(18, 19, 20) These verses contain an amplification and confirmatior; of the sentiment of the preceding verses. They reassert the existence and explain the nature of the inward struggle of which the apostle had been speaking-. ' I am unable to come up to the requirements of the law, not because they are unreasonable, but because I am corrupt ; there is no good in me. I can approve and delight in the exhibitions of holi- ness made by the law, but full conformity to its demands is more than 1 can attain. It is not I, therefore, my real and lasting self, but this in- trusive tyrant dwelling within me, that disobeys the law.' This strong and expressive language, though susceptible of a literal interpretation, which would make it teach not only error but nonsense, is still j)erfectly perspicuous and correct, because accurately descriptive of the common feelings of men. Paul frequently employs similar modes of expression. When speaking of his apostolic labours he says, " Yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me," 1 Cor. 15 : 10. And in Gal. 2 : 20 he says, " 1 live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." As no one sup- poses that the labours and life here spoken of were not the labours and life of the apostle, or that they did not constitute and express his moral character ; so no Christian supposes that the greatness and power of his sin frees him from its responsibility, even when he expresses his help- less misery by saying, with the apostle, " It is not I, but sin that dwell- eth in me."
(18) For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, &c. Paul is here explaining how it is that there is such a contra- diction between his better principles and his conduct, as just described. The reason is, that in himself, he was entirely depraved, " In me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." As Paul is here speaking of himself, he limits the declaration that there was no good in him. In its full sense, as he was a renewed man, this could not be true ; he there- fore adds, " in my flesh." Agreeably to the explanation given above, v. 14, these words evidently mean, ' in my nature considered apart from divine influence,' i. e. ' in me viewed independently of the effects pro- duced by the Spirit of God.'
For to will is present with me, but to perform that which is good I find not. To will indeed. As will is here opposed to performance, it must have a somewhat different sense from that which it has in v. 15, where it is opposed to the word to hate. There it means to approve or love ; here it means to purpose or desire. ' I have the purpose or desire to obey the law, but the performance I find not.' I find not, i. e. I do not find to be present ; I cannot attain.
(19) For the good that I would, I do not; hut the evil that I would not, that I do. This is a repetition, nearly in the same words, of v. 15. Paul reasserts that he was unable to act up to his purpose and desires. For example, he doubtless desired to love God with all his heart and at all times; but how constantly was his love colder, and less operative than the law demands. This verse is, therefore, but an amplification of