Romans 7:21-25
One of the great things (and there are many) about Paul’s writings in the New Testament is the honesty with which he writes. He is quick to call out things when warranted, but he is also quick to use himself and his own struggles as examples of what it means to live for Christ. These verses perfectly capture the struggle that not only Paul was dealing with, but the struggle that every Believer has dealt with since then and still deals with today. It is the struggle of good versus evil. Not in the epic sense that has plunged the world into great wars, although that does exist. But rather the struggle of our life in Christ and that of the “old self.” Paul writes directly about this struggle in verses leading up to today’s passage: doing what he shouldn’t do and not doing what he should do. I think it is safe to say that every one of us grapples with this daily. Why? Because we think it is a battle we can fight and win on our own. For those who struggle with addictions, such as drugs or alcohol, there is the nature that says, “I can quit anytime I want.” And perhaps for a time they might, but eventually there is the propensity to fall back into it. “Just one drink won’t hurt anything.” But it’s not just addictions, it’s lifestyle and our personal walk with Jesus. To commit to Christ is an all-in proposition. Paul is writing to the church at Rome that the law cannot set you free from the shackles of sin. In 1 Corinthians 15:56, he writes, “The sting of death is sin, and power of sin is the law.” Jesus came to serve as the propitiation of our sins. Meaning He took upon Himself the wrath of God against our sin so that we may face God without blame. Jesus took the blame for us. The Jews in particular were trying to understand that he law of the Old Testament no longer applied. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and so the struggle of trying to keep the law was a war no longer needing to be fought. We have Jesus. But as Paul says in verses 22-23, “ For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” The inward man, that which delights in God, is at odds with the outward man…the flesh. And we cannot serve both. It is the ultimate conflict. I thank God that through Jesus, I do not fight this conflict in my own strength, but through Jesus. And the best part is that it has already been won. Stay strong, for the battle belongs to the Lord.
One of the great things (and there are many) about Paul’s writings in the New Testament is the honesty with which he writes. He is quick to call out things when warranted, but he is also quick to use himself and his own struggles as examples of what it means to live for Christ. These verses perfectly capture the struggle that not only Paul was dealing with, but the struggle that every Believer has dealt with since then and still deals with today. It is the struggle of good versus evil. Not in the epic sense that has plunged the world into great wars, although that does exist. But rather the struggle of our life in Christ and that of the “old self.” Paul writes directly about this struggle in verses leading up to today’s passage: doing what he shouldn’t do and not doing what he should do. I think it is safe to say that every one of us grapples with this daily. Why? Because we think it is a battle we can fight and win on our own. For those who struggle with addictions, such as drugs or alcohol, there is the nature that says, “I can quit anytime I want.” And perhaps for a time they might, but eventually there is the propensity to fall back into it. “Just one drink won’t hurt anything.” But it’s not just addictions, it’s lifestyle and our personal walk with Jesus. To commit to Christ is an all-in proposition. Paul is writing to the church at Rome that the law cannot set you free from the shackles of sin. In 1 Corinthians 15:56, he writes, “The sting of death is sin, and power of sin is the law.” Jesus came to serve as the propitiation of our sins. Meaning He took upon Himself the wrath of God against our sin so that we may face God without blame. Jesus took the blame for us. The Jews in particular were trying to understand that he law of the Old Testament no longer applied. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and so the struggle of trying to keep the law was a war no longer needing to be fought. We have Jesus. But as Paul says in verses 22-23, “ For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” The inward man, that which delights in God, is at odds with the outward man…the flesh. And we cannot serve both. It is the ultimate conflict. I thank God that through Jesus, I do not fight this conflict in my own strength, but through Jesus. And the best part is that it has already been won. Stay strong, for the battle belongs to the Lord.
Posted in Devotional