| Very clearly a believer in my humble estimation.
Ultimately, those that believe that a Christian has left behind that conflict and that a man is not justified by faith by imputation but not on the basis of actual righteousness, has rejected Christ's righteousness as the ground for our assurance and has replaced with some variant of inherent righteousness in the person.
As noted by Bruce, Paul's dialogue fits perfectly as he is building the case for the surety of salvation found in God's electing love and grace and not in the quality of our holiness. Paul begins in Romans 5 by reminding all that God justifies the un-Godly - that He justifies while we were enemies. How much more then will He save His friends to the uttermost!
Romans 7 is a continuation of that thought as the very question always arises in Christians who are facing the wickedness of their hearts and their awakened consciences are stung by the profound evil they hadn't noticed when they were dead in their sins. He gives voice to the despair we all sense as we're doing the exact opposite of our desires. The solution to the despair of our outcry: "Who will deliver me!" is Christ Jesus.
It is often forgotten, in fact, that Romans 8 is the transitions from this existential angst into the confidence in Christ and that, even in the midst of this cry, His Spirit ministers to our spirit and we cry out "Abba! Father!" It's the cry that only the redeemed can call out with. It's a call that recognizes and remembes that God saved us while we were His enemies and made us His friends - nay, his children! He reminds us that nothing can separate us from that kind of love.
We begin by clinging to Christ with nothing in our hands because the love of God has awakened us to our sin and our need for Christ. We are never in a point where we can leave behind that profound need. We are never at a point where we're standing on our own and free from indwelling sin so we can stand apart from Christ and be justified apart from His righteousness. We are always in need of a savior. Our sin not only brings us the grief of offending our Father but it is a reminder that only Christ is our righteousness now and forever. |