Romans 7:16

But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good.

This is an appeal to the conscience as a witness that God's law is holy and good, as affirmed in Romans 7:12. When people violate God's law, the inevitable feelings of guilt are sufficient evidence that the law is spiritual and holy. Hodge made the consent mentioned in this verse, the consent that the law is good, to be the ground of supposing the person in view was a Christian; but Paul had already revealed that even the reprobate Gentiles, suffering under God's judgment of hardening, had such an inner witness of God's righteousness and of the justice of his laws (see under Romans 2:15):

Barrett understood this verse thus:

The very fact that I am unhappy about my own deeds confirms that the law is just and good. Is the law sin? Certainly not; it is confirmed by conscience.[16]