The Dark Triad And Romans 7:14-17

The human soul is a battlefield, constantly warring between the siren call of self-interest and the quiet whisper of virtue. For some, this struggle is a searing, agonizing reality, a mark of their very humanity. For others, the battlefield lies silent, their moral compass either shattered or never truly formed. Romans 7:14-17 offers a profound window into the former, providing a stark contrast to individuals caught in the chilling embrace of the Dark Triad traits.

Paul, in Romans 7:14-17, articulates an internal conflict that resonates deeply with the spiritually minded person: “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.”

This passage is the agonizing cry of a soul that recognizes good, desires goodness, and yet finds itself inexplicably compelled towards actions it despises. The spiritually minded individual, by definition, is someone whose spirit (their deepest self, connected to conscience and moral truth) yearns for alignment with a higher, righteous standard—be it God’s law, a universal moral code, or an ideal of virtue. When they fall short, as all humans inevitably do, they experience genuine distress. They “hate what they do” because it violates their core identity and aspirations. Their “I” is aligned with the law that is “good,” and the “sin living in me” is perceived as an unwelcome, alien force, a foreign invader that hijacks their better intentions. This internal dissonance, this guilt and longing for purity, is the very engine of spiritual growth and repentance. It is the sign of a living, striving conscience.

Now, consider the individual characterised by the Dark Triad traits: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy. Such individuals, research suggests, not only fail to care about good behaviour but actually prefer to engage in bad behaviour. Their motivations are typically self-serving: power, control, personal gain, or simply the thrill of manipulation or transgression.

The profound difference between these two archetypes immediately becomes glaringly apparent when juxtaposed with Romans 7. For the Dark Triad individual, the internal conflict described by Paul simply does not exist in the same way, if at all.

1. “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” The Dark Triad individual rarely “hates what they do” if it serves their purpose. A manipulative act, a deceptive lie, or a callous disregard for another’s feelings isn’t met with self-loathing or remorse; it’s often met with satisfaction, indifference, or a detached calculation of its effectiveness. They might understand societal norms of goodness, but they don’t internalise them as inherently valuable or desirable.
2. “And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.” This agreement with the moral law’s goodness is the cornerstone of the spiritually minded person’s struggle. The Dark Triad individual, particularly those with psychopathic tendencies, doesn’t inherently agree that the moral law is “good” if it impedes their desires. They may conform to it externally when necessary to avoid consequences, but internally, they see it as a hurdle, a weakness in others, or a tool to be exploited. There’s no intrinsic valuing of righteousness that would cause them distress upon transgression.
3. “It is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.” For the spiritually minded, “sin living in me” is an unwelcome intruder, a force they fight against, distinct from their true, desirous self. For the Dark Triad individual, the bad behaviour isn’t an alien force. Often, it’s an integrated part of their strategic self, their preferred mode of operation, or even a source of perverse pleasure. The “I” often identifies with these behaviours, seeing them as effective, empowering, or simply unproblematic. There’s no sense of a higher, purer “I” being corrupted; the manipulative, self-serving “I” is the operative “I.”

In essence, Romans 7:14-17 speaks to the profound sorrow and struggle of a conscious spirit yearning for good while wrestling with its own fallen nature. It describes a moral framework where “good” is recognised and pursued, and failure brings internal pain. The Dark Triad individual exists largely outside this framework. Their moral landscape is not one of internal struggle against a perceived “sin living in me,” but often one of strategic calculation, emotional detachment, and a chilling preference for actions that serve self-interest, regardless of their ethical implications. The difference is not just in behaviour, but in the very architecture of the soul: one marked by an active, albeit conflicted, conscience; the other by its stark and often terrifying absence.