The Wretched Man & Chief of Sinners | Misconceptions Part 3
Romans 7:24...O wretched man that I am!
“O wretched man that I am…….Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (Romans 7:24 & 1 Timothy 1:15)
The Problem is Called “Proof Texting”
“Proof Texting” is the practice of using isolated, out-of-context quotations from a document to establish a proposition in eisegesis (introducing one’s own theories, agendas, or biases).
People will take one verse and build an entire belief or doctrine based on that one verse without understanding the context of what is being said. A lot of times without ever reading the entire chapter or letter to understand what is being said and to whom. The other problem with this tactic is that it seemingly creates contradictions in the Bible that aren’t really there. The Word of God is perfect and infallible but without the proper context, it’s easy to misunderstand it.
(2 Peter 1:19-21)
We are going to bring to light some of the most misused “Proof Texts” in the Bible. We hope to shed some light on the context of each of these scriptures and explain exactly what the writer is trying to say and who they are saying it to. Hopefully this study will open up your eyes to some of the scriptures you’ve probably hear your entire life but never really understood what God is trying to tell us.
Is Paul really describing himself as the “Wretched man & the chief of sinners”?
Romans 7:13-25 & 1 Timothy 1:12-17
These two passages of different letters written by Paul the Apostle are probably two of the most misquoted pieces of scripture in the entire New Testament. Most professing Christians will use these scriptures to condone their sinful behavior or make an excuse as to why they cant stop the vile sins of the flesh. I’ve sat in a church service and listened to the Pastor preach a sermon teaching that these passages were the Christian life and that we were always going to struggle with sin. They would say that Paul even sympathized with the struggle we all have living the Christian life and still being a sinner. Men of God would tell us that Paul was as vile sinner, as we all are, and they would use these passages to try to prove that.
Was one of the greatest Apostles in the Bible who wrote 13 different epistles of the New Testament and was chosen by Jesus Christ to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles a wretched, vile, chief of sinners like most of the professing world seems to think? Simply based on these two passages of scripture? Lets examine these scriptures and put them into proper context.
Historical Present Narrative
In both of these passages, Paul was writing in the historical present narrative. The definition of this is in linguistics and rhetoric, the historical present or historic present, also called dramatic present or narrative present, is the employment of the present tense when narrating past events. … In English, it is used above all in historical chronicles (listing a series of events).
Romans 7:13-25
We have to also keep in mind that chapter and verse wasn’t added to the scriptures until the 16th century by Robert Estienne (Robert Stephanus). The original text in Romans was written as one continuous letter. This is a crucial element in understanding the thinking behind Paul’s writing, specifically in these passages. If one were to isolate Romans 7:13-25, as most Bible teachers & Pastors do, then it would very easy to misunderstand the context of the “wretched man” passage. But to truly understand the thinking behind the text, you have to read Romans chapters 6, 7, and 8 together as it was intended to be read.
In Romans 6:1-23, Paul is explaining how to accomplish being dead to sin and alive to God. He is describing in great detail the process of “crucifying the old man (body of sin)” and being resurrected into the newness of life. He is talking about the process of being freed from the bondage of sin and death by dying with Christ through repentance. (Romans 6:1-11)
Then Paul goes into detail about no longer submitting to the bondage of sin and death but presenting ourselves as new creations in Christ. He explains how by crucifying our flesh and wills or dying to sin, we then become slaves to righteousness. It is by the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the empowerment of God’s grace that we can serve Him with a pure heart and a clear conscience by being purged from our past sins and the condemnation that comes with it. We now have the power through the Holy Spirit to deny our natural passions and desires given over to lust. Through this process, we become transformed into slaves for God where as in the past, we were slaves to sin that would destroy us. (Romans 6:15-23)
Paul is describing a man sold under sin
Then Paul address a specific group of people. He is addressing the Jews that knew the Mosaic Law (Romans 7:1) He is explaining that they were freed from the bondage of the Mosaic Law because of the death of Christ. Paul is doing this by giving us an example of a marriage between a man and a woman that are bound to each other under the law. But if one of them were to die, then the other is then freed from that bondage. This is an example Paul gives to explain that they were no longer subject to the limitations of the Mosaic Law which was never designed to purify the heart. God then established a New Covenant with His people which allowed them to be completely free from the condemnation of their sins and walk in direct fellowship with God once again.
Romans 7:5 is a key verse in understanding the rest of the chapter…
The reason for crucifying the “old man”
“O wretched man that I am”
This is the climax of this narrative. The man cries out;
Then, he gets his answer in verse 25…
He is then delivered from the bondage of sin & death
Now in Romans 8:1-39, Paul describes that same man after he was delivered by Jesus Christ. He is now walking in newness of life abiding in the Spirit. He is no longer sold under sin. The first 4 verses really show that the “wretched man” in Romans 7 has been crucified and he has now been reborn in the Spirit.
Romans 8:1-4
Chief of Sinners
Once again take into account the historical present narrative that Paul often wrote in. However this passage is very clear what Paul is describing. Paul is thanking Jesus Christ for choosing him to fulfill the purpose of his ministry of bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul was an enemy of Jesus Christ after he was crucified. He was a Pharisee that was charged with eliminating the “new followers of Christ”. He would hunt them down, arrest them, torture them, and even execute them. It wasn’t until Paul was on his way to Damascus searching for more Christians, when he had his encounter with the resurrected Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-22)
In 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Paul is giving praise to Jesus Christ for giving him mercy even after all of the persecution he was doing to His people.
Paul is once again not describing himself as a vile sinner still operating in his flesh. He is simply describing how far he has come and is praising Jesus Christ for His grace and mercy to deliver him from the man that he used to be.
Paul was a Saint and not a sinner
After explaining the context of these two passages that obviously do not describe the Apostle Paul as a wretched sinner his entire life even after being born again in Christ, here are a few verses that do accurately describe the life of Paul after his repentance and conversion.
- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)
- This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. (Acts 24:16)
- Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
- I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
- And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)
- Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3:17-19)
- But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! (Galatians 2:17)
- But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” (Galatians 1:23)
- For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. (Galatians 1:13)
- For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)
“Imitate me as I imitate Christ”
Peter explains in his last letter before he was crucified, how many false teachers will try to distort and twist Paul’s writings to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:14-16). Unfortunately that is very true and especially in today’s day and age when so many professing Christians are doing anything they can to keep their sinful ways instead of truly repenting of their sins and coming clean to God. Paul was not the “wretched man” or the “chief of sinners” that so many people want to portray him as. If he was, then Paul was the biggest hypocrite in history and most of the New Testament needs to be thrown away.
