Romans 7: 14-25
For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
Here we have an apparent conflict, between flesh and spirit.
For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do but I am doing the very thing I hate.
This is what happens every time we slide naturally into temptation; we tend to sabotage ourselves.
But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.
We admit that to do exactly what we're supposed to be doing would turn out to be much better than the laziness we end up giving in to.
So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
We really want to do right, and not slough off our responsibilities, so it must not be us doing it, it must just be that old pesky sinful flesh we live in!
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
Paul admits that his flesh is sinful, and everything he does in the flesh is polluted by that sin. Even when he wants to do well, he sometimes still falls back into old attitudes anyway.
For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
This happens to me. I intend to do so responsibly and take care of all the business I've planned to do, then the day just gets away from me with all the distractions. So other stuff ends up running my day, not me. That sin in me catches me up and steals my time.
I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
Yes, I also find that principle of evil that lives in my flesh, in that damaged DNA I inherited from my father, that keeps me from doing all the good I want to do.
For I joyfully concur with the Law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
God's Spirit in my spirit shows me how to rejoice in how His Law is so orderly and keeps things running smoothly. But I still live in my flesh body, that still wants to draw me away of the good that God wants for me. It's like a heavy anchor pulling me down.
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Paul feels the same way. His flesh body pulls him down, too. Who sets us free?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Yes! Give thanks to God who sent His Son to wash us clean in His precious Blood, and strengthens us in gaining the victory over the flesh.
So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the Law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
So when we live in the flesh, we are following the law of the sinfulness of the flesh; but when we yield to God through Jesus Christ as our Lord, our Boss, then He fights our battles for us, and gains for us the victory over sin in our lives.
O my Father, You are so good, and great, and wonderful! Your order that You placed in this Universe and our Earth shows Your Love for Your creation. And Your Law that You gave to Moses, as well as all the "laws of nature" show Your Love for us all, in teaching us how to love You back, and how to love one another.
Father, You know that we are just dust, damaged goods, wretched sinners, criminal rebels who deserve death. So You sent Your own Son so that we could be redeemed; rescued from all the snares of sin that tries constantly to entangle our feet. You release us from that bondage so that we can run with You!
O Father, continue to strengthen us, prepare Your church to face what You have told us is coming, and use us to find all Your lost sheep, to draw them into the safety and compassion of home in Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
