shame or denial as an answer. The very next chapter will point to life in the Spirit and no condemnation for those in Christ, but first this chapter names the conflict honestly.

Think About This

He closes the tab, deletes the app, tells himself this time will be different. A few clean days pass and he feels stronger, more in control, ready to move on. Then stress hits, he feels alone, or temptation brushes close, and without much thought he walks right back into the same pattern he said he was done with. The moment after feels familiar: a mix of disgust, confusion, and the question, “What is wrong with me?”

Or think about the man who promises himself he will stay calm at home after a long day. He prays on the drive back, knows the right way to respond, and still finds himself raising his voice at his wife or kids over something small. Later he sits in the quiet kitchen and cannot fully explain why he went off the way he did. Romans 7:15 speaks into that exact confusion, not to normalize sin, but to acknowledge that a believer can truly want obedience and still experience real internal resistance.

What Should I Do

You can start by dropping the lie that a real Christian never struggles like this. Bring the exact areas where “what I hate, I do” shows up into the light with God, in clear, specific confession. Name the pattern, not just the vague feeling: the website, the tone of voice, the cutting joke, the secret indulgence. Agree with God that His law is good and that your behavior has been out of line, without softening the language or blaming everyone else.

Then move from vague resolve to concrete war. If you know the sin that keeps returning, build real guardrails around it: block access, change rhythms, invite another man into honest accountability that goes beyond “How are you doing?” to direct questions. At the same time, feed the part of you that delights in God’s law by consistently taking in Scripture and prayer, not as a quick fix but as daily training. You are not trying to willpower your way out; you are cooperating with the Spirit against the pull of the flesh.

You also need to learn how to respond after you fall. When you cave, do not run away from God for a week as if distance will clean you up. Come to Him quickly, confess without hiding, thank Him that there is no condemnation for those in Christ, and then get back up and walk in the direction of obedience again. Over time, this pattern of honest confession, practical resistance, and renewed trust will align your daily choices more with what you actually want in your spirit.

Why it matters for men today

This passage tells a man that ongoing conflict with sin is part of real Christian experience, not proof that he is fake or beyond help. At the same time, it guards against using “struggle” as an excuse. The same Paul who hates what he still does also keeps fighting, confessing, and leaning on Christ instead of pretending he can fix himself. Romans 7:14–25 gives language for the war inside, and Romans 8 shows where the strength to keep going comes from.

Learn More

Romans 7 flows into Romans 8, where Paul moves from the cry of “Who will rescue me?” to the answer of “no condemnation” and life in the Spirit. Taking in the whole chapter, and then the next, will help you see that this war inside you is not the end of the story but part of the path God uses to drive you deeper into dependence on Christ and away from confidence in your own strength.