I'm probably only one of a handful of FReepers who believes this, but Paul is talking in the present tense here, not talking about his pre-Salvation life:
Romans 7:15For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Find me one person who is obedient to God and that person doesn't need a Savior.
A creature without free will is basically a robot...and humans are anything but.
What the so called theological know it all experts fail to realize is ? That much of the bible , or rather most of Paul’s and others writings were written down on parchment, scrolls that didn’t have separations of chapters and verse.
Most of the book of Romans into the 6th chapter is one train of continuous thought.
Notice ? The therefores, and the wherefores ?
In chapter 8 in Romans, it can be proven that what Paul is writing in chapter 8 is a continuation of what he was writing in chapter 7.
Paul writes about the struggle about the new man in the rebirth in the spirit of Christ waring against the flesh, the law of the spirit vs the law of the flesh.
Paul writes in the end of chapter 7 exasperated, “ oh wretched man that I am, who can deliver me from this “ then he goes on to proclaim that is it Jesus Christ who can reliever him......... But ? The train of thought does not end there at the end of chapter 7.
It continues on and he says “ therefore ( for this reason ) There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Walking after the flesh here means, walking in self efforts, walking according at trying to keep the law.
Even Paul explain it there in those very verse that the law was weak IN THE FLESH.
Walking in the spirit is walking in God’s grace , leaning on, depending on Christ’s finished work on the cross.
It’s totally rediculious to think that the latter part of chapter 7 is Paul’s pre - salvation state.
When Paul does write about his pre - salvation state or life he goes into great detail explaining how he was zealous for God, observed the law, that he was educated amoung the best with a top rate education amoung the Pharasies.
Paul after his conversion counted it all lose, as dung for the excellently of Christ.
So, it ludicrously to think that the latter part of chapter 7 of Romans was Paul’s pre - salvation state, for chapter 8 is a continuation of chapter 7 with Paul’s, therefore.
If ? They are so perfect and have free will, how do they explain 1 John 4:10
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.