Romans 6 describes being a slave to sin or being a slave to righteousness.
Yes, one is either a slave to sin or they are a slave to righteousness.
A person cannot serve two masters.
This is not consistent with your saying before that believer can be carnal and still be saved.
Romans 6 says,
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him” (
Romans 6:6-8).
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (
Romans 6:12). John says, “sin not.” (
1 John 2:1).
“For sin shall not have dominion over you.” (
Romans 6:14).
"But now that you have been freed from sin and have become God's slaves, the benefit you reap is sanctification, and the result is eternal life.” (
Romans 6:22 ISV).
"The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
You said:
Paul drives it home with a personal testimony confessing that when the Law said 'thou shall not covet', sin brought out all manner of covetousness.
As for the written account of the struggle of sin mentioned In Romans 7:7-8:
Yes, Romans 7:7-8 is true. If one struggles to keep the Law without Jesus or God, then one will have a hard time in keeping the Law (Hence, why we read in Romans 7:7-8 that says, "the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence").
In the part of verse 7 (on after) that says, "I had not known sin, but by the law:" and the 1st half of verse 8 (Romans 7:7
(b) and Romans 7:8
(a)):
Paul is speaking in part as a Pharisee who is struggling to keep the Law without Jesus yet. For all manner of covetous desires will be brought forth in a person by the command that says "Thou shalt not covet" if they try to obey this Law without Jesus. Paul is also talking in part as an Israelite receiving the written commandments of God for the first time and how sin took advantage of the existence of these written commandments.
In the 2nd half of verse 8 that says "For without the law sin
was dead." on through verse 12 (Romans 7:8
(b) to Romans 7:12) (Romans 7:8-12):
Paul is primarily speaking as an Israelite receiving the Law for the first time (all the way back in Exodus).
In the 1st half of verse 13 (Romans 7:13
(a)) that says, "Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good;":
Paul is speaking as a Pharisee.
In the 2nd half of verse 13 (Romans 7:13
(b)) that says, "that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.":
Paul is in part speaking as an Israelite in receiving the Law; And Paul is also speaking in part of his own experience in trying to keep the Law without Jesus.
In verses 14-24 (Romans 7:14-24):
Paul (Saul) was recounting his personal struggle with keeping the Law as Pharisee. He was trying to obey the Law without having Jesus Christ within his life yet; He did not have Jesus in his life yet as a Pharisee to overcome such sins. For have you never heard of people instantly losing their addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and oher worldly sinful vices when they have first accepted Christ as their Savior?
In verse 25 (Romans 7:25):
Paul is now speaking as a Christian again and thanking Jesus that he has been delivered from his body of sin and death (i.e. his struggle with sin). For we are told to put on the Lord Jesus Christ so as not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Romans 13:14). We are told in 2 Corinthians 7:1 to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Romans 8:1 says we have to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh (in Christ Jesus) so as not to be under the Condemnation. If one is constantly struggling with sin, they are clearly not walking after the Spirit. For Galatians 5:16 says, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
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