“I have discovered this principle of life – that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:21-24 NLT)
Discussion and debate have led to wrestling with the above verses and the whole of Romans 7 for centuries, so, let me give you my disclaimer right up front: I will not answer all of your questions regarding these challenging verses; however, I will share with you some things the Lord has shared with me that have helped me navigate what can be some troubling waters.
The question I’ve heard over the years, to which I’ve come to terms in my own life is: “Is Paul speaking about his life before Christ or his new life IN Christ?” I have no doubt he’s speaking of his life IN Christ, but here’s why I believe that.
The closer I get to Jesus the more wretched I seem in my own eyes; yet, on the other hand, the more carefully and closely I’m seeking to walk with Him. There’s a sense in which we can’t really see clearly the beauty of Jesus until we face the disgusting, and foul “aroma” of our own lives, especially what we’ve been, what we were before and, to some extent, what we’ve allowed ourselves to do and be even after our decision to follow Jesus.
The closer I get to Jesus the more I regret what I’ve done in my life to violate everything from which He died to spare me. The cry of Paul’s heart throughout Romans 7 isn’t speaking of present tense devotion to sin, except inasmuch as it will always be a threat to us regardless of how closely we walk with the Lord. He’s painting a picture of how terrible sin, and its devilish affects can be, holding it in juxtaposition with the beauty of Jesus and the life-saving power He gives us to live above the tentacles of Satan.
My sense is that many who are seeking Jesus have succumbed to the lie of Satan that there is no deliverance from sin, especially addictions to specific avenues of sin. So, they come to Christ “hoping” to find deliverance, falsely believing all they have to do is “trust Jesus,” with the clear implication: “Okay, Lord, it’s all Yours!” And they sit back and wait for healing that will never come without their partnership in that deliverance.
Each of us has to deal with sin in some form every day, but dependence on Jesus doesn’t free us of responsibility to do our part. For example, if I’m “trusting Jesus to deliver me from porn” while I’m continuing to watch it without setting any boundaries, sharing with my wife or Christian brothers what I’m going through so they can hold me accountable, I’m trying to swim that ocean without as much as a life vest. It’s spiritual “suicide!”
It’s almost as if we’re sitting, waiting for Jesus to do His part, while the Lord is waiting for us to do ours. He CAN and WILL deliver us, but not without cooperating effort on our part. As Paul implied in Chapter 8, we wrongly believe we can continue with sin as our master without fear of the Lord’s discipline or judgment, to our demise.
The crucial question becomes: “Whose nature are we allowing to dominate us? Are we being controlled by our sinful, lust-filled nature, or by the Holy Spirit” Let’s continue this discussion in tomorrow’s post.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 