BY BONITA JOYNER SHIELDS
INETEEN-YEAR-OLD PATRICIA HEARST, granddaughter of publishing baron William Randolph Hearst, was abducted from her home in February 1974. On April 15 of that same year she and members of a leftist group, the Symbionese Liberation Army (aka SLA), robbed the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco, California. The SLA's motto was "Death to the fascist insect that preys upon the life of people."
The SLA released tapes, and the world heard Patty Hearst denounce her capitalist roots, change her name to Tania, and announce that she had joined their group.
The world watched as this child of privilege became a sought-after criminal, participating with the SLA in numerous crimes. More than a year elapsed before the police caught up with Patty. After she was arrested, she claimed she participated under duress. To the world, however, it appeared that this aristocrat-gone-astray was more than just an unwilling hostage; she was a willing accomplice.
In spite of her defense, Patty Hearst was sentenced to seven years for armed robbery.
We'll return to Patty.
The Sin Dilemma
"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me" (Rom. 7:14-17, NIV).
A familiar passage to many of us. And, like our story of Patty Hearst, one that has been debated again and again.
One side of the debate proclaims, "This is an autobiographic description of Paul's life before he was converted. It doesn't describe a Christian." But the other side asserts, "No. That can't be. I struggle like that, too. It has to be Paul speaking as a Christian."
Haven't you wondered about this? I've gotten a lot of comfort from this portion of Scripture, believing that this is Paul's Christian experience. What chance do I have as a Christian if this is not his Christian experience speaking? If this is pre-Christian, and as a Christian he doesn't struggle, I'm in a heap of trouble!
As with any portion of Scripture, we need to remember two cautions before we attempt to understand it: (1) we must learn what the text meant to the original audience before we can determine what it means now, and (2) we must not allow our experience to define the text; rather, we should allow the text to define our experience.
The Jews and the Gentiles
Paul's audience for the book of Romans was the members of the church in Rome, which was made up of Jews and Gentiles.
For the sake of our discussion, think of your local Adventist church. You have the "Jews," those beloved saints who are third-, fourth-, fifth-generation Adventists. They know the rules.1 They can tell you exactly what time the sun sets on Friday nights, what you can and can't do on Sabbath, what you can and can't eat, wear, or listen to, what JMV means, and what goes on a haystack.
Then there are the "Gentiles," those new converts who have no clue what the rules are. They understand that they should go to church on Saturday, that they don't go to heaven when they die, and that Jesus will be coming again, because they were taught that in their Revelation seminars. But they still have years--generations--of living a certain way. They're not quite sure when the sun sets on Friday nights--must be when it gets dark. Sabbath activities? What's Vege-gooey? No miniskirts to church? JMV must be a new sports utility vehicle. Haystacks in the city?
This is the church now. This was the church in Rome.
Paul begins his letter by addressing the unrighteousness of the Gentiles: idolatry and sexual immorality. And though they didn't have the law of God, Paul says they had no excuse not to know God because "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen," speaking of the created world (Rom. 1:20, NKJV).
At this point the Jews are jumping up and down: You tell 'em, Paul! You da man!
However, Paul then tackles the unrighteousness of the Jews. Though they had the law, they also had self-righteousness, judgmentalism, and hypocrisy. He uses pretty strong language: "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you!" (Rom. 2:24, NKJV).
After giving both sides a reality check and leveling the playing field, Paul tells them that "while we were still sinners [whether Jew or Gentile, multigenerational Adventist or new convert], Christ died for us" (Rom. 5: 8, NKJV). And through "one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men" (verse 18, NKJV).
At this point the Jews are really worried that Paul has bought into the "cheap grace" theology. "Where's the law?" they ask. Paul anticipated this argument, though. Later in chapter 6 he asks the question "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!" (verse 15, NKJV). The Jews feel better. Their Sabbathkeeping, synagogue attendance, and strict food regulations are going to account for something after all.
Paul now begins building the foundation for the slave motif he uses in chapter 7--in connection with the law. He first deals with the Gentiles in 6:18 by telling them that they have been set free from the slavery of sin. In chapter 7 he deals with the Jews who know the law, and tells them that they have been delivered from the slavery of the law.
"What do you mean 'delivered from the law'?" these Jews exclaim. "As if you can compare the law with sin. The law is holy and just and good."
"Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful" (verse 13, NIV).
To illustrate Paul's point about the law, think of a mirror. You know how you can look into a mirror and think, Whoa! Where'd that face come from? Well, if you have a bad-hair day, or a zit, or your nose is out of joint, the answer is not to throw out the worthless piece of equipment and get another mirror! I guess you could, but it's not going to solve the problem. The problem is not with the mirror--the problem is with you.
The same thing applies with the law. The purpose of the law is to reveal our sinfulness to us; it didn't cause the sinfulness. Throwing it out isn't the answer. Actually, if there were no law, the gospel would be powerless; for unless sinners feel convicted of sin, they will feel no need for repentance.
This is where we get to our person in Romans 7.
Slavery
Paul continues his argument about the law with these two groups of people. He uses the "I" corporately, as he has been doing in this argument, and as he does in 1 Corinthians 13. Also, in Romans 7:9 he states that "once I was alive apart from the law" (NIV). Paul was born a Jew; there was no time when he lived apart from the law. Thus, for these reasons, I don't believe that Paul was talking about himself in this passage, nor do I believe that Paul is talking about a Christian experience. Why not? Because you'll notice that the Holy Spirit is absent in Romans 7.
I believe Paul in Romans 7:14-25 is describing people under law. He describes the Jew who has lived as a slave under God's law--no matter how much he delights in the law of God in his inmost being, he's still a slave to sin and the law without grace. It also describes the Gentile--who has lived their life in slavery to the law of sin, with no power to overcome it. Whether we are in bondage to the law of God or to the law of sin, we are in bondage.
Back to Patty. Patty was a woman in bondage; in slavery to the SLA. Yes, she denounced her roots, she changed her name, she accepted the enemy's ideology, she even gave up an opportunity to escape. People use these as proofs that she was a willing accomplice. I see them as testimony to the power of slavery.
Slaves can't fight when they're bound in the chains of slavery. They're too much under the control of their captors. But when they're emancipated, they're given the freedom and power to fight against those powers that want to continue to enslave them.
This is Paul's point! The law of sin holds us captive, but even the law of God cannot free us for the fight.
"Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, . . . the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 7:24-8:2, NIV).
Does this mean as Christians we don't struggle with temptation and sin? No. We will continue to struggle with them. Remember, though: temptation is not sin (James 1); but if we do sin, we have Jesus as our advocate (1 John 2:1). What this means is that we are no longer slaves to sin's power--we are no longer captives. We may trip up sometimes and fall for some of the enemy's tactics, but he is not our master and lord. Tania has been set free!
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
1. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. The law of God cannot condemn us, and the law of sin cannot condemn us. This also means that we have no right to condemn each other.
Ellen White tells us, "God will charge those who unwisely expose the mistakes of their brethren with sin of far greater magnitude than He will charge the one who makes a misstep. Criticism and condemnation of the brethren are counted as criticism and condemnation of Christ."2
When we condemn each other we are not living in the spirit of Christ, which allows the Holy Spirit to work in someone's life, but we're still in slavery to the law.
If you think your Christian brother or sister has sinned against you, I encourage you to go to them privately, and in compassion and sincerity talk with them.
2. We must enter the battle against slavery. Just because we are out of the enemy's control doesn't mean he's going to give up trying to get us back into bondage. That's where the "fight of faith" comes in: using our spiritual weapons mentioned in Ephesians 6. Satan knows which of our "buttons" to push, so we must continually seek to understand the enemy's strategy for trying to recapture us, and fortify those fronts. Ellen White speaks about this self-knowledge, "To know oneself is a great knowledge. . . . Self-knowledge leads to humility and to trust in God, but it does not take the place of efforts for self-improvement. He who realizes his own deficiencies will spare no pains to reach the highest possible standard of physical, mental, and moral excellence."3
3. We are freed to serve. Christ does not offer us freedom so we can run right back into the arms of our captor and live the way we've always lived while in bondage. Neither does He offer us freedom so we can kick up our feet and furnish a running critique on those engaged in battle. He offers us freedom so we can remain free from sin's control, but also so we can help each other in our battle against Satan for our souls. In encouraging and strengthening others, we help to ensure our own freedom.4
What's in a Name?
Patty Hearst. Tania.
She committed crimes, forfeited an opportunity to be rescued, and extolled the cause of her captors. Is that any different than us?
If our person of Romans 7 could speak, I imagine they would say, "My name is Tania."
The fact is: My name was Tania. Your name was Tania. Some still carry the name Tania. But the Lord has promised to give us a new name (Rev. 2:17).
What will yours be?
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1 Realize of course that, like Paul, I'm speaking in generalities.
2 Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 3, p. 345.
3 Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents and Teachers, p. 67.
4 The Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book states this principle in the context of recovery from alcoholism: "Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. . . . Life will take on new meaning."
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Bonita Joyner Shields is an assistant editor of the Adventist Review.
