Did that which is good, then, become death (θάνατος) to me?1 Paul continued. It is a reasonable question considering that the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good,2 and that Paul found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life brought death (θάνατον, a form of θάνατος)!3 Absolutely not! Paul continued. But sin, so that it would be shown to be sin, produced death (θάνατον, a form of θάνατος) in me through what is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.4
Again, I think sin personified here is Paul’s way of referring to the old man crucified with Christ. But finally I have come to the place where Paul, by expressing the inner confusion of this house divided, one born of the flesh and of the Spirit, actually clarified the situation.
For we know that the law is spiritual – but I (ἐγὼ) am unspiritual (σάρκινος), sold into slavery to sin.5 It is difficult to hear Paul call himself unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin. After all, what does that mean for someone like me? But Paul was describing himself as a man deceived and seized by a fit of coveting, sin [old man], seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires.6 In the beginning this old man (sin personified) was perceived by Paul as I (ἐγὼ), I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin. [Addendum 4/27/2024: Now I suspect this was the wishful thinking of my religious mind.]
For I don’t understand (γινώσκω) what I am doing. For I do not do what I want (θέλω)– instead, I do what I hate. But if I do what I don’t want (θέλω), I agree that the law is good.7 If Paul had not been a house divided, born only of the flesh of Adam, there would have been none of this confusion. And I think the resolution goes something like this: For I [new man or woman] don’t understand what I [old man] am doing. For I [old man] do not do what I [new man or woman] want – instead, I [old man] do what I [new man or woman] hate. But if I [old man] do what I [new man or woman] don’t want, I [new man or woman] agree that the law is good.
Here is the first recognition, if you will, of the new I wanting, desiring, willing, something different than the old I. With that, and beyond that, came the recognition of a possible new identity. But now it is no longer me [new man or woman] doing it, but sin [old man] that lives in me.8 And just in case I missed it, Paul went on to elaborate this distinction.
For I [new man or woman] know (Οἶδα, a form of εἴδω; i.e., know by seeing) that nothing good lives in me [old man], that is, in my flesh (σαρκί, a form of σάρξ). For I [new man or woman] want (θέλειν, a form of θέλω) to do the good, but I [new man or woman] cannot do it. For I [old man] do not do the good I [new man or woman] want (θέλω), but I [old man] do the very evil I [new man or woman] do not want (θέλω)! Now if I [old man] do what I [new man or woman] do not want (θέλω), it is no longer me [new man or woman] doing it but sin [old man] that lives in me.9
And so the law is the measure by which to distinguish one I from the other, the old from the new. The law excites the old I to rebellion and sin, while it is the earnest hope, desire and plea of the new I, though the power to fulfill that desire may seem overwhelmingly lacking.
So, I [new man or woman] find the law that when I [new man or woman] want (θέλοντι, another form of θέλω) to do good, evil [old man] is present with me [new man or woman]. For I [new man or woman] delight in the law of God in my [new man or woman] inner being. But I [new man or woman] see a different law in my [new man or woman] members waging war against the law of my [new man or woman] mind and making me [old man] captive to the law of sin that is in my [new man or woman] members [Table]. Wretched man that I [old man] am! Who will rescue me [new man or woman] from this body (σώματος, a form of σῶμα) of death (θανάτου, another form of θάνατος) [old man]?10
I admit that some of my designations in the preceding passage of the “new man or woman” may be arguable. I believe, however, that through faith I, the new man or woman, lay claim to more and more of my mind and my members. And I think that is the insight behind Paul’s gratitude, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!11 as he self-identified as the new man, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh (σαρκὶ, a form of σάρξ) I serve the law of sin.12
The NET translators acknowledged that they added the second “I serve” for “clarity” (note 28). But this is not like verse 17, in my flesh (ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου, literally “in this flesh of mine”). It is simply “but this flesh” (τῇ δὲ σαρκὶ). I think Paul’s point is better served by the NKJV translation, So then, with the mind I myself (αὐτὸς ἐγὼ) serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin,13 where the double emphasis of I myself is clearly distinguished from the flesh.