(continued...)
Rom.8:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
How could God's law be seen as holy? It's because God's laws reveal His righteousness, even though in this world we can never... be perfect in following it. Only our Lord Jesus Christ was Perfect in keeping all of God's law, because He is God. So just because the law condemned us, like Paul says, that doesn't make God's laws bad. Instead, it shows us we all fall short, and most of all... it points to our needing something or someone else... to save us! Who would that be? Our Lord Jesus Christ, of course.
13 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; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
The main purpose for the old covenant keeping of God's law was in order to point... to the future coming of Lord Jesus Christ to save us. Law keeping could never... save us; we can't even keep it but always fall short. Thus the sinning exposed by the law was especially to point to, and prepare for the coming of Lord Jesus and His Sacrifice upon His cross for the remission of sins, for those who believe.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
So God's law is "spiritual" Paul says? Yeah! And that is what The Holy Spirit goes by when teaching us all things, according to Christ's promise. Yet Apostle Paul recognized a problem that works against that spiritual law. When he said, "I am carnal", he was speaking of the fleshy part of how God created us (Hebrews 4:12). Paul will show that about our literal flesh specifically here in the next few verses.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Paul says he at times finds himself doing what he does not allow; and what he would do, he does not do. But instead what he hates, he finds himself doing. And the law thus shows him the difference, and is what makes the law good. Paul then finally says, it's not really him doing those things he doesn't want, but "sin that dwelleth in me." In me where though? This is where many Bible translations and Church denominations depart on what Paul says here in this KJV translation, which this KJV is accurate.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
The KJV translators were very correct in translating that Greek sarx as "flesh". Paul is specifically speaking of the flesh body also as lusts of the flesh, in connection with the mind wanting to fulfill the desires of the flesh. What it means is, the FLESH speaks to our minds what it wants, which causes our lusts and carnal desires, etc. Those lusts and desires do not come from our 'spirit' part, they come from our 'flesh' part. This also is why Paul said in Romans 8:7-8 that those in the flesh cannot please God, because of how our flesh is responsible for our carnal thinking.
Yet many of my Christian brethren still fail to grasp the Hebrews 4:12 Scripture that defines how God created each of us with a separate 'spirit', and 'soul', and 'flesh body', and... how our spirit and soul are made from the dimension of Spirit, and not made up of flesh material matter like our flesh body only is. So when Paul is speaking of being "in my flesh", he is pointing to his spirit/soul as a separate part of his being that is not... flesh, being trapped in his flesh body. Paul even made this point very clear in 2 Corinthians 5 when declaring how God made us with 2 bodies, our flesh house our spirit dwells in, and then our spirit body house which if our flesh is dissolved, is immediately manifest in the heavenly. Even back in Ecclesiastes 12:5-7 we are shown how there is a "silver cord" that attaches our 'spirit' part to our 'flesh body' part, and it is separated at flesh death, and the two parts go their separate ways.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Sin that dwelleth in me, where? In Paul's flesh; that is the source Paul is pointing to, his flesh, not just some human or sin nature philosophical idea, but his literal... flesh body.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
What "members" is Paul speaking of there? The Greek word for it means a limb or body, meaning the flesh body. Thus there is no mistaking this now that Paul was pointing to his actual literal flesh body. Likewise, that idea of that "after the inward man" is pointing to one's 'spirit' that dwells inside their flesh body. It's our inward man that receives unction from The Holy Spirit to our spirit.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
KJV
Note that in verse 25, Paul is actually saying that even though being in Christ, he with his mind (via his spirit and The Holy Spirit) will serve the law of God. But with his flesh body he will serve the law of sin. Don't sugarcoat that, that is specifically what Paul was saying there. What's he mean though, how can we do both?
It means like The New Testament Scriptures declare, particularly like Apostle John said in 1 John 1, that we are to stay on watch against deception, and try not to have future sin, BUT IF WE DO slip up and sin BECAUSE OF THE LAW OF SIN IN OUR FLESH BODY causing it, then we are to REPENT TO JESUS ABOUT IT AND ASK HIM FORGIVENESS, and He will forgive and heal us, like John said there. And like John also said there, anyone DENYING that they sin, they call Jesus a liar.