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It is commonly accepted among biblical scholars that when Paul is bemoaning his internal struggle with sin in Romans chapter 7, he is actually taking on the voice of a character. He is not speaking as himself. This was a common rhetorical technique in the ancient world as well as today. By taking on the voice of a character, Paul is highlighting the true purpose of the Law for believers, while demonstrating our freedom in Christ.
My theory is that the “I” in Romans 7:7-25 is specifically Abraham, and through him, all people, both Jew and Gentile, who have not yet come to a saving faith in Christ. This passage does not describe Christians. I believe chapter 7 refers to Abraham first, because it was set up by the discussion of Abraham in Romans 4, specifically referring to him as our forefather “according to the flesh.” Flesh is a major theme of chapter 7, so this is a notable connection between the two chapters. More specifically, 7:5 says, “while we were in the flesh,” which could be understood both as being a natural, sinful state, as well as while we were still in the body of our forefather.
Romans 7:5-6 also sets us the first-person confession of the rest of the chapter by establishing that this is not a current struggle, but one in the past. Verse five states that sinful passions were aroused by the Law “while we were in the flesh.” And verse six goes on to say, “but now we have been released.” If verse 14 were not being spoken by a voice from the past, it would directly contradict verse six. One cannot be both “released” and “sold into bondage.”
In Romans 7:9 the speaker states, “I was once alive apart from the Law.” Clearly this statement could only be true of someone who lived prior to the existence of the Law. This is strengthened by the next clause, “but when the commandment came…” Thus, the existence of the speaker prior to the Law is clearly implied. So while Abraham is a good candidate to fill the role, it cannot be him alone, because verse nine also implies the Law came during this person’s life. This implies a multi-generational speaker.
Finally, a possible understanding for “members of my/our body” (v. 5 and 23) could be those who are the yet unborn progeny of the speaker, which would strengthen the concept of Abraham-as-head. In verse 23 the speaker also says that he is a “prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.” This could therefore be understood as he is a prisoner of the law of sin, with the result that it is also in the yet unborn generations to follow. Without this distinction, it is hard to understand why the speaker specifies “the members of [his] body.”
