Where many people get confused is failure to distinguish between the spiritual and natural. When the NT says we are free from sin, it is speaking spiritual truth, in which the Holy Spirit powerfully influences us to holy living. In contrast, we are still sinners in the natural, since Paul wrote:
Rom. 7:25b "
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Note he is making distinction between mind and flesh, implying the distinction between spiritual and natural. Just before this, he speaks of the resurrection and victory over death. Afterward, he describes the saved state in the spirit, which is to transform our thinking and make us to conform to Christlikeness. Love is the requirement of the law, and the Spirit motivates us to it (8:4). The point is, we are still in a transition period between justification and glorification, and the reason why we are engaged in spiritual warfare against temptations (1 Cor. 10:13) where he is writing to "beloved brethren."
So then "
with the flesh the law of sin" - that is, the principle of sin still operating in our bodies, since he says (8:10) "
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." Since the sin principle continues to operate in our bodies, because the resurrection has not yet happened, "the body is dead" - that is, as good as dead, and will die. Here again he distinguishes between the spiritual and natural realm. And this is the explanation of why we still commit sins, that is, still falling short of God's glory. (Not gross sins of idolatry like witchcraft, greed, whoremongering, and the like).
So let's get on the same page. When we talk of being sinners, we are talking about still needing to become more Christlike, since we lack some of His qualities. Peter would not have written to believers to increase the virtues of Christ in themselves, if they were already perfect - 2 Pet. 1:1-11. An exhortation to increase in Christlikeness implies we are lacking thereof. In Phil. 3:12-16 Paul writes of the same thing, and says he does not regard himself as having attained to perfection.
So, think about this one: if walking in the Spirit is about you becoming perfect and sinless, then you're already defeated, because you're already self-centered, vain, and the next step beyond that is self-righteous conceit. We should be focused on Jesus and the needs of others, not on our own "sinless" state. The command to be holy requires faith in Christ and "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith." Since God is the only one who can make us conform to His likeness, it is a futile effort for us to try to make ourselves conform. If "by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight," then by our "obedience" thereof we cannot make ourselves holy, either. Walking in the Spirit is a walk of faith. If we focus on ourselves being sinless, we're not walking in the Spirit. Christian Perfection is a self-defeating idea.
I'm a firm believer that sin is still in us, as 1 John 1:8 states. It continues to challenge us to a faith walk.
TD
Since you request a reply to something that missed the mark however, I feel that I have already replied before you posted this.
Your exegesis is wrong because you do not consider the context of Romans 7 [that is, in conjunction with the beginning of the chapter and chapters 1 to 6 & 8. Let me try to show you.
In chapter 2 vs 2 he shows very clearly that the condemnation of the sinful will happen without the Law and within. No difference between Jew or Gentile. Ignorance of the Law is no excuse for sin. Romans 3 vs 9 to 23.
So, if the Law has no case in our final judgement, what use is it in our salvation? After this he establishes his doctrine of justification by faith [with or without knowing the Law] to the end of chapter 3.
In chapter 4 he then establishes that God justifies the sinner by faith and not by the works of the Law [so that some accused him of saying sin doesn't matter], and in chapter 5 he continues his thesis of salvation by grace through faith.
In Chapter 6 he begins to absolutely refute the false accusation that he preaches that sin doesn't matter [this case being abundantly clear in all his epistles] and sets up a case that it actually should be impossible for one who is born again to sin with questions like, "How shall we, who are dead to sin, continue in it?" Romans 6:2. And the statement, "Don't you know that whoever you yield yourself to as servants to obey, his servant you are; whether of sin unto death or obedience to righteousness?" [Remember this is with, or without the Law.]
Now, if you read chapter 6 you will see that he encourages you to
1. Change the way you see yourself: not alive to sin [so as to be its slave and unable to avoid it], but dead to sin and alive to God [so that you are now able to obey God]
NOTE: this doctrine that claims you will never stop sinning while in this life denies this truth, yet you continue to expound it.
2. Live the way you see yourself.
NOTE: and, indeed, you do, for you still see yourself as the slave of sin.
Now Paul has and will continue to establish that we can know what sin is by the Law because it was given to reveal it in times of ignorance, but God judged Sodom and Gomorrah; the Canaanites, and the world in Noah's day without the Law for the sins revealed by the Law.
He begins to use the marriage covenant to describe our relationship to the Old Covenant of the Law, clearly showing that it is broken by the death he spoke of in chapter 6. Chapter 7 vs 1 to 6.
Now remember Paul's background. He is now speaking of himself as a Jew.
"For I was without the Law once..." Every child under the age of 12 was considered innocent and without blame, but at the maturing age became responsible and answerable to the Law.
Do you see? This is personal testimony time and an admonition to avoid being caught up in the works of the Law. It is Paul before salvation and not after. It bears no relationship to our life in Christ.
Paul is a personal witness and an ardent Pharisee - a law keeper and teacher, yet he admits that it was an impossible relationship, even for him. That is all 7 vs 9 to 23 is telling us and it has no bearing on our struggles today.
Paul, frustrated with his failures under the Law cries out, "Who can deliver me from this body of death?"
But he already has the answer: Jesus Christ our Lord, vs 25.
NOTE: I had hoped that, by raising the question you might see this for yourself, but you ignored the research and continued in your wrong thinking.
Now Paul knows that we all need to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus and so he continues in chapter 8 explaining how we may experience this freedom from sin, namely, walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh and emphasises if you do indeed yield to the Holy Ghost he will quicken your mortal bodies so that they do not sin 8 vs 11.
That is the true exegesis of the passage you claim supports your argument.
You just need to learn the principles of inductive Bible study and stay in the context of what is written.