God Rescues Us Through Jesus

Introduction

Let's read Romans 7:15–25a (NRSVUE): [Read or ask someone to read the passage.]

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me. For I know that the good does not dwell within me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do the good lies close at hand, but not the ability. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that, when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched person that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with my mind I am enslaved to the law of God, but with my flesh I am enslaved to the law of sin.”

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “Why did I do that?”

You wanted to respond with patience, but anger came out.
You wanted to trust God, but fear took over.
You knew what was right, yet somehow you went the other direction.

If you've ever felt that tension, then you already understand Paul's struggle in Romans 7.

Paul says, “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”
And if we're honest, we know exactly what he means.

The good news of this passage is simple:
We are not saved by trying harder.
God rescues us through Jesus.

Expository Walkthrough

1. The Human Struggle Is Real (vv. 15–20)

Paul openly admits his inner conflict.
He wants to do good, but finds himself doing the opposite.

That honesty should encourage us.
Faith is not for people who have everything together.
The Bible tells the story of God rescuing people who cannot rescue themselves.

Paul identifies the problem as sin dwelling within us.
There is a gap between what we know is right and what we are able to do.

When Paul speaks about “the flesh,” he is not saying our bodies are evil.
God created our bodies and called them good.
Jesus became fully human and was raised bodily from the dead.

“Flesh” refers to human life apart from God's life and power.
It is humanity turned inward on itself.
It is the pull of pride, fear, self-reliance, and sinful desire.

The problem is not a lack of information.
The problem is a lack of power.

2. The Problem Is Bigger Than We Think (vv. 21–24)

Paul describes a battle within.
He delights in God's law, yet experiences another force pulling him away from God.

Finally he cries out:
“Wretched person that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

Notice what Paul does not say.

He does not ask for better techniques.
He does not recommend a stronger willpower program.
He does not offer seven easy steps to self-improvement.

Instead, he reaches the end of self-reliance.

That is an important moment in every Christian life.
Before we can be rescued, we must admit that we need rescue.

Sin is more than individual mistakes.
It is a power that affects every part of human life.
It damages our relationship with God, with others, and even with ourselves.

We see its effects personally and collectively—in families, communities, cultures, and systems.

The world's brokenness feels bigger than us because it is bigger than us.

3. God's Answer Is Jesus (v. 25)

Paul's cry is immediately answered:

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

The answer is not found within us.
The answer is found in what God has done through Jesus.

The Father sent the Son.
Jesus entered our humanity.
He faced temptation, suffering, and death without sin.
He lived the life we could not live.

On the cross, Jesus took upon himself the full weight and power of sin.
In his resurrection, he broke sin's grip and opened the way to new life.

The Christian life is not self-improvement.
It is participation in Christ's life.

Jesus took our broken humanity and shared his healed humanity with us.
He took our sin and gave us his righteousness.
He took our death and gave us his life.

Through union with Christ, we share in his death, resurrection, and relationship with the Father through the Spirit.

4. Living as a Rescued People

God's rescue changes how we live together.

We become more honest about our struggles.
We become more patient with one another.
We stop asking, “Why can't people do better?”
Instead, we remember that every one of us depends on God's grace.

The church is not a gathering of people who have conquered every struggle.
It is a community of people being transformed by Jesus.

We bear one another's burdens.
We extend grace because grace has been extended to us.
We point one another back to Christ, our Rescuer.

And when we meet people who feel trapped, broken, or helpless, we can tell them the same good news:

You do not have to save yourself.
Jesus is your Savior.

Conclusion

Romans 7 begins with frustration, but it ends with hope.

Paul asks, “Who will rescue me?”
And God answers with a person—Jesus Christ.

When we are honest about our weakness, we discover the strength of God's grace.
When we stop trusting ourselves, we learn to trust the One who has already acted for us.

So when you feel the struggle within, remember:
You are not alone.
You are not abandoned.
And you are not responsible for saving yourself.

God rescues us through Jesus.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank you for seeing our weakness and loving us anyway.
Thank you for sending your Son to rescue us from sin and death.
Teach us to rely less on ourselves and more on your grace.
By your Spirit, help us live as people who belong to Jesus and reflect his love to others.
In his name we pray. Amen.

Click on link to see original sermon: https://equipper.gci.org/2026/06/sermon-for-july-5-2026-proper-9