# Romans 7:15 and Galatians 5:17



## Jared (Aug 4, 2008)

I have a question concerning the following verses in regards to the compatibilist view of freewill.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Romans 7:15

and 

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Galatians 5:17

There was another thread regarding Galatians 5:17 but I didn't want to hijack that thread, so I started a new one.

If the compatibilist view of freewill says that we always do what we most want to do and Paul says that he does what he does not want to do, is this a contradiction of the compatibilist view of freewill?


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## BobVigneault (Aug 4, 2008)

We had a discussion of this just recently and you can find it here.


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## py3ak (Aug 4, 2008)

Whatever may be true on some ultimate, psycho-analytical level, it is a plain fact of experience that we do things we do not feel like, and we don't do things we want to do. If Paul is speaking from a simply experiential standpoint in those texts, it is something we can identify with after about 3.5 seconds of reflection.


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## moral necessity (Aug 4, 2008)

Jared104 said:


> I have a question concerning the following verses in regards to the compatibilist view of freewill.
> 
> I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
> Romans 7:15
> ...



Remember that Paul speaks of having several different laws working within himself at the same time. So, he can truly say that he wants to do good, for the one law compels him to do so. And, at the same time, he can say that he also wants to do evil, for another law compels him towards this. So, I tend to agree with Edwards that we always choose according to the strongest motive at a particular moment. The will follows the affections, in my opinion.

Blessings!


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## Jared (Aug 5, 2008)

moral necessity said:


> Jared104 said:
> 
> 
> > I have a question concerning the following verses in regards to the compatibilist view of freewill.
> ...



I agree. I think it's difficult to hold to the doctrines of grace and not have a compatibilist view of freewill. The only way to do that would be to deny freewill altogether, which I don't think is necessary.


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## BJClark (Aug 5, 2008)

Jared104;




> I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
> Romans 7:15
> 
> and
> ...



One way I understand it, is it's the natural man warring against the spiritual man within ourselves.

I see these things even within myself, the natural man has a tendency to be insecure and in that insecurity we can act out in sinful ways.

For example a friend and co-worker gets a promotion, you know you are fully qualified for and deserve that promotion..but they get it over you..you know you should be happy for them, and should celebrate along side of them, but instead your feelings of jealousy overcome you and you begin reacting to that jealousy; and in that jealousy, thoughts of why you should quit and go else where start to fill your mind instead of being content where God has you and is keeping you for now, so you start filling out job applications in anger and jealousy, and maybe even take another job at another company within those emotions..

Many times those promotions not only mean more money, but also lead to longer hours at work, meaning more time away from your family, but we don't see that..we only see the $$'s we aren't getting and they are..

Or we see a neighbor bought a new car, and yet we are driving an older car, we don't tend to think about the fact our car is paid off and in great shape because we've taken care of it over the years..so we go out and buy a new car too, even though it means going into debt to get it..

In other words, many times we react in a worldly way giving into our emotions instead of living within the fruit of the spirit of self-control over our emotions..

Even in watching my son, he tried out for football and didn't make the team, but his best friend did, instead of being happy for his friend and working to make himself a better player in order to try out the next year, he got angry at the coach and his friend, and gave up..this is an area I have to work with my son on, so that he can learn it's okay to feel hurt he didn't make the team, but it's not okay to turn away from and on his friend because he did make the team..because that's not Christ-like..

There are other examples I can share..

Edit to add..and it's not that our emotions are necessarily evil, it's how we respond to them, by the thoughts that can fill our minds, and in how we respond to those thoughts..


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