Romans 7:18

“For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, etc..] The apostle goes on to give some further account of himself, what he knew, and was fully assured of by long experience; as that dwelleth no good thing in him, that is, in his flesh, or carnal self; for otherwise there were many good things dwelt in him; there was the good work of grace, and the good word of God in him, and even Father, Son, and Spirit, dwelt in him; but his meaning is, that there was no good thing naturally in him; no good thing of his own putting there; nothing but what God had put there; no good thing, but what was owing to Christ, to the grace of God, and influence of the Spirit; or as he himself explains it, there was…”

“For, &c.--better, "For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is in my flesh, any good." for to will--"desire." is present with me; but how to perform that which is good--the supplement "how," in our version, weakens the statement. I find not--Here, again, we have the double self of the renewed man; "In me dwelleth no good; but this corrupt self is not my true self; it is but sin dwelling in my real self, as a renewed man."”

“For I know - This is designed as an illustration of what he had just said, that sin dwelt in him. That is, in my flesh - In my unrenewed nature; in my propensities and inclinations before conversion. Does not this qualifying expression show that in this discussion he was speaking of himself as a renewed man? Hence, he is careful to imply that there was at that time in him something that was right or acceptable with God, but that that did not pertain to him by nature. Dwelleth - His soul was wholly occupied by what was evil. It had taken entire possession. No good thing - There could not be possibly a stronger expression of belief of the doctrine of total depravity. It is Paul’s own…”

“In my flesh - The flesh here signifies the whole man as he is by nature. Romans 7:21”

“7:18 my sinful nature: See study note on 6:19. This phrase could refer to Paul’s former state as an unredeemed person or to a part of Paul that remains tied to the world and resists the will of God.”

“that in me: Gen 6:5, Gen 8:21; Job 14:4, Job 15:14-16, Job 25:4; Psa 51:5; Isa 64:6; Mat 15:19; Mar 7:21-23; Luk 11:13; Eph 2:1-5; Tit 3:3; Pe1 4:2 in my: Rom 7:5, Rom 7:25, Rom 8:3-13, Rom 13:14; Joh 3:6; Gal 5:19-21, Gal 5:24 for to will: Rom 7:15, Rom 7:19, Rom 7:25; Psa 119:5, Psa 119:32, Psa 119:40, Psa 119:115-117, Psa 119:173, Psa 119:176; Gal 5:17; Phi 2:13, Phi 3:12 Romans 7:20”